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DIALECTIC  AND  PHILANTHROPIC 

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SOCIETIES 


Folio 

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,W8 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HIL 


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This  book  is  due  at  the  WALTER  R.  DAVIS  LIBRARY  on 
the  last  date  stamped  under  "Date  Due."  If  not  on  hold  it 
may  be  renewed  by  bringing  it  to  the  library. 

DATE                            RET 
DUE                              RtT- 

DATE                             RET 
DUE 

JM  2  7 } 

996 

i  ?  *\  '0/T 

I  A! 

|  c  J  vo 

OCT  1 5 

:  1999 

No.  513, 
Rev.  1184 

-' 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/centennialencyclOOwrig 


isifi 


191B 


CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


OF  THE 


Afriom  iHrtljntot  lEptentpal  (Etfurrtj 

Containing  principally  the  Biographies  of  the  Men  and  Women,   both  Ministers  and  Laymen, 

whose  Labors  during  a  Hundred  Years,  helped  make  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  what  it  is; 

also  short  Historical  Sketches  of  Annual  Conferences,  Educational  Institutions, 

General  Departments,  Missionary  Societies  o/  the  A.  M.  E. 

Church,   and  General  Information  about 

Afrtratt  iHptfjofctsm  mxb  %  Cljnaitan  Glljitnrtj  tit  General 

Being  a  Literary  Contribution  to  the  Celebration  of  the  One  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  the 

Formation  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  Denomination  by 

Richard  Allen  and  others,  at  Philadelphia,  Penna.,  in  1816 


k  i 


BY 


RICHARD  R.  WRIGHT  Jr.,  A  M.f  B.  D.,  Ph.D. 

Author  oi  "The  Negro  in  Pennsylvania,"  "The  Teachings  of  Jesus,"  Editor  of  The  Christian  Recoo 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 


ASSISTED  BY 

JOHN  R.  HAWKINS,  A.M.,  LL.  B. 

Financial  Secretary  of  the  A  M.  E.  Church;  formerly  Secretary  of  Education,  A.  M. 

ASSOCIATE  EDITOR 


INTRODUCTION  BY 
BISHOP  L.J.  COPPIN,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

Thirtieth  Bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church;  Author  of  "Relation  of  Baptized  Children  to  the  Church,"  "Key  to  Scriptural  Interpretation," 
"Observations  of  Persons  and  Things  in  South  Africa,"  "Fifty-two  Suggestive  Sermon  Syllabi,"  Etc. 


^ 


PHILADELPHIA,  PA.,  U.S.A. 


COPYRIGHTED 

BY  R.  R.  WRIGHT,  JR. 

J9J6 


PRINTED    BY 

BOOK  CONCERN  OF  THE  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH 

631    PINE  STREET,   PHILADELPHIA.  PA. 

1916 


LIBRAKY  UNIV.  Of 
NORTH  CAROLINA 


L  reface 


HE  manuscript  for  "Encyclopaedia  of 
African  Methodism"  is  completed. 
The  purpose  of  the  Encyclopaedia  is 
to  present  in  some  sort  of  literary 
form  the  work  of  the  men  and  wom- 
en, both  ministers  and  laymen,  who 
have  helped  to  make  the  Church  what 
it  is,  and  especially  those  now  living 
who  receive  the  inheritance  of  the 
fathers  and  upon  whose  shoulders 
rests  the  responsibility  of  passing  the  church  down  to 
a  new  century.  The  book  is  not  a  history  of  original 
research,  nor  history  at  all  in  the  technical  sense.  It 
is  prepared  in  such  a  way  as  makes  it  practically  im- 
possible to  verify  all  statements  contained  therein. 
This  verification  will  be  made  largely  by  criticisms 
received  from  those  who  will  carefully  read  the  book. 
Most  of  the  material  in  the  biographical  part  is  largely 
autobiographical,  taken  from  blank  forms  filled  out 
by  the  subjects  concerned,  or  from  sketches  furnished 
by  themselves  or  some  one  who  knew  them,  all  of 
which  has  been  edited  as  carefully  as  the  time  would 
allow.  The  files  of  the  Christian  Recorder,  the  various 
histories  of  the  Church,  the  encyclopaedias  by  Bishops 


Wayman  and  Simpson,  and  other  books  have  been 
called  into  service  where  possible. 

Our  aim  has  been  to  present  facts,  and  nothing  but 
facts.  We  have  not  attempted  to  eulogize  or  to  criti- 
cise, only  to  give  the  facts  and  let  them  tell  their  own 
story. 

Though  the  work  has  been  in  the  making  for  more 
than  two  years,  the  greater  part  of  the  biographical 
matter  came  into  the  editor's  hands  less  than  three 
months  before  the  time  to  go  to  press,  making  it  im- 
possible to  as  thoroughly  organize  it  as  he  had  hoped 
and  still  present  the  book  by  the  time  of  the  General 
Conference  as  he  promised. 

But  the  book  is  given  out  merely  as  a  beginning 
There  should  be  collected  and  printed  the  biography 
and  picture  of  every  man  and  woman  who  has  done 
anything  creditable  toward  building  our  great  Church, 
not  so  much  for  their  sakes,  but  for  the  sake  of  the 
future,  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Church. 

The  second  part  of  the  book  deals  with  the  Church 
in  general,  its  history,  location,  laws,  doctrines,  sta- 
tistics, etc.,  as  well  as  items  of  interest  pertaining  to 
the  religious  life  of  the  race. — Editors. 


**1 


Introduction 


By  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin 


COMPLETE  history  of  the  Negro  in 
America,  is  unwritten  and  unwritable. 
Much  that  would  be  most  interesting 
and  valuable,  went  to  the  grave  with 
those  who  had  no  possible  means  of 
transmitting  it  except  by  the  uncertain 
and  unreliable  method  of  tradition. 

Much  that  comes  down  to  us  through 

the  maze,  either  written  or  by  tradition 

is,  indeed,  somber  and  sad. 

It  becomes  the  historian  of  the  present  day  to  throw 

side  lights  upon  the  dark  past,  by  exhibiting  some  of 

its  better  products,  lest  the  skeptical  continue  to  ask 

"Can  any  good  thing  come  out  of  Nazareth?" 

A  story  which  reveals  a  reniassance  a  hundred 
years  ago  among  the  oppressed  of  African  descent, 
cannot  fail  to  be  valuable  contribution  to  the  litera- 
ture of  our  times.  But  what  is  more,  if  much  of  the 
story  is  in  autobiography,  it  is  a  living  voice,  divested 
of  the  speculative  aspect  of  that  which  speaks  alone 
for  the  past  ages. 

There  are  but  a  few  remaining  who  saw  Richard 
Allen,  but  their  children  are  legion. 

The  Centennial  Encyclopaedia  of  the  African  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  gives  historical  data,  that  has 
a  direct  bearing  upon  the  earliest  organized  move- 
ment by  the  man  of  color,  to  vindicate  his  right  to 
the  title  of  man. 

The  Toussaint  L'Ouverture  movement  began  in 
1791  ;  the  Richard  Allen  movement  in   1787. 

What  could  be  expected  at  this  early  date  of  a 
people  without  education,  or  wealth,  or  even  freedom 
and  a  name  ?  The  right  of  Christian  marriage  and 
Christian  baptism  was  denied  the  man  of  color  in 
those  days. 

A  glance  at  facts  and  figures  revealed  by  the  "Cen- 
tennial Encyclopaedia"  cannot  fail  to  convince  the  most 
stubborn  unbeliever,  that  our  claim  to  manhood  re- 
cognition is  legitimate  and  just.  That  evidences  of 
innate  qualities  to  warrant  aspiration  to  the  highest 
and  best  in  human  possibilities  are  not  wanting  in  our 


race  variety;  and  that  the  progress  of  fifty  years  of 
freedom  is  without  a  parallel  in  the  records  of  his- 
tory, is  also  manifest. 

Should  any  one  ask  for  a  reason  for  giving  those 
facts,  the  only  true  answer  is,  it  would  be  a  crime 
not  to  give  them.  They  are  not  complete.  They  could 
not  be  complete  in  a  single  volume.  The  broadest 
opportunity  has  been  given  for  contributions  by  writ- 
ers from  every  section  and  corner  of  the  Church. 
Many  have  availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity, 
and  many  more  will  be  inspired,  when  they  see  this 
volume,  to  prepare  for  the  next,  when  the  work  by  an- 
other will  be  taken  up  where  this  leaves  off. 

This  first  work  of  its  kind  on  so  large  a  scale,  should 
go  into  the  home  of  every  man  and  woman,  in  whose 
veins  flows  a  drop  of  blood  that  represents  faith  in  the 
possibilities  of  the  race,  and  a  desire  to  inspire  pos- 
terity with  noble  ambition.  Especially  should  the 
African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  consider  it  an 
obligation  to  see  to  it,  that  the  work  is  given  the 
largest  possible  circulation. 

The  Editor-in-Chief,  Dr.  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr.,  and  the 
Assistant  Editor,  Professor  John  R.  Hawkins,  are 
themselves  examples  of  the  best  hope  of  the  race,  and 
a  guarantee  of  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  work. 

These  sons  of  African  Methodism,  one  a  minister, 
the  other  a  layman,  both  born  upon  soil  that,  in  the 
past,  offered  the  greatest  impediment  to  race  advance- 
ment, but  who  stand  as  unchallenged  samples  of 
what  is  purest  and  brightest  in  morals  and  intellect, 
have  placed  the  race  under  a  debt  of  gratitude,  for 
this  latest  accomplishment  in  race  literature  of  a  his- 
torical nature. 

The  lessons  would  be  incomplete  if  the  mechanical 
work  did  not  also  represent  race  progress.  Coming  as 
it  does  from  our  Book  Concern  presses,  the  volume 
presents  an  additional  claim  upon  those  for  whom  it 
speaks;  a  claim,  the  answer  to  which  should  be  a 
demand  for  future  editions. 


vJne  Jrlundred  Y  ears  of  African  IVlethodism 


EGINNING  May  3,  1916,  and  continuing 
three  weeks,  there  was  held  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania,  the  Centennial 
General  Conference  of  the  African 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which, 
among  other  things,  celebrated  the  one 
hundredth  anniversary  of  its  organiza- 
tion. The  sessions  were  held  in  Bethel 
African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
upon  ground  purchased  by  that  church 
in  1794,  perhaps  the  oldest  piece  of  real  property 
owned  by  a  Negro  organization  in  this  country. 

The  history  of  this  church  dates  back  to  1787,  when 
a  number  of  persons  of  African  descent,  imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  independence  then  in  the  American  at- 
mosphere, and  led  by  Richard  Allen,  a  colored  local 
preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  with- 
drew from  St.  George's  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  Philadelphia,  because  the  white  Christians  desired 
to  segregate  them  in  the  gallery  of  the  church,  and 
otherwise  place  a  badge  of  inferiority  upon  them. 
They  established  a  society  of  their  own,  in  which  any 
person,  regardless  of  his  color,  could  enjoy  the  wor- 
ship of  God  with  freedom  from  restriction  or  segrega- 
tion. Soon  Negroes  of  other  Pennsylvania  localities, 
and  of  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Delaware  and  Mary- 
land followed  the  example  of  the  Philadelphians,  and 
formed  distinctively  African  congregations — often 
with  the  encouragement  of  the  whites.  In  1816  re- 
presentatives, sixteen  in  all,  from  Bethel  African 
Church  in  Philadelphia,  and  African  churches  in  Bal- 
timore, Md.,  Wilmington,  Del.,  Attleboro,  Penna.,  and 
Salem,  New  Jersey,  met  in  Philadelphia  and  formed  a 
church  organization  or  connection  under  the  title  of 
"The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church."  (The 
term  "African"  was  then  prevalently  used  to  desig- 
nate the  people  of  color,  just  as  the  terms  "Negro" 
and  "colored  people"  are  now  used).  They  adopted 
the  polity  and  doctrine  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  with  some  slight  changes,  and  elected  one 
of  their  number,  Richard  Allen,  as  their  bishop. 

During  the  first  fifty  years,  the  church  was  confined 
almost  entirely  to  the  Northern  States,  as  it  was  not 
allowed  to  operate  among  the  slaves  in  the  South, 
though  in  Charleston,  New  Orleans,  and  one  or  two 
other  places,  there  were  small  organizations  among 
free  Negroes.  In  Boston,  Newport,  New  Bedford, 
New  York,  Buffalo,  Pittsburgh,  Washington,  Cincin- 
nati, Chicago,  St.  Louis,  Sacramento  and  other  North- 


ern and  Western  cities,  where  there  were  a  hundred 
or  more  Negroes,  a  church  was  organized.  During 
this  period  many  of  the  ministers  of  this  church  were 
active  in  the  anti-slavery  movement  and  "Under- 
ground Railroad,"  and  much  of  the  actual  work  of 
receiving  and  transporting  escaped  slaves  was  done 
by  them.  •      •      • 

The  emancipation  of  the  slaves  opened  up  a  great 
field  for  the  Church,  which  it  was  not  slow  to  seize. 
Before  the  Civil  War  was  over,  hundreds  of  preachers 
and  teachers  had  been  sent  as  missionaries  to  the 
South,  the  first  going  from  New  York  in  1863.  Many 
of  these  became  prominent  in  religious,  business  and 
political  life.  The  first  United  States  Senator  of  Af- 
rican descent  was  Rev.  Hiram  R.  Revels,  of  Missis- 
sippi, who  was  an  A.  M.  E.  minister.  Others  went  to 
Congress  and  became  otherwise  prominent.  But  the 
great  majority  confined  their  labors  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Church  among  the  recently  emancipated 
people  and  the  results  were  little  short  of  remarkable, 
as  the  people  flocked  to  their  standard  in  greater 
numbers  than  they  could  be  efficiently  cared  for. 

The  following  table  will  show  something  of  the 
growth  of  the  Church  from  the  beginning,  which,  as 
will  be  seen,  has  been  greatest  during  the  past  fifty 
years.    It  is  compiled  from  the  best  data  at  hand. 


No.    of    churches 

No.    of    bishops 

No.    of    conferences 

No.    of    schools 

No.    of    ministers 

No.    of    local    preachers. 

No.    of    members 

Value    of    property 

Paid    for    pastors'    support 
(estimated). 


1836.  | 
86 
2 
4 
0 
27 


1866. 
286 
3 

10 

1 

265 


1896. 

4,850 

9 

52 

20 

4,365 


400 

25,000 


7,594 

$125,000 

1,126 


73,000 

825,000 

85,593 


518,000 

$8,630,000 

956,875 


1916. 

7,500 

16 

81 

24 

6,650 

6,400 

650,000 

$12,500,000 

2,000,000 


In  1816,  the  Church  was  established  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, New  Jersey,  Delaware  and  Maryland,  with 
about  only  400  members.  In  1836  it  was  also  in  Ohio, 
New  York,  Massachusetts,  and  the  Island  of  Hayti, 
and  had  7,544  members.  In  1856,  it  spread  to  Illinois, 
Indiana,  Missouri,  Louisiana,  Kentucky  and  Canada 
and  had  bout  20,000  members.  In  1863,  its  first  mis- 
sionaries went  to  the  South,  and  large  accessions  were 
made,  so  that  in  1866,  it  had  churches  in  South  Caro- 
lina, Georgia,  Florida,  Tennessee  and  Alabama,  and  a 
membership  exceeding  73,000.  In  1896  it  had  covered 
every  Southern  State  and  planted  missions  in  Liberia, 
Bermuda  and  in  South  Aemrica,  and  the  membership 
was  518,000.  In  1916,  there  were  missions  also  in 
Jamaica,    South   Africa,   Nova    Scotia,    and   the    total 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


G 


membership  is  more  than  650,000  members,  6,650 
traveling  ministers,  and  6,400  local  preachers,  15  ac- 
tive bishops  and  1  retired  bishop.  There  are  81  an- 
nual conferences,  7,500  churches,  2,750  parsonages,  24 
schools,  with  property,  the  total  value  of  which  is 
more  than  $12,500,000. 

In  1844,  plans  were  laid  for  the  first  school — a  man- 
ual labor  school — near  Columbus,  Ohio,  and  in  1863, 
one  of  its"  bishops  bought  Wilberforce  University,  now 
the  oldest  and  one  of  the  largest  Negro  institutions  of 
higher  learning  in  America.  Since  then  an  institu- 
tion of  learning  has  been  established  by  the  Church, 
in  nearly  every  State  in  the  South :  Allen  University, 
Columbia,  S.  C. ;  Morris  Brown  University,  Atlanta, 
Ga. ;  Edward  Waters  College,  Jacksonville,  Fla. ; 
Payne  University,  Selma,  Ala. ;  Campbell  College, 
Jackson,  Miss ;  Lampton  College,  Alexandria,  La. ; 
Paul  Quinn  College,  Waco,  Tex. ;  Shorter  College, 
Little  Rock,  Ark. ;  Turner  College,  Shelbyville,  Tenn. ; 
Kittrell  College,  Kittrell,  N  .C. ;  Western  University, 
Quindaro,  Kans. ;  Wayman  Institute,  Harrodsburg, 
Ky.  Besides  these  institutions  there  are  several  high 
school  sand  elementary  schools,  both  in  America  and 
in  foreign  countries.  All  of  these  institutions  except 
Western  University,  Wilberforce  and  Kittrell  College 
are  named  for  some  one  of  the  forty-one  bishops  who 
have  served  the  church  since  1816. 

In  1824,  the  first  missionaries  went  to  Hayti;  in 
1848  the  Missionary  Department  was  originated  and 
in  1864  put  into  actual  operation.  In  1891,  the  first 
bishop  visited  West  Africa ;  in  1898,  the  first  bishop 
went  to  South  Africa.  Today  there  are  more  than  a 
hundred  missionaries  and  native  workers  in  these 
foreign  lands,  where  there  are  a  half  dozen  schools 
and  the  membership  numbers  more  than  25,000  per- 
sons. Many  of  the  native  sons  and  daughters  of 
Africa  have  been  brought  to  America  and  educated 
in  the  Church  schools  to  return  to  their  home  for 
work  among  their  kinsmen. 

In  1841,  the  first  magazine  was  published,  but  did 
not  last  very  long.  In  1852,  "The  Christian  Recorder," 
a  weekly  newspaper  was  established  as  the  official 
organ  and  has  been  maintained  ever  since.  Other 
weekly  publications  are  the  "Southern  Christian  Re- 
corder," Columbus,  Ga. ;  "The  Western  Christian  Re- 
corder," Kansas  City,  Mo.,  also  "The  Women's  Mis- 
sionary Recorder"  (monthly),  Columbia,  S.  C. ;  "The 
Voice  of  Missions"  (monthly),  New  York;  the  "A. 
M.  E.  Review"  (quarterly),  Philadelphia;  and  numer- 
ous other  publications  for  Sunday  school  and  young 
people's  society  and  local  church  work. 

In  1872,  the  Financial  Department,  or  central  treas- 
ury, now  located  in  Washington,  D.  C,  was  establish- 
ed to  collect  one   dollar,  called  Dollar  Money,   from 


each  member,  for  general  purposes.  The  first  year, 
1872-3,  the  income  was  $20,801.  It  has  steadily  in- 
creased until  it  is  more  than  $210,000  for  the  present 
year,  1915-16.  This  money  pays  the  salaries  of  the 
bishops  and  general  officers,  pensions  for  widows,  of 
bishops  and  ministers,  children  under  fourteen  years 
of  age  of  deceased  bishops  and  ministers,  superan- 
nuated ministers.  A  part  of  it,  together  with  the  col- 
lections from  the  missionary  department,  pays  for 
the  missionaries,  and  ministers  whose  salaries  are 
below  the  average,  for  education  and  other  general 
purposes.  (See  Financial  Department). 

In  1882,  the  Sunday  School  Department  was  organ- 
ized. By  it,  all  of  the  literature  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Sun- 
day schools  is  edited  and  published.  There  are  now 
275,000  pupils,  teachers  and  officers  enrolled  in  the 
A.  M.  E.  Sunday  schools  of  the  country,  and  the  Sun- 
day school  department  employs  more  than  60  persons 
in  writing  and  publishing  its  literature.  In  1892,  the 
Church  Extension  Society  was  established,  and  from 
a  small  beginning  has  extended  the  church  by  aiding 
small  societies  to  build  churches,  and  rescuing  debt- 
burdened  churches  from  sale  to  the  amount  of  more 
than  $381,000  both  in  this  country  and  in  foreign 
countries. 

The  A.  M.  E.  Church  has  successfully  solved  the 
problems  of  Negro  organization  from  the  religious 
side.  In  nearly  every  city  in  the  country,  there  are 
churches,  and  in  the  larger  cities,  property  valued  at 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars.  The  biggest  prob- 
lem before  the  church  today  is  that  of  ministerial 
training.  There  must  come  into  the  ministry  about 
500  new  preachers  each  year.  The  necessity  for  train- 
ing is  greater  today  than  in  the  past,  when  the  appeal 
was  simple,  as  the  experience  and  opportunity  of  the 
people  were  meagre.  But  with  increasing  education, 
increasing  wealth,  travel,  business,  and  other  inter- 
ests, the  religious  appeal  to  the  Negro  must  change, 
fo  meet  this  changed  condition  is  the  greatest  prob- 
lem of  this  Church.  Ministerial  education  will  occupy 
a  large  part  of  the  constructive  work  of  the  future. 

The  General  Conference  which  met  in  Philadelphia 
to  celebrate  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  probably 
drew  together  the  largest  number  of  talented  Negroes 
ever  assembled  at  one  place  and  time  in  the  history  of 
the  country.  The  six  hundred  and  fifty  delegates 
comprised  both  ministers  and  laymen  from  every 
State  in  the  Union,  where  there  is  any  considerable 
Negro  population,  from  West  Africa,  South  Africa, 
Canada,  South  America,  and  the  West  Indies,  and 
represented  the  popular  leaders  of  the  Negro  race. 
See  list  of  delegates  to  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence in  the  Appendix. 


What  Oas  African   IVlethodism     1  o   Oay 

For  Itself 


By  J.  T.  Jenifer 

Historian  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 


"Having  obtained  help  of  God,  we   continue  until  this  day," — Acts  xxvi,  22. 


r 


TANDING,  as  it  were,  at  the  threshold 
of  the  Centennial  of  African  Methodism, 
when  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  proposes  to 
celebrate  the  one  hundred  years  of  its 
existence,  we  may,  with  a  degree  of 
propriety,    raise    the    question — 

What  Has  African  Methodism  to  Say 
for  Istelf? 

African  Methodism  did  not  spring 
from  a  spirit  of  ignorant  obstinacy, 
neither  was  it  a  child  of  fanaticism  and  self-conceit, 
as  has  been  sometimes  charged.  It  arose  as  a  protest 
against  repression  and  ostracism  at  the  altars  of  God. 
It  entered  its  protest  in  1787  with  a  purpose  to  erect 
its  own  altars  and  to  encourage  free  religious  thought 
and  action. 

It  sprang  from  a  sense  of  duty,  prompted  by  piety 
and  pity.  Its  underlying  motive  was  to  save  souls ; 
to  enlighten,  evangelize  and  to  lift  up  mankind.  The 
founders  saw  their  race  ostracised,  segregated,  en- 
slaved and  crushed.  They  inscribed  as  an  insignia 
upon  their  denominational  banner — 

"God    Our    Father,    Man    Our    Brother,    Christ    Our 
Redeemer. " 

The  chief  advice  sent  abroad  by  the  founders  of 
African  Methodism  to  their  race  variety  and  neglect- 
ed brethren,  whom  they  saw  enslaved,  ostracised  and 
crushed,  was,  to  be  good;  to  cheeish  self-reliance;  self 
help  and  with  friendly  aid,  to  cultivate  the  spirit  of 
manly  independence,  with  ths  exercise  of  free  relig- 
these  virtues  they  were  to  win. 

These  purposes  and  messages  were  seriously  needed 
by  the  American  colored  man,  but  the  times  were  not 
very  propitious.  The  colored  people  then  had  few 
churches  and  no  schools ;  to  educate  them  was  a  crime. 

In  those  days,  every  prospect  to  the  black  man,  save 
the  visions  of  faith,  was  dark.  The  slave  clanked  his 
chains  in  the  land ;  the  attempt  to  flee  towards  free- 
dom, was  to  risk  the  sound  of  the  bloodhounds'  bray 


I 


through  the  woods,  and  that  upon  American  territory, 
under  the  sanction  of  the  law. 

It  was  out  of  the  sentiment  of  these  times,  that  the 
United  States  Supreme  Court,  through  its  Chief  Jus- 
tice, Rodger  B.  Taney,  decided  that  colored  men  had 
no  rights  which  white  men  were  bound  to  respect. 

It  was  at  such  times,  pervaded  by  such  sentiments, 
that,  in  1816,  sixteen  pious  and  earnest  men,  loyal  to 
God  and  religious  liberty,  met  at  Philadelphia  in  April, 
and  organized  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  They  were  Daniel  Coker,  Richard  Williams, 
Henry  Harding,  Edward  Williamson,  Stephen  Hall, 
Nicholson  Gilliard,  from  Maryland;  Richard  Allen, 
Clayton  Durham,  Jacob  Tapsico,  James  Chapman  and 
Thomas  Webster,  from  Philadelphia ;  Peter  Spencer, 
_  from  Delaware  ;  Jacob  Marsh,  William  Anderson,  Ed- 
ward Jackson,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Peter  Cuff,  of 
New  Jersey,  making  sixteen. 

These  men  organized  the  first  conventional  Gen- 
eral Conference,  which  has  become  the  mother  of 
seventy-nine  annual  conferences.  To  preside  over  and 
superintend  the  work  of  the  Church,  when  assembled 
in  General  Conference,  they  have  elected  and  conse- 
crated thirty-nine  bishops. 

Thus,  it  is  seen  that  the  work  has  spread  and  is  re- 
cognized among  the  other  religious  world  powers,  as 
co-partners  in  the  world's  evangelization. 

Richard  Allen  was  the  leader  of  those  immortal 
sixteen  founders,  but 

Who  was  Richard  Allen,  and  What  Did  He  Do? 

Every  period  in  the  history  of  the  world's  advance- 
ment has  had  its  chief  character  to  champion  great 
principles  and  to  lead  on  important  reforms.  These 
characters  are  the  pioneers  of  new  departures  for  the 
betterment  of  the  condition  of  mankind.  Sometimes 
these  characters  come  from  the  summit  of  society, 
but,  more  frequently,  they  spring  from  the  rank  and 
file  of  the  plain  people — generally  from  obscurity,  the 
cradle  of  genius.  All  parts  of  the  globe  have  been 
their  birthplaces;  every  race  variety  has  produced 
them. 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


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They  have  come  in  their  times  and  at  the  places 
that  great  emergencies  demanded  of  them,  and,  in  a 
majority  of  cases,  whatever  has  been  the  special  line 
of  their  effort,  by  the  things  which  these  leaders 
make  possible  to  others,  they  have  builded  better 
than  they  knew,  and  counseled  wiser  than  they  un- 
derstood. These  facts  indicate  that  behind  all  proper 
advancement  is  the  one,  eternal-  ever-present,  infin- 
itely wise,  and  all  controlling  first  cause ;  and  that 
first  cause  is  God,  the  Ruler  of  the  universe. 

Among  these  characters,  who  have  been  raised  up 
to  lead  on  a  great  religious  reform,  was  one  of  our 
own  race  variety,  a  Negro,  Richard  Allen,  of  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Who  Was  Richard  Allen,  and  What  Did  He  Do? 

In  1760,  there  lived  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  on  Fourth 
Street,  near  Spruce,  in  a  house  of  one  Benjamin  Chew, 
a  man  and  wife,  both  held  as  slaves.  On  the  14th  day 
of  February,  these  two  had  born  unto  them  a  son, 
whom  they  called  Richard.  The  parents  of  Richard, 
with  three  other  slaves,  were  sold  into  Delaware,  to 
one  Mr.  Stokely. 

In  1777,  Richard  embraced  religion  and  joined  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  at  seventeen  years  of 
age.  At  that  time  the  Methodist  Church  was  as  un- 
popular as  its  colored  member.  In  1782,  Richard  was 
licensed  to  preach,  being  twenty-two  years  old. 

Such  was  his  thirst  for  liberty,  he  purchased  his 
freedom  and  returned  to  Philadelphia  in  1786,  and 
joined  St.  George's  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
where,  where  he  was  permitted  to  preach  to  the  col- 
ored people  at  the  5  o'clock  meetings.  Richard  Allen 
was  the  first  colored  man  licensed  to  preach  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  this  country.  He  was 
the  traveling  companion  of  Bishop  Asbury,  and  tra- 
dition says  that  he  was  present  at  the  organization  of 
the  historic  Christmas  Conference  held  in  Lovely 
Lane,  Baltimore,  Md.,  1784. 

Through  Richard's  influence  ,the  colored  members 
of  St.  George's  Church  greatly  increased;  so  much 
that  their  white  brethren  were  greatly  annoyed  and 
began  to  feel  that  their  colored  brethren  were  in  their 
way.  Tradition  says  that  the  first  evidence  of  this 
was  that  "the  officers  passed  a  rule  compelling  their 
colored  members  to  sit  but  one  in  a  pew,  and  that  next 
to  the  wall." 

This  plan  did  not  work  well,  for  the  building  soon 
became  lined  with  colored  members.  They  then  said 
that  they  should  go  into  the  gallery.  This  order  was 
complied  with,  then  they  went  up  next  to  the  pulpit 
and,  when  things  waxed  warm,  as  was  often  the  case 
with  Methodists  in  those  days,  the  colored  brethren 
became  a  little  noisy.  They  were  then  ordered  to  the 
rear  gallery,  where  many  of  them  refused  to  remain. 

In  1787,  the  colored  people  of  Philadelphia,  connect- 
ed with  St.  George's  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  met 
to  consider  the  unkind  treatment  received  at  the  hands 
of  their  white  brethren. 

Caste  in  the  church  was  so  intense,  and  prejudice  at 
the  altar  of  God  so  arrogant,  that  while  at  prayers, 
the  colored  brethren  were  pulled  off  their  knees  and 
ordered  to  the  back  part  of  the  house.  Richard  Allen 
said,  "If  you  will  wait  until  prayers  are  over,  I  will 
bother  you  no  more." 

For  this,  and  other  unkind  treatment,  they  resolved 
to  withdraw  from  their  white  brethren.  A  committee, 
consisting  of  Richard  Allen,  Absalom  Jones,  William 


Gray  and  William  Wilcher,  were  appointed  to  select 
and  purchase  a  lot  with  a  view  of  building  a  house 
where  they  might  worship  God  with  the  freedom 
wrhich  their  conscience  dictated. 

Richard  Allen  bargained  for  a  lot  on  the  corner  of 
Sixth  and  Lombard  Streets.  But,  a  majority  of  his 
committee  having  selected  a  lot  on  Locust  Street, 
those  who  came  out  of  St.  George's  Church  decided 
to  erect  a  house  upon  it.  Richard  Allen  assisted  them, 
and  when  they  began  to  build,  after  prayer,  he  took 
out  the  first  shovel  of  dirt  from  the  foundation.  At 
the  meeting  of  the  little  society,  to  choose  what  re- 
ligious society  they  should  connect  themselves  with, 
all  but  Richard  Allen  and  Absalom  Jones,  decided  in 
favor  of  the  Church  of  England — the  Episcopal. 

The  house  was  finished  and  dedicated,  and  Richard 
Allen  was  invited  to  become  the  pastor,  but  he  re- 
fused, saying:  "I__arn  a  Methodist,  I  think  that  the 
doctrines  and  simple  forms  of  spiritual  worship  of  the 
Methodist  suit  the  colored  people  best."  Having  him- 
self bargained  for  the  lot  on  the  corner  of  Sixth  and 
Lombard  Street  sand  paid  for  it,  Richard  Allen  pur- 
chased Simms'  old  blacksmith  shop,  hauled  it  on  the 
lot,  and  fixed  it  up  as  a  house  of  worship. 

Those  of  the  Methodist  faith  soon  gathered  about 
him,  and  the  "Allenites"  as  they  are  called,  increased 
in  numbers  daily.  Then  began  a  tedious  series  of  ex- 
pensive lawsuits,  and  perplexing  opposition  from 
their  white  brethren,  who  tried  to  get  their  property. 
Finally,  a  victory  was  gained  in  the  courts,  a  charter 
obtained  from  the  General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania, 
a  new  house  of  worship  was  erected,  which  in  1794 
was  opened,  dedicated  by  Bishop  Asbury,  and  called 
"Bethel."    This  was  the  origin  of  African  Methodism. 

Twenty-nine  years  after,  in  1816,  a  convention  of 
colored  Methodists  from  several  -States,  who  were 
having  similar  grievances,  assembled  at  Philadelphia, 
in  April,  organized  the  first  General  Conference  of  the 
African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  its  connectional 
form,  and  Richard  Allen  was  elected  and  ordained 
bishop,  being  the  first  Negro  bishop  in  America. 

What  Has  African  Methodism  to  Say  for  its  Origin? 

I  believe  that  God  led  the  sainted  Allen  to  consider 
the  wretched  condition  of  his  people,  under  the  weight 
of  neglect,  ostracism  and  religious  repression,  to  pro- 
vide for  them  and  coming  generations,  a  place  of  di- 
vine worship — a  place  where  they  might  find  freedom 
from  caste  in  the  sanctuary  of  God,  and  where  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  unhampered,  might  be  preached  in 
its  fullness,  and  its  richness  to  all  persons,  without 
regard  to  race  or  color. 

These  were  times  that  tried  men's  souls ;  times 
when,  for  a  gathering  of  colored  people  to  be  found 
assembled  without  the  presence  of  a  white  man,  was 
considered  a  conspiracy  and  a  crime.  Yet,  with  un- 
daunted courage,  true  to  his  convictions,  this  holy 
man  of  God,  with  heavenly  zeal,  launched  his  little 
craft  upon  the  waters,  lashing  and  heaving  with  caste 
and  color  prejudice  in  society,  church  and  state,  with 
an  intensity  that  swept  all  before  it,  which  bore  the 
impress  of  Africa.  Is  it  to  be  thought  out  of  order, 
therefore,  that  Richard  Allen  and  his  followers  should 
refuse  to  submit  to  such  treatment  at  the  altar  of 
God,  with  the  lessons  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution  so 
vividly  in  their  memories?  The  struggle  of  1776  for 
national  independence  had  opened  a  new  era  in  the 
political  world.     The  people  of  this  country  had  late- 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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ly  passed  through  a  hot  conflict  with  England  for  civil 
and  political  liberty. 

The  spirit  of  liberty  was  pervading  the  air.  Eleven 
years  had  only  served  to  justify  the  wisdom  of  the 
struggle  for  Colonial  independence.  Hence,  such  times 
were  not  favorable  for  pulling  people  from  their  knees, 
while  at  prayer  in  the  house  of  God.  African  Meth- 
odism had  its  origin,  therefore,  in  stirring  times  in 
politics  as  well  as  in  religion. 

Upon  these  troubled  waters,  with  opposition  and 
misrepresentations  without  any  anxiety  within,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-nine  years  ago,  in  November, 
this  small  African  Methodist  bark  set  sail  down  the 
century,  with  her  canvas  unfurled  to  heavenly  breezes, 
and  her  colors  at  the  masthead.  "God  our  Father, 
Christ  our  Saviour,  Man  our  Brother,"  she  has  come 
to  us,  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of 
today. 

Many  and  marvelous  have  been  the  changes  in  the 
politics  and  in  the  religion  of  the  country,  affecting 
the  nation  and  race.  All  who  knew  Richard  Allen 
have  joined  him  in  the  better  land.  None  of  the 
founders  of  our  beloved  Zion  are  here.  Generation 
has  followed  generation,  and  millions  have  passed 
through  our  Zion,  brushed  the  dews  of  Jordan  and 
joined  the  hosts  in  the  heavenly  Canaan. 
I  The  Allen  movement  was  not  the  impulse  of  an 
obstinate  individuality;  it  was  the  promptings  of  pity, 
(patriotism  and  piety,  exerted  through  manly  inde- 
pendence. Such  an  independence  as  protests  against 
caste  at  the  altar  of  God,  and  demands  free  religious 
thought,  action  and  worship.  What  event  in  the  early 
history  of  the  colored  people  has  given  to  the  Ameri- 
can Negro  higher  incentives  and  more  encouragement 
in  efforts  at  self-help,  than  the  spirit  and  achieve- 
ments of  Richard  Allen  and  his  followers  ? 

There  were  times  in  its  history,  when  there  were 
no  church  or  school  houses  among  its  followers,  no 
books  nor  connectional  journals,  but,  her  altar  fires 
never  were  suffered  to  go  out. 

In  many  places  the  religious  leader  was  the  pious 
patriarch  of  the  plantation ;  the  leader  of  the  com- 
munity by  his  devout  and  Godly  speech.  With  these, 
"the  mother  in  the  cabin"  who  held  and  encouraged 
the  community  prayer  meeting,  nurtured  the  infant 
churches  until  the  circuit  preacher  arrived. 

The  log  hut  used  for  the  church  house,  few  and  far 
between,  in  which,  at  stated  periods,  were  held  re- 
ligious meetings,  did  much  to  encourage  and  unite 
the  people,  as  well  as  to  strengthen  the  cause.  In  con- 
nection with  these  were  the  grove  camp  meetings  in 
the  summer  season,  where  the  multitudes  gathered 
for  miles  around.  It  was  here  they  assembled,  in- 
spired by  the  enchantments  of  nature ;  refreshed  by 
cooling  breezes,  permeated  with  the  fragrance  from 
foliage  and  flowers  of  the  fields  beyond.  It  was  amid 
the  simplicities  that  the  feelings  of  the  soul  were  in- 
spired for  edifying  worship  and  devotion  and,  under 
these  conditions,  the  preacher  of  the  occasion,  often 
without  culture  or  book  knowledge,  but  having  a 
strong  grip  upon  his  faith  in  God,  inspired  by  visions 
of  spiritual  things,  proclaimed  with  power,  the  plain 
and  pointed  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  Christian  duty, 
as  he  believed  and  felt. 

It  was  in  these  temples  the  people  worshiped  with 
devout  hearts,  conscious  of  the  nearness  of  the  omni- 
present and  gracious  God.    It  is  easy  to  surmise  that 


visions  of  the  heavenly  country  were  opened  to  the 

view  of  those  pious  and  plain  people,  who  with  pathos, 

harmony  and  melody,  chanted  the  stanzas : 

"There   is   a   land   of   pure   delight, 

Where   saints   immortal   reign; 

Infinite  day  excludes  the  night, 

And   pleasures   banish   pain." 

Looking  away  from  their  burdens  and  sorrows, 
they  saw 

"Sweet  fields  beyond  the  swelling  flood 
Stand    dressed   in   living   green, 
Where   generous   fruits   that  never   fail 
On   trees   immortal   grow." 

It  was  along  these  lines,  where  the  altar  fires  were 
kept  continually  burning.  It  was  in  these  epochs  of 
the  Church  history,  where  its  sturdy  stock  was  nur- 
tured, whose  heredity  gave  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  of 
today  the  material  composed  of  men  and  women,  who 
under  better  conditions  and  appliances,  are  inspired  to 
such  noble  endeavors,  and  to  accomplish  such  mar- 
velous achievements. 

The  Spread  Aboard 
From  Philadelphia,  its  cradle,  in  1787,  African  Meth- 
odism went  to  Baltimore  and  organized  in  1816.  Wil- 
liam Lambert,  a  Missionary  from  Philadelphia,  plant- 
ed the  African  Methodist  banner  on  Mott  Street,  in 
New  York  City,  in  1819. 

David  Smith,  a  young  Evangelist  of  Maryland, 
planted  a  mission  seed  in  Georgetown;  organized  Is- 
rael Church  in  a  rope  walk  on  Third  Street  and  Penn- 
sylvania Avenue,  N.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C,  on  No- 
vember 14,  1828.  Crossing  the  Allegheny  mountains 
westward,  he  became  acquainted  with  James  and 
George  Coleman  and  Abraham  Lewis,  at  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  converted  them,  and  planted  a  mission  there 
in  1834. 

Bishop  Morris  Brown  organized  the  Ohio  Confer- 
ence, our  Western  work,  at  Hillsboro,  Ohio,  in  1830, 
and  the  Canada  Conference  at  Toronto,  in  1840. 

Rev.  William  Paul  Quinn,  who  joined  the  Philadel- 
phia Conference  May,  1833,  was  a  member  of  the 
Pittsburgh  Conference  in  1840,  and  on  September  5th, 
was  appointed  over  the  Pittsburgh  circuit.  On  Oc- 
tober 2,  1840,  Bishop  Morris  Brown  organized  the  In- 
diana Conference,  at  Blue  River;  N.  J.  Wilkerson,  sec- 
retary. William  Paul  Quinn  was  put  in  charge  of 
Brooklyn  circuit,  111.,  and  was  also  given  the  over- 
sight of  all  the  circuits  of  the  Indiana  Conference.  In 
the  same  year,  1840,  he  was  appointed  by  the  General 
Conference  as  the  general  missionary,  to  "plant  the. 
A.  M.  E.  Church  in  the  far  West." 

He  reported  to  the  General  Conference  of  1844,  as 
follows : 

"A  brief  outline  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  mis- 
sions in  the  West,  viz. :  Number  of  colored  inhabi- 
tants of  the  State  of  Illinois,  1800;  churches  establish- 
ed, 47;  communicants,  1080;  local  preachers,  47;  trav- 
eling preachers,  20;  traveling  elders,  7;  lay  members, 
2000 ;  Sunday  schools,  40 ;  pupils  in  schools,  920 ;  teach- 
ers, 40 ;  Sunday  school  scholars,  2000 ;  Sunday  school 
teachers,  200;  teachers  in  public  schools,  100;  tem- 
perance societies,  40;  camp  meetings  held,  17.  Our 
people,"  reported  he,  "in  these  States  are  chiefly  em- 
ployed in  agricultural  pursuits." 

This  report,  it  is  thought,  induced  the  General  Con- 
ference, in  May,  1844,  to  elect  and  ordain  William 
Paul  Quinn  a  bishop  of  the  A.  M:  E.  Church. 

The  Missouri  Annual  Conference  was  organized  at 
Louisville,   Ky.,    September,    1855,   with   Rev.   D.   A. 


I 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


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Payne,  D.  D.,  presiding.  Rev.  John  M.  Brown,  then 
pastor  at  New  Orleans,  secretary. 

Bishop  Quinn  had  sent  Rev.  J.  M.  Brown  to  New 
Orleans  before  the  war.     He  organized  the  St.  James 

A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  two  other  missions  in  that  city. 

Far  East  to  New  England 

Rev.  Charles  Burch  carried  African  Methodism  to 
New  England  and  planted  a  mission  at  New  Haven,  in 
1830.  Rev.  Noah  C.  W.  Cannon  organized  it  on  An- 
derson Street,  Boston,  Mass.,  in  1830,  and  from  thence 
it  spread  over  the  New  England  States. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the  Far 

West 

African  Methodism  on  the  Pacific  Coast  was  plant- 
ed by  several  local  preachers,  among  whom  were 
James  Roswell  Brown,  of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Uriah 
Stokes,  of  Baltimore;  Barney  Fletcher  and  Jeremiah 

B.  Saunderson,  of  Massachusetts.  Rev.  Thomas  M.  D. 
Ward,  of  the  New  England  Conference,  was  assigned 
to  the  oversight  of  the  mission  field  on  the  Pacific 
Coast,  in  1854. 

The  California  Annual  Conference  was  organized 
April  6,  1865,  in  the  Powell  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Bishop  J.  P.  Campbell,  presiding;  J.  B.  Saunderson, 
secretary.  At  this  session,  James  H.  Hubbard,  Peter 
R.  Green  and  John  T.  Jenifer  were  ordained  deacons — 
the  first  Negroes  ordained  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

The  Advent  of  African  Methodism  in  Arkansas  and 
Indian  Territory 

The  first  African  M.  E.  Society  in  the  State  of  Ar- 
kansas was  organized  by  Local  Deacon  Nathan  War- 
ren, at  Little  Rock,  in  1866,  in  the  home  of  Mother 
Lucy  Elrod,  and  her  husband,  Anthony  Elrod,  was  the 
first  class  leader  and  steward.  Revs.  Peter  Donty  and 
Levi  F.  Carter  were  the  first  pastors. 

The  Arkansas  Annual  Conference  was  organized 
at  Little  Rock,  November  9,  1868.  Rt.  Rev.  J.  P. 
Campbell  presiding.  Willitm  A.  Rector,  a  layman, 
acted  as  secretary. 

African  Methodist  Missionary  work  among  the  In- 
dians in  the  Indian  Territory,  was  begun  when  Aaron 
T.  Gillett  was  sent  from  the  Arkansas  Annual  Con- 
ference as  a  missionary  in  1870. 

Elder  James  F.  A.  Sisson,  a  white  brother,  was 
transferred  from  the  Georgia  A.  M.  E.  Conference 
and  was  appointed  as  presiding  elder  by  Bishop  John 
M.  Brown,  over  the  Pulaski  District,  which  included 
the  Indian  Territory,  also.  This  brother  labored  as- 
siduously with  George  T.  Rutherford,  Granville  Ryles 
and  others,  to  spread  the  African  M.  E.  Church  among 
the  several  Indian  tribes. 

Bishop  T.  M.  D.  Ward  organized  the  Indian  Af- 
rican M.  E.  Conference  on  October  25,  1879,  in  the 
home  of  Brother  Billy  Kile,  at  Yellow  Springs,  Indian 
Territory.  Thus  Ham  began  in  an  organized  way  to 
evangelize  Japhet. 

The   Advent   of   African    Methodism   Southwestward 

It  is  evidenced  by  many  facts  that  the  spirit  and 
fame  of  African  Methodism  had  reached  as  far  South 
as  South  Carolina  in  the  early  thirties.  It  is  this  fact 
that  drew  Rev.  Morris  Brown  North  to  be  ordained 
deacon  in  1817,  but  the  influence  of  American  slavery 
and  its  pernicious  laws  prevented  this  species  of  Ne- 
gro Christianity  spreading  in  Southern  territory. 


But,  "God's  clock  struck  the  hour,"  as  Dr.  Ransom 
has  put  it.  The  War  of  the  Rebellion  came;  slavery 
was  shot  to  death ;  emancipation  came  and  the  South- 
ern territory  was  made  fertile  soil  for  African  Meth- 
odist gospel  seed. 

The  Baltimore  Conference,  by  resolution  offered  by 
Elder  A.  W.  Wayman,  resolved  to  enter  with  mission- 
aries the  Southern  field  in  1863.  Revs.  James  Lynch 
and  J.  D.  S.  Hall,  of  New  York  Conference,  were  ap- 
pointed, and  who  sailed  from  New  York  on  May  29,  1863. 
They  commenced  their  operations  at  Hilton's  Head, 
having  as  their  co-laborers  Rev.  Wm.  G.  Stewart  and 
Thos.  W.  Long.  These  were  followed  soon  after  by 
Bishop  Wayman  and  Rev.  Elisha  Weaver,  who  went 
as  far  as  Savannah,  Ga.,  in  1865.  Richmond  had  fallen. 
(See  Handy's  History.)  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne,  with 
Elders  James  A.  Handy,  Licentiates ;  James  H.  A. 
Johnson  and  T.  G.  Stewart,  organized  at  Charleston, 
S.  C,  in  the  colored  Presbyterian  Church,  the  South 
Carolina  Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  They 
were  joined  several  days  after  by  Elder  Richard  H. 
Cain  and  A.  L.  Stanford,  of  New  York,  and  George 
A.  Rue,  of  New  England. 

One  year  later,  May  9,  1866,  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne, 
with  Elder  Handy  at  their  head,  with  twelve  preach- 
ers, left  Wilmington,  N.  C,  for  Savannah,  Ga.,  to 
hold  the  first  session  of  the  South  Carolina  Confer- 
ence, at  which  forty  itinerant  preachers  were  ordain- 
ed. Fourteen  elders  and  seven  superintendents  were 
appointed  to  oversee  the  work.  Elders  Henry  McNeal 
Turner  and  A.  L.  Stanford,  for  Georgia;  Elder  Rich- 
ard H.  Cain  and  A.  T.  Carr,  for  South  Carolina,  and 
Elder  Charles  H.  Pierce,  for  Florida. 

From  these  beginnings  have  grown  and  spread  the 
gigantic  and  vigorous  branch  of  the  African  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  in  the  South  and  West.  Thus 
far,  we  have  traced  the  foot-steps  of  the  pioneers  over 
the  four  cardinal  points  of  the  North  American  con- 
tinent. 

Our  Foreign  Field 

The  pioneers  were  not  contented  to  confine  the 
spirit  of  the  Church  of  Richard  Allen  to  the  American 
continent,  they  had  the  courage  to  carry  it  abroad. 
Rev.  Daniel  Coker,  one  of  the  original  sixteen  founder 
fathers,  carried  African  Methodism  to  West  Africa, 
with  the  original  colony  in  1819,  where  we  now  have 
churches,  missions,  conference,  preachers,  schools  and 
a  resident  bishop. 

The  Baltimore  Conference  sent  accredited  mission- 
aries to  Hayti  in  1827  in  the  person  of  Scipio  Beans. 
In  1830,  the  little  church  at  Samana,  Santo  Domingo, 
sent  Rev.  Jacob  Robinson  and  Isaac  Miller  with  ac- 
credited petitions  to  be  recognized  by  the  African  M. 
E.  Church  in  America. 

Rev.  C.  W.  Moselle,  an  accredited  missionary  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  with  his  sainted  wife,  labored  from 
1876  to  1884  at  Port  au  Prince,  Hayti,  preaching  and 
teaching.  John  Hurst,  now  bishop,  with  George 
Dorce,  Joseph  Meves  and  Jean  Bullot,  were  sent  to 
Wilberforce  University  to  be  trained  under  the  de- 
partment of  missions  for  the  foreign  fields. 

Rev.  R.  A.  Sealy,  D.  D.,  of  Georgetown,  Demarara, 
has  been  superintendent  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Mission  work 
for  many  years  in  the  West  Indies. 

Bishop  C.  S.  Smith  was  assigned  to  the  oversight 
of  the  West  Indian  work  in  1900,  and  held  sessions  of 
conferences  at  Georgetown,  and  with  British  America 
and  South  America  in  1901. 


10 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Bishop  B.  F.  Lee,  visiting  Demarara,  S.  A.,  in  1899, 
finding  young  Peter  Luckie,  a  promising  young  man, 
induced  him  to  go  to  Wilberforce  University.  He  was 
educated  under  the  Missionary  Department  and  re- 
turned to  that  field  a  graduated  missionary  gospel 
minister. 

South  Africa 

When  the  Ethiopians  of  South  Africa  heard  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  St.  Peter's  Church,  in  Pretoria,  South 
Africa,  of  which  Rev.  Joseph  M.  Kanyane  was  pastor, 
sent  Rev.  J.  M.  Duane,  in  1896,  to  the  A.  M.  E.  General 
Conference  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  praying  recognition 
and  membership.  He  was  received  by  Bishop  H.  M. 
Turner  and  Missionary  Secretary  H.  B.  Parks  and 
Rev.  Joseph  S.  Flipper,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  July  12,  1896, 
into  the  A.  M.  E.  connection  in  due  form.  Then  Bish- 
op Turner  went  to  South  Africa  and  organized  the 
Cape  Colony  South  African  Annual  Conference  in 
1896  with  7175  members.  Now  they  have  churches, 
conferences,  schools,  pupils  and  resident  bishop. 
Hence  it  is  seen  that  African  Methodism,  since  its 
birth,  has  spread  with  efficiency  and  acceptance  from 
east,  west,  north  and  south. 

The  islands  of  the  sea  sought  the  light  also,  as  they 
caught  the  joyful  sound.  Under  the  influences  of  the 
grace  of  God,  as  administered  to  thousands  at  the 
hands  of  African  Methodist  preachers  and  bishops, 
the  great  South  has  arisen  since  freedom  in  her  might, 
in  response  to  the  call  to  a  higher,  stronger  and  effi- 
cient manhood  and  womanhood. 

Thus  we  have  traced  very  scantily  the  initial  steps 
of  the  pioneers  of  African  Methodists,  as  they  sought 
to  reach,  enlighten,  evangelize  and  lift  up  the  benight- 
ed sons  of  Africa. 

Conscious  always  of  forces  seeking  to  oppose  and 
destroy,  they  seldom  assembled  in  conference  pre- 
liminary services  without  opening  with  the  hymn: 

"And    are    we    yet    alive 
And  see  each   other's   face? 

Glory   and   praise   to  Jesus   give 
For    His     redeeming    grace." 

Nor  were  they  ever  unmindful  of  the  weighty  re- 
sponsibility involved  in  the  momentous  task  they  had 
undertaken,  as  they  evidenced  it  when  at  nearly  every 
business  meeting  was  heard: 

"A   charge  to  keep  I  have, 

A   God    to   glorify; 
A   never   dying   soul   to   save, 

And    fit    it    for    the    sky." 

An  Exemplary  Incentive  for  Organized  Effort 

The  purpose  in  mind  of  the  founder  father  of  Af- 
rican Methodism,  as  stated  above,  was,  among  other 
things,  to  exemplify  in  the  black  man  the  power  of 
self-reliance,  self-help  by  the  exercise  of  free  re- 
ligious thought  with  executive  efficiency.  Hence,  her 
spirit  and  practices  have  been,  at  all  times  and  places, 
to  encourage  fraternal,  and  economic  organizations 
among  the  colored  race ;  so  that,  upon  any  proper 
occasion,  she  throws  open  her  churches  and  halls  for 
funerals,  anniversaries  and  conventions. 

But  note,  we  are  far  from  making  the  claim  that 
the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  been  the 
sole  agency  in  the  religious  and  educational  enlighten- 
ment and  uplift  of  the  colored  race  variety.  We  do 
not  forget  the  vast  and  efficient  work  along  these 
lines  of  the  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  Baptist  Church, 
the  Methodist  Episcopal,  the  C.  M.  E.,  the  Congrega- 


tional,   the    Presbyterian    and    Catholic    churches — 
branches  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ. 

James  Varick,  of  the  Zion;  Miles,  of  the  C.  M.  E. 
Church,  with  other  founders  and  leaders,  live  in  his- 
tory and  heaven,  as  well  as  Richard  Allen  and  his 
compeers. 

Executive  Efficiency 

The  closing  decade  of  its  century  of  connectional 
activities  shows  no  decline,  but  is  characterized  by 
evidences  of  broadened  and  more  efficient  efforts  and 
results. 

1.  IN  HER  DEPARTMENT  OF  MISSIONS  there 
is  greater  zeal  for  the  cause  of  missions,  local  and  for- 
eign, in  the  churches  and  the  conferences.  The  de- 
vout women  of  the  church  are  intensely  active,  hold- 
ing up  the  hands  of  the  wide-awake  secretary  at  its 
head.  More  moneys  are  raised,  both  for  home  and 
foreign  fields ;  more  missions  planted,  and  its  laborers 
better  provided  for. 

The  secretary  visits  the  foreign  fields,  and  gives 
the  connection  a  mission  lesson  book  and  ably  edited 
"Voice  of  Missions."  Hence,  we  are  more  and  yet 
more  enlightened,  awakening  to  the  fact  that  we  are 
our  brother's  keeper. 

2.  THE  CHURCH  EXTENSION.  The  people  are 
becoming  more  and  more  enlightened  as  to  the  use- 
fulness and  power  of  this  arm  of  the  church.  More 
funds  are  given,  more  poor  missions  and  feeble 
churches  aided,  more  embarrassed  debt-burdened  val- 
uable property  relieved  and  saved.  And  the  realty  in 
property  values  belonging  to  the  connection  is  evi- 
denced in  this  department,  as  in  none  other.  And  the 
church  has  shown  good  judgment  in  letting  its  pres- 
ent Secretary,  Dr.  B.  F.  Watson,  remain  long  enough 
as  its  manager  to  gain,  by  experience,  that  efficiency, 
without  which  no  executive  head  can  reach  the  re- 
quirements, nor  his  departments  its  possibilities. 
Never  have  there  been  such  surprising  amounts  raised 
by  single  efforts  in  cash,  rallies  to  clear  off  mortgage 
debts,  as  are  being  done  today. 

3.  THEDEPARTMENT  OF  CONNECTIONAL  ED- 
UCATION evidences  a  similar  spirit.  In  addition  to 
the  twentyfour  connectional  schools,  two  more  in 
Georgia,  and  two  in  Africa,  are  recorded.  Morris 
Brown  University,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  has  its  new  Flipper 
Hall,  and  Wilberforce  University  its  new  Girls'  Dormi- 
tory, costing  $55,000. 

In  Georgia,  at  Morris  Brown,  and  at  Waco,  Texas, 
Bishop  Smith,  with  his  co-workers,  surprised  us  all 
by  the  cash  raised  to  clear  those  schools  of  their  in- 
debtedness. Now,  Bisohp  John  Hurst,  with  his  forces, 
is  putting  new  life  in  Edward  Waters  College,  at 
Jacksonville,  Florida.  Thus,  the  Georgia  regulars  and 
Wilberforce  veterans  and  the  Florida  fliers  have  set 
the  connection  a  pace. 

There  is  an  increase  of  pupils  in  all  of  our  connec- 
tional schools.  Their  graduates  are  snatching  honors 
from  other  leading  colleges.  The  church  is  no  longer 
dependent  solely  upon  other  scholastic  sources  to 
supply  her  faculties  with  instruction  in  the  higher 
branches,  but  she  now  furnishes  them  for  her  own  and 
other  schools. 

The  writer  is  sure  that  Dr.  A.  S.  Jackson,  A.  M.', 
Commissioner  of  Connectional  Education,  will  come 
to  the  General  Conference  in  1916  reporting  larger 
amounts  collected  for  education. 

4.  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  FINANCE.  In  spite 
of  the  limited  fields  of  employment  open  to  our  people, 


11 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


& 


and  the  hard  times,  with  a  few  exceptions  each  annual 
conference  session  reports  an  increase  of  dollar 
money.  If  it  were  possible  to  show  the  aggregated 
amounts  raised  in  all  the  local  charges,  we  should 
scarcely  credit  the  correct  amounts  stated.  But  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that  these  labors  result,  not  simply 
in  cash  raising,  but  large  increases  in  membership  as 
well.  Evidencing  the  fact  that  cash  for  revenue  and 
grace,  do  not  antagonize  each  other  when  a  righteous 
purpose  is  back  of  them. 

5.  THE  PUBLISHING  DEPARTMENT.  The  Book 
Concern,  the  oldest,  mooted  in  1817,  has  not  grown 
with  equal  efficiency  in  comparison  with  the  growth 
of  connectional  intelligence.  Yet  it  has  remained 
through  the  vicissitudes,  giving  us  the  Discipline, 
Hymn  Books  and  Christian  Recorder,  with  other 
books,  helping  the  church  to  tell  its  own  story,  until 
now,  under  the  management  of  Rev.  J.  I.  Lowe,  D. 
D.,  new  vitality  and  efficiency  are  seen,  so  that  with 
the  scholarly  R.  R.  Wright,  B.  D.,  Ph.  D.,  editing  the 
Recorder;  R.  C.  Ransom,  D.  D.,  editing  the  A.  M.  E. 
Review;  Editors  G.  W.  Allen,  D.  D.,  of  the  Southern 
Christian  Recorder;  J.  Frank  McDonald,  D.  D.,  with 
the  Western  Recorder ;  the  Georgia  African  Meth- 
odist, Paul  Quinn  Weekly,  the  House  of  Protection 
and  the  Chicago  Recorder,  together  with  the  number 
of  books  bought  and  read,  the  world  has  evidences 
that  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  not 
dying  nor  retrograding  from  mental  stagnation. 

6.  THE  JUVENILE  DEPARTMENT.  Our  Sunday 
schools  are  more  largely  attended,  have  better  trained 
instructors  and  efficient  superintendents,  better  grad- 
ed system  of  lesson  studies  and  superior  class  of  mu- 
sic. The  moneys  raised  under  the  management  of  this 
department  have  enabled  its  efficient  Secretary-Treas- 
urer, Ira  T.  Bryant,  LL.  B.,  to  erect  the  most  com- 
pletely equipped  and  largest  printing  house  among 
colored  people  in  the  United  States. 

Akin  to  this  in  purpose  and  work  is  the  Allen  Chris- 
tian Endeavor,  with  its  literature  and  organ,  The  En- 
deavorer,  under  its  efficient  manager,  Rev.  Julian  C. 
Caldwell,  D.  D.,  by  which  we  are  enabled  to  husband 
the  youthful  energy,  ambition  and  tact  in  service  for 
Christ  and  the  church. 

There  are  three  additional  events  in  the  history  of 
African  Methodism,  which  evidence  that  it  is  moving 
in  the  spirit  of  progress,  we  note  among  the  above, 
viz. : 


1.  Rev.  J.  W.  Rankin,  Missionary  Secretary,  visited 
the  foreign  field,  West  Africa,  in  1914;  also  that  he, 
with  Bishop  Hurst,  visited  Jamaica  in  1915,  and  plant- 
ed the  A.  M.  E.  Church  by  receiving  into  the  con- 
nection representatives  of  several  denominations. 

2.  The  Missionary  Congress  at  Chicago,  thus  in- 
augurating a  new  missionary  propaganda. 

3.  The  Educational  Congress,  held  at  Atlanta,  Ga., 
July  8,  1914,  under  the  joint  management  of  the  Sun- 
day School  Union  and  the  Allen  Christian  Endeavor; 
Ira  T.  Bryant  and  Julian  C.  Caldwell,  secretaries. 

Now,  we  may  raise,  at  this  point,  the  question — has 
there  been  good  judgment  shown,  such  as  to  justify 
the  undertaking  of  the  father  founders  of  the  African 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church?  Let  a  few  statistical 
facts  answer : 

African  M.  E.  Church  Came  Out  1878;  Founded,  1816. 

Members  in  the  United  States 620,000 

Missionary  Field    25,000 

Bishops   ordained    39 

Active  Bishops   13 

Pastors 6,554 

Local  preachers    6,437 

Number  of  churches   6,000 

Number  of  parsonages  2.748 

Sunday  school  members 231,828 

Teachers  and  officers   5,851 

Books  in  Library  150,000 

Church  schools  in  United  States 16 

Church  schools  in  West  Indies   2 

Church  schools  in  West  Africa 3 

Church  schools  in  South  Africa 3 

Students  in  Missionary  Schools    4,725 

Annual    conferences    79 

Publishing   Houses    2 

Newspapers    6 

The  A.  M.  E.  Church  raises,  per  annum,  for  trustees 
and  stewards'  departments,  $2,472,298.42 ;  raises,  an- 
nually, for  missions,  home  and  foreign,  $75,000;  for 
education,  $1,000,000;  according  to  the  United  States 
Census,  has  church  property  valued  at  $11,303,882. 

The  Church  is  operating  in  the  United  States,  Can- 
ada, West  Indies,  South  and  West  Africa,  Hayti  and 
San  Domingo,  and  South  America. 

—    From  the  A.  M.  E.  Review,  January,  1916. 


12 


(chronology  of   African   IVlethod 


ism 


By  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr. 


1739.- 
1758.- 
1759.- 


1760, 
1764, 

1766.— 

1771.- 

\777.- 

r1782.- 

-1  1784.- 

\  1786.- 

1   1787.- 


,1817, 
1817, 


1818.— 

v1818.— 

,1820, 
/1820, 

1822, 
1822, 


Methodism  founded  by  John  Wesley. 

•First  Negro  baptized  by  John  Wesley. 

•First  Methodist  class  in  the  world,  organized 

by  Nathaniel  Gilbert,  composed  chiefly  of  Ne- 
groes. 

■Richard  Allen  born. 

■Robert  Strawbridge  organized  first  Methodist 

Society  in  Maryland. 

First  class  in  New  York ;  a  colored  woman  a 

member. 

Francis  Asbury  came  to  America. 

Richard  Allen  converted. 

Richard  Allen  licensed  to  preach.  

American   Methodist   Episcopal   Church  begun 

at  Baltimore.     Richard  Allen  present. 

Richard    Allen    organizes    a    class    of    colored 

persons. 

Free  African  Society  started,  Allen  withdrew 

from  St.  George's. 

Allen  purchased  lot  for  church  at  6th  and  Pine 

Streets. 

Epidemic  of  Yellow  Fever  in  Philadelphia,  in 

which  Richard  Allen  did  great  service. 

•Richard  Allen  sells  lot  to  Bethel  Church  and 

erects  the  first  blacksmith  shop  church,  which 

was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Asbury. 

James    Varick    and    others    organized    African* 

Church  in  New  York. 

•Baltimore  African  Methodists  purchase  lot  and 

house  and  start  Bethel  Church. 

-Richard   Allen    ordained   a   deacon    by    Bishop 

Asbury. 

■Union  Church  of  Africans  incorporated  at  Wil- 
mington, Del.,  Peter  Spencer,  leader. 

April  9-11,  organization  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 

-  affected  at  Philadelphia.   "~~ 

•Frist  Discipline  published. 

First  session  of  Baltimore  conference  in  April, 
and  of  Philadelphia  conference  in  May,  ac- 
cording to  best  records. 

Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  organized  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y. 

First  hymn  book  published,  compiled  by  Bishop 
Allen,  Daniel  Coker  and  James  Champion. 

Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  organized  in  New  York. 

Zion  Methodist  Church  withdraws  from  white 

supervision  ..  d  starts  A.  M.  E.  Zion  Connec- 
tion at  New  Yoik. 

First  general  minute  published. 

Repeal  of  2  year  time  limit  for  pastor;  bishop's 
salary  placed  at  $25  to.-,  each  conference  and 


1822, 
1822, 


1824 
1826. 


1829. 

1829 
1830, 

1832, 
1833, 

1833, 

1833, 
1834, 
1834, 

1834, 
1834. 


traveling  expenses.    Jacob  Matthews  elected 
assistant  bishop,  but  not  ordained. 
— Charles  Butler  was  ordained  deacon  and  elder 

for  missionary  work  in  Africa,  but  did  not  go. 
— Denmark  Veasey,  Gullah  Jack  and  others  exe- 
cuted because  of  a  plot  against  slave  holders. 
This  caused  the  abandonment  of  the  Church  in 
South  Carolina  where  there  were  about   1,400 
members,  and  stricter  supervision  of  blacks. 
— Joseph  Cox  elected  general  book  steward. 
— No__Siinday   school   in   existence    in   A.    M.    E. 

Church. 
— Scipio   Beans   ordained   deacon   and   elder   and 

sent  to  Hayti  as  missionary. 
— Chartered  fund  originated,  but  not  made  effec- 
tive. 
— "Daughters    of    the    Conference"    organized — 

first  woman's  conference  society. 
^Geb.  M.  Hogarth  reports  for  Port  au  Prince, 

Hayti  72  members. 
— General  Conference  met  at  Philadelphia ;  Mor- 
ris Brown  elected  bishop — assistant  to  Bishop 
Allen. 

Morris   Brown  presided   over   Baltimore   Con- 
ference. 
Todd. 
— Baltimore   Conference  provides   for   a   sinking 

fund. 
—First  choir  organized  in  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at 
New  York,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Samuel 
—Bishop  Allen  died.  7 

—Second  edition  of  Discipline  published. 
—Edward   Waters    acts    as    assisAnt    to    Bishop 

Brown. 
— Wm-    P-    Quinn 
West,  begins  his 
leghenies. 
—First  resolution  in  favor  of  Sunday  schools  and 
temperance   societies   and   education,   by   Ghio 
conference  meeting  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
—Baltimore  conference  at  Washington,  D.  C,  for 

first  time. 
—Baltimore  Conference  passes  resolution  in  fa- 
vor of  Education  and  Temperance. 
— 12J4  cents  asked  from  each  member  to  aid  pub- 
lishing  interests    in    order    to   help   preachers' 
fund. 
— Exhorters  deprived  of  their  seat  in  annual  con- 
ference by  the  Philadelphia  conference. 
— New  York  conference  passes  resolutions  favor- 
ing Sunday  schools,  education  and  temperance. 


readmitted    and    transferred 
great  work  west  of>the  Al- 


13 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


& 


1835. — Joseph  M.  Corr  reports  condition  of  Book  Con- 
cern, showing  1,000  hymn  books  printed  and 
1000  disciplines. 

1836. — New  York  conference  passes  resolution  to  es- 
tablish quarterly  magazine. 

1836. — Resolution  of  New  York  conference  to  send 
missionaries  to  Canada. 

1836. — Edward  Waters  elected  junior  bishop  at  Gen- 
eral Conference  at  Philadelphia. 

1837. — First  A.  M.  E.  Church  organized  in  New  Eng- 
land, at  New  Haven,  Conn.' 

1839. — Baltimore  conference  adopts  resolution  to  raise 
2  cts.,  per  month  from. each  member  for  Book 
Concern  to  aid  Preachers'  Fund. 

1840. — First  (upper)  Canada  conference,  organized  by 
Bishop  Morris  Brown. 
Indiana  conference  organized. 
Idea  of  publishing  a  magazine  first  discussed 
in  annual  conference. 

General  Conference  passed  resolution  forbid- 
ding any  minister  publishing  anything. 
•Baltimore  conference  makes  first  report  of 
Sunday  schools  in  connection,  there  being  9 
Sunday  schools,  more  than  482  pupils  and  37 
teachers. 

New  structure  for  Bethel,  Philadelphia,  built 
(third  building). 

New  York   conference   decrees   2c  per   month 
from  each  member  to  improve  finances. 
$486.50   pledged    for    magazine    in    New   York 
conference. 

First  choir  organized  in  Bethel  church,  Phila- 
delphia, under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.'  Jos.  Cox. 
-New  York  cnoference  reports  first  balance  in 
favor  of  Book  Concern,  of  over  $1,300. 
First  copy  of  magazine  issued  by  Rev.  Geo. 
Hogarth,  in  September. 

-Convention  held  in  Hartford,  Conn,  in  August ; 
petitions  for  organizing  an  African  and  Foreign 
missionary  society. 

-St.  Paul  Church  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  organized. 
-Philadelphia  Conference  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety. 

-Philadelphia  conference  orders  monthly  maga- 
zine to  be  changed  to  quarterly. 
-First  resolution  on  course  of  study  adopted  by 
annual  conference. 

-Bishop    Payne    introduces    first    of   his    educa- 
tional resolutions  in  Baltimore  conference. 
-General  Book  Steward  ordered  to  print  Bishop 
Allen's  life 

-Union  Theological  Association  of  Philadelphia 
formed. 

-Notable    year    for    church    building,     Mother 
Bethel  being  built  at  a  cost  of  $18,000. 
-First    class    refused    ordination    by    Baltimore 
conference   because   of   insufficient    knowledge 
of  the  Bible  and  the  Discipline. 
-Great  revival  in  Philadelphia  and  vicinity. 
-Philadelphia    conference   passes   resolutions   in 
favor  of  education. 

-General  Conference  met  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
-Edward  Waters  resigned  bishopric  and  re- 
turned to  the  ranks  as  an  effective  elder. 
-Terms  junior  and  senior  bishops  abolished  in 
Discipline,  and  bishops  put  on  equality.  Basis 
of  representation  in  General  Conference 
changed. 


1840, 
1840, 

1840, 

1841, 


1841.- 
1841.- 
1841.- 
1841.- 
1841.- 
1841.- 
1841.- 

1841.- 
1842.- 

1842.- 

1842.- 

1842.- 

1842.- 

1842.- 

1842, 

1843, 

1843, 
1843, 

1844, 
1844, 

1844, 


1844. — Lay  delegates  permitted  to  General  Conference 
but  actually  confined  to  local  preachers. 

1844. — Course  of  study  adopted  for  ministers  by  Gen- 
eral Conference  on  resolution  of  Rev.  D.  A. 
Payne,  after  being  voted  down  once. 

1844. — First  committee  to  select  course  of  study  were 
D.  A.  Payne,  H.  C.  Turner,  David  Ware,  Rich- 
ard Robinson,  Abraham  D.  Lewis,  Willis  R. 
Revels,  Geo.  Ward. 

1844. — Rev.  W.  P.  Quinn  reported  47  churches  in  the 
West,  and  elected  bishop;  General  Book  Stew- 
ard created  under  General  Conference.  D.  A. 
Payne  first  elected,  but  declined.  M.  M.  Clark 
elected.  Parent  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  started.  Baltimore  Conference  au- 
thorizes the  establishment  of  High  School  in 
Baltimore  by  Rev.  H.  C.  Turner. 

1844. — Philadelphia  Conference  authorizes  establish- 
ment of  High  School  in  Philadelphia,  by  Rev. 
D.  Ware. 

1844.— Rev.  Richard  Williams,  first  A.  M.  E.  elder  to 
go  to  Canada. 

1844. — Ohio  conference  appoints  committee  on  motion 
of  Rev.  Matthew  Newsome,  to  select  location 
for  seminary. 
M844.— The  M.  E.  Church,  South,  splits  from  the  M.  E. 
Church  on  the  slavery  question. 

1845. — Philadelphia  Conference  superannuates  Bishop 
Morris  Brown  on  $200  per  annum. 

1845. — Ohio  conference  adopted  constitution  for  Union 
Seminary  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  recom- 
mended a's  site  for  school  in  Franklin  County, 
Ohio:      ' 

1845.— The  first  General  Educational  Convention  held 
in  Philadelphia,  October  30. 

1846. — Baltimore  conference  institutes  the  annual  mis- 
sionary sermon  and  formation  of  educational 
societies  in  charges. 

1846. — A  step  toward  union  with  A.  M.  E.  Zion 
Church  made  by  the  Baltimore  Conference. 

1846. — In  New  York  conference  passes  first  resolution 
for  Preachers'  Aid  Society. 

1846. — A  committee,  Geo.  Hogarth,  M.  M.  Clark,  Ed- 
ward Africanus,  appointed  to  communicate 
with  the  Evangelical  Christian  Alliance  in  Lon- 
don. M.  M.  Clark  was  sent,  being  the  first 
delegate  to  go  abroad. 

1847. — Ohio  conference  agrees  to  tax  ministers  2  per 
cent  of  salary  for  a  fund  for  the  education  of 
children  of  ministers.  Quinn  Chapel,  Chicago, 
Illinois,  organized  by  Bishop  Quinn. 

1848. — Episcopal  address  of  Bishop  Quinn  at  this  Gen- 
eral Conference,  the  first  reported  in  minutes 
in  full. 

1848. — Office  of  presiding  elder  voted  down  by  Gen- 
eral Conference.  Office  of  historian  established. 

1848. — Missionary  sermon  in  each  annual  conference 
adopted. 

1848. — Monthly  magazine  ordered  published  quarterly. 

1848. — Christian  Herald  ordered,  A.  R.  Green,  Editor. 

1848. — Book  Concern  moved  from  New  York  to  Pitts- 
burgh, and  a  committee  appointed  to  purchase 
the  type  and  fixtures  of  the  New  York  store. 

1848. — D.  A.  Payne  appointed  h;  .oriographer  by  Gen- 
eral Conference. 

1848. — Philadelphia  annual  conference  met  for  first 
time  outside  of  Philadelphia,  at  Trenton.  The 
A.  M.  E.  ChurJi  started  in  New  Orleans,  La., 
Rev.  Cha=.  Doughty  being  ordained  deacon  and 

14 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


3 


sent  to  Louisiana  mission  from   Indiana   con- 
ference. 

Forms  for  laying  corner  stones  and  dedicating 
churches  arranged. 

1848. — New  Bethel  Church,  Baltimore,  dedicated,  cost- 
ing $16,000. 

1850. — First  Friday  in  June,  Day  of  Prayer  against 
slavery. 

1850.— Division  between  the  U.  A.  M.  E.  Church  and 
the  A.  U.  M.  P.  Church,  chiefly  in  Delaware. 

1851. — Fugitive  slave  law  forces  many  members  of 
A.  M.  E.  Church  to  emigrate  to  Canada. 

1852. — Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania  decided  case  of 
Trustees  of  Bethel,  making  pastor  in  charge 
legal.  ■■. 

1852. — General  Conference  met  at  New  York,  Revs. 
Willis  Nazrey  and  Daniel  A.  Payne  elected 
bishops. 

1852. — Christian  Recorder  established  at  Philadelphia 
with  Rev.  M.  M.  Clark,  editor. 

1852. — Book  Concern  moved  to  Philadelphia  from 
Pittsburgh. 

1852. — Episcopal  districts  first  instituted,  three  in 
number. 

1852. — Visitors  denied  privilege  of  voting  in  other 
than  their  own  conference  or  district. 

1852. — Bishops'  Council  instituted. 

1852. — Ten  cent  money  to  help  a  capital  stock  for 
Christian  Recorder  started. 

1854. — Rev.  T.  P.  Campbell  appointed  editor  and  gen- 
eral book  steward. 

1855. — Book  Concern  chartered. 

1855. — First  move  made  to  separate  -  Canadian 
churches. 

1855. — Committee  appointed  to  consider  proposition 
from  M.  E.  Church. 

1855. — General  days  first  suggested  by  Bishop  Payne. 

1855. — Book  Concern  incorporated. 

1856. — Editor  and  manager's  offices  all  in  one  in- 
dividual. 

1856. — Time    limit  made  2  years  for  circuit  or  station. 

1856. — All  elders  of  6  years  members  of  General  Con- 
ference ;  1  local  preacher  for  every  800  lay 
members. 

1856. — Bishops'  salary  $200  per  year.  Preachers  get 
same. 

1856. — Episcopal  seal  ordered. 

1856. — The  B.  M.  E.  Church  organized,  September  27, 
and  Bishop  Nazrey  elected  its  head. 

1856. — Wilberforce  University  founded.    British  M.  E. 
_  Church  organized  at  Chatham,  Ontario. 

1863. — Emancipation  Proclamation  opens  up  large 
field  for  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

1863. — Bishop  Payne  purchased  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity for  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

1863. — First  Negro  chaplain  in  the  U.  S.  Army  ap- 
pointed. Rev.  H.  M.  Turner.  First  missionaries 
sent  to  South  Carolina. 

1863. — First  A.  M.  E.  missionaries  ro  South. 

1864. — General  Conference  met  at  Philadelphia,  A.  W. 
Wayman  and  J.  P.  Campbell,  bishops.  Frater- 
nal delegates  sent  to  the  M.  E.  Church  General 
Conference.  Question  of  Union  with  A.  M.  E. 
Zion  Church  considered  in  convention  at  Wes- 
ley Church,  Philadelphia. 

1865. — Bishop  Payne  organized,  May  15,  the  South 
Carolina  conference,  which  then  embraced  all 
of  southeastern    part    of    the    United    States. 


1866, 

1866, 
1867, 

1868.—' 


1870.- 
1872.- 


1874.- 
1876.- 


1880, 
1880, 

1881, 

1882- 

1883, 
1884, 

1884, 

1886, 

1887, 
1887, 


Lousiana  conference  organized  at  New  Orleans, 
November  1. 

Semi-Centenary  of  African  Methodism  cele- 
brated. 

Georgia   annual   conference   organized. 
North  Carolina  conference  organized.     Florida 
conference  organized. 

General  Conference  met  in  Washington,  D.  C, 
Revs.  J.  A.  Shorter,  T.  M.  D.  Ward,  J.  M. 
Brown  elected  bishops.  "Two  cent  money" 
done  away  with  and  "dollar  money"  adopted. 
Rule  forbidding  ministers  to  publish  anything 
without  permission  was  abolished.  Permission 
given  to  annual  conferences  to  adopt  the  pre- 
siding eldership.  Board  of  stewardesses  in 
local  churches  provided  by  General  Conference. 
Alabama,  Arkansas,  Mississippi,  and  Kentucky 
conferences  organized  by  Bishops  Wayman, 
Brown,  Shorter  and  Payne,  respectively.  Tex- 
as conference  organized  by  Bishop  Shorter. 
Colored  M.  E.  Church  organized  at  Jackson, 
Tenn.,  by  M.  E.  Church,  South. 
General  Conference  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  No 
bishops  elected.  Daily  Recorder  first  published 
at  General  Conference.  Bishop  Quinn  super- 
annuated. Local  preachers  dropped  from 
membership  of  official  boards.  The  Financial 
Department  established  as  the  general  Church 
treasury.  Paul  Quinn  College  started  in  Texas. 
Women's  Mite  Missionary  Society  organized. 
General  Conference  met  at  Atlanta,  Ga.  No 
bishops  elected.  Work  in  Hayti  detached  from 
the  Philadelphia  conference.  The  "Independent 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,"  A.  R.  Green, 
Bishop,  absorbed.  Child's  Recorder  and  Quar- 
terly Magazine  ordered  published.  First  legis- 
lation regarding  Church  Extension,  Education 
and  Sunday  School  Departments  authorized. 
Rev.  B.  F.  Lee  succeeds  Bishop  Payne  as  pres- 
ident of  Wilberforce.  Rev.  J.  C.  Embry  elected 
commissioner  of  education. 

General  Conference  met  at  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
Revs.  H.  M.  Turner,  W.  F.  Dickerson  and  R. 
H.  Cain  elected  bishops. 

-Kittrell  College  founded  at  Kittrell,  N.  C. 
Western  University  instituted  as  an  A.  M.  E. 
School  at  Quindaro,  Kansas.  Allen  University 
started  by  Bishop  Dickerson,  at  Columbia,  S.  C. 
-Morris  Brown  College,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  begun  by 
resolutions  in  the  North  Georgia  Conference. 
Paul  Quinn  College  held  its  first  session.  First 
Ecumenical  Conference  of  Methodism  held  in 
London. 

Sunday-School  Union  started  by  Rev.  C.  S. 
Smith. 

-Edward  Waters  College  started. 
-General  Conference  met  at  Baltimore,  Md.    No 
bishops  elected.     "A.  M.  E.  Review"  begun  by 
Bishop  Tanner. 

-The  British  M.  E.  Church  became  a  part  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  Bishop  Disney  a  bishop  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  A.  M.  E.  SumL..,  ^hool 
Union  organized, 

-Southern  Christian  Recorder  first  issued  by 
Bishop  Turner. 

-Shorter  College  started  at  Little  Rock,  Ark. 
-Rev.   J.    R.    Frederick   goes    as    missionary   to 
West  Africa. 


15 


/ 


°& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


6 


1887. — Shorter  College  started  at  Little  Rock,  Ark. 
1888. — General  Conference   met   at  Indianapolis,   Ind. 

Revs.  W.  J.  Gaines,  B.  W.  Arnett,  B.  T.  Tanner 

and  A.  Grant  elected  and  ordained  bishops. 
1891.— Bishop  H.  M.  Turner  first  visits  West  Africa 

and  organizes  Sierra  Leone  Conference. 
1891. — Payne  Theological  Seminary  established. 
1891. — Western  Christian  Recorder  first  published  by 

Rev.  J.  F.  McDonald. 
1892. — Church  Extension  Society  organized. 
1892. — "Voice  of  Missions"  founded  by  Bishop  Turner. 

General  Conference  met  at  Philadelphia.   Revs. 

B.  F.  Lee,  M.  B.  Salter  and  J.  A.  Handy  elected 
bishops. 

1895. — New  publishing  house  built  at  Philadelphia,  631 

Pine  Street. 
1896. — General  Conference  met  at  Wilmington,  N.  C. 

Revs.  W.  B.  Derrick,  J.  H.  Armstrong  and  J.  C. 

Embry  elected  bishops. 
1896. — Allen    C.    E.    League    organized.      Rev.    J    W. 

Dwana    as    representative    of    the    Ethiopian 

Church  to  South  Africa. 
1898. — Bishop  Turner  visited  South  Africa. 
1899. — Payne  University  organized  at  Selma,  Ala. 
1899. — Bishop  Grant  visits  West  Africa.   ■ 
1900. — General    Conference    met    at    Columbus,    Ohio, 

and  authorized  the  incorporation  of  the  A.  M. 

E.  Church.     Revs.  Evans  Tyree,  M.  M.  Moore, 

C.  S.   Smith,   C.   T.   Shaffer   and   L.   J.   Coppin 
elected  bishops. 

1902. — Bishop  Shaffer  visits  West  Africa  and  estab- 
lishes a  high  school,  now  Shaffer  High  School. 

1902. — First  Young  People's  Congress  at  Atlanta,  Ga., 
in  which  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  took  an  active 
part. 

1904. — General  Conference  met  in  Chicago,  111.  No 
bishops  elected. 

1906.— Bishop  Arnett  died,  October  7,  1906. 

1907. — Bishop  Smith  visited  West  African  work. 

1908. — General  Conference  met  in  Norfolk,  Va.  Revs. 
E.  W.  Lampton,  H.  B.  Parks,  J.  S.  Flipper,  J. 
A.  Johnson  and  W.  H.  Heard  elected  bishops. 


1909, 

1911, 

1911, 

1911, 
1911, 

1912, 

1912, 
1913, 


1914, 

1914, 

1915, 

1915, 


1916. — 


1916, 
1916, 

1916. — : 


Bishops  of  the  A.  M.  E.,  C.  M.  E.  and  A.  M.  E. 
Zion  Churches  met  together  in  Washington, 
D.  C.  Bishops  elected  for  West  and  South  Af- 
rican work. 

-Office  of  Editor  and  Manager  of  Book  Concern 
combined. 

Great  educational  rallies  held  in  Georgia,  South 
Carolina,  Texas,  etc. 

Fourth  Ecumenical  Conference  met  in  Toron- 
to, Canada. 

•Bishop  Handy  died  October  3,  1911. 
Bishops  of  A.  M.  E.,  A.  M.  E.  Zion  and  C.  M.  E. 
Churches  meet  a  second  time  in  Mobile,  Ala. 
Bishop  Grant  died,  June  22,  1911. 
General  Conference  met  in  Kansas  City,  Kans. 
Revs.  John  Hurst,  W.  D.  Chappelle,  J.  H.  Jones 
and    J.    M.    Conner    elected    bishops.     Bishop 
Gaines  died  January  12,  1912. 
-John  R.  Hawkins,  the  first  layman  elected  fi- 
nancial secretary. 

Bishop  Derrick  died  April  21,  1913.  Secretary 
of  Missions,  J.  W.  Rankin,  visits  West  African 
work. 

■Young  People's  Congress  at  Atlanta,  Ga. 
Rev.  J.  W.  Rankin,  Missionary  Secretary,  vis- 
ited  West   Africa. 
Bishop  Turner  died,  May  8,  1915. 
Bishop  John  Hurst  and  Secretary  Rankin  visit 
Jamaica.     Bishop  Hurst  received  a  large  num- 
ber of  members. 

Centennial  General  Conference  met  in  Phila- 
delphia, Revs.  W.  W.  Beckett  and  I.  N.  Ross 
elected  bishops.  All  general  officers  re-elected 
for  the  first  time  in  many  years. 
Bishop  W.  W.  Beckett  sails  for  South  Africa. 
Centennial  Encyclopaediaof  African  Methodism 
published. 

Rev.  J.  I.  Lowe  resigned  as  Business  Manager, 
and  Dr.  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr.,  appointed  a  second 
time  both  editor  and  manager. 


16 


(centennial  .encyclopaedia  of  the  African  JVlethodist 

Episcopal  dhurch 


LLEN,  RICHARD,  the  first  bishop 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
February  14,  1760,  a  slave  of  Benja- 
min Chew,  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsyl- 
vania. At  an  early  age  he,  with  his 
father,  mother  and  three  other  chil- 
dren, was  sold  into  the  state  of  Del- 
aware, where,  on  a  farm  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Dover,  he  was  brought  up. 
About  1777  he  was  converted  and  soon  after- 
wards, about  1780,  began  to  preach.  His  religion 
was  of  such  a  genuine  sort  that  it  affected  every  de- 


BISHOP  RICHARD  ALLEN. 

partment  of  his  life.  As  a  result  his  master  permitted 
prayer  meeting  and  preaching  in  his  house,  and  was 
himself  converted.  The  master  showed  his  conversion 
by  making  it  possible  for  his  slaves  to  become  free. 
Accordingly  Richard  Allen  and  his  brother  bought 
their  freedom  for  $2000  Continental  money.  Richard 
Allen  left  his  master  and  began  to  stir  for  himself, 
with  a  job  of  cutting  cord  wood ;  then  he  was  employed 
at  $50  (Continental  money)  a  month  in  a  brick  yard; 
then  he  worked  as  a  day  laborer ;  then  as  a  teamster 
hauling  salt  during  the  Revolutionary  War  from  Re- 
hobar,  Sussex  County,  Delaware.  During  all  of  this 
time  he  preached  whenever  he  could.     After  he  had 


17 


acquired  experience  he  began  to  travel  from  place  to 
place  preaching.  Like  Paul,  he  worked  with  his  hands 
for  his  own  support  as  he  preached.  In  the  fall  of 
1783  he  was  in  Wilmington,  Delaware;  later  and  until 
spring  of  1784  he  traveled  and  preached  in  New  Jer- 
sey; later  in  1784  he  traveled  and  preached  in  Penn- 
sylvania, going  to  Radnor,  Lancaster,  York  and  other 
points.  Thence  he  went  to  Baltimore,  where,  Decem- 
ber, 1784,  he  was  present  at  the  first  general  confer- 
ence of  Methodism  in  America,  and  met  the  leaders. 
In  1785  he  traveled  and  preached  with  Rev.  Richard 
Watcoat  on  Baltimore  Circuit,  and  held  meetings  in 
"Methodist  Alley,"  Baltimore,  Maryland.  Bishop  As- 
bury  recognized  Richard  Allen's  talent  and  frequently 
gave  him  assignments  to  preach.  The  latter  part  of 
1785  found  him  again  at  Radnor.  In  February,  1286, 
he  came  to  Philadelphia^_ajul_pre^cjie3r^LS±._  George 
Methodist  Church_and  at  different_40J3£gs_irLthat—  city 
where  there  was  then  a  large  colored  population-  Jfcle 
said,  "Isoon_saw  a  large  fiekLapeji_in  seeking  and  in- 
structing my  African  brethren,  who  had  beerLa  long 
forgotten  people,  and^few~of  them  attended~public 
worship."  He  started_nray_e.r  meetings- in  Philadelphia 
and  soon  had  42  members.  As  early  as  1786  he  pro- 
posed a  separate  place  of  worship-for  the  colored  peo- 
ple, but  the  whites  opposed  this,  and  only  three  col- 
ored brethren  favored  the  plan.  But  because  of  Al- 
len's power  the  number  of  colored  worshippers  at  St. 
George  grew  very  large,  and  soon  thev  were__a£pa,ra-ted 
frcmi_the_whites.  who  did  not  want  them  with  them 
or  away  from  them.  The  crisis  came  one  Sunday 
morning  when  the  sexton  ordered  the  colored  people 
to  the  gallery.  But  some  made  a  mistake  in  the  seats. 
Bishop  Allen  thus  narrates  it,  "He  told  us  to  go,  and 
we  would  see  where  to  sit.  We  expected  to  take  the 
seats  over  the  ones  we  formerly  occupied  below,  not 
knowing  any  better.  We  took  those  seats.  Meeting 
had  begun,  and  they  were  nearly  done  singing,  and 
just  as  we  got  to  the  seats,  the  elder  said,  'Let  us  pray.' 
We  had  not  been  long  upon  our  knees  before  I  heard 
considerable  scuffling  and  low  talking.  I  raised  my 
head  up  and  saw  one  of  the  trustees,  H —  M — ,  hav- 
ing hold  of  the  Rev.  Absalom  Jones,  pulling  him  off  of 
his  knees,  and  saving,  'You  must  get  up — you  must 
not  kneel  here.'  Mr.  Jones  replied,  'Wait  till  prayer 
is  over-'  Mr.  H — •  M —  said,  'No,  you  must  get  up  now, 
or  I  will  call  for  aid  and  force  you  away.'  Mr.  Jones 
said,  'Wait  until  prayer  is  over  and  I  will  get  up  and 
trouble  you  no  more.'  With  that  he  beckoned  to  one 
of  the  other  trustees,  Mr-  L —  S —  to  come  to  his  as- 
sistance. He  came,  and  went  to  William  White  to 
pull  him  up.    By  this  time  prayer  was  over,  and  we  all 


°& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


* 


went  out  of  the  church  in  a  body,  and  they  were  no 
more  plagued  with  us  in  the  church."  Thus  began 
the  movement  for  an  independent  African  Church  In 
1787  the  "Free  African  Society"  was  started  by  Rich- 
ar3  Allen  and  Absalom  Jones.  Later  Absalom  Jones 
began  the  African  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  St. 
Thomas,  but  the  majority  of  the  people  remained 
Methodist  and  stayed  with  Richard  Allen,  worship- 
ping in  a  house.  The  first  property  bought  was  on 
Lombard  Street  near  6th.  But  this  property  was  not 
accepted  by  the  majority  of  the  committee.  So  Rich- 
ard Allen  kept  it.  After  Allen  and  Jones  separated, 
Allen  purchased  an  old  building  used  as  a  blacksmith 
shop  and  moved  it  on  this  lot.  On  July  1794  this 
church  was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Asbury-  In  this 
church  there  was  organized  a  Sunday  school  and  a 
day  and  night  school,  and  regular  ministers  were  sent 
by  the  Methodist  Conference.  In  1799  Bishop  Asbury 
ordained  Richard  Allen  deacon,  and  in  1816  he  was 
ordained  elder. 

Other  African  churches  had  begun  in^much-lhe 
same  way  in  other  parts  "f  fbp  country  Many__of 
these~wefe7Tike  Bethel,  under  the  Methodist  Conf er- 
FfTce.  hut  were  riissattshecT  The  organizing  genius 
ot  Richard~Allen  got  many  of  these  together  and  in 
April,  i~8i6/  thev  held  their  first  convention  in  Phila- 
delphia" and^fi5Fmed~~~the  African  MetKodist  Episcopal 
rhTTPrti  ~T7irhard  Allpn  was  elected  bishop  and  or- 
dained April  11,  1816.  He  served  until  his  death, 
March  26,  1831.  In  1817  he  published  the  first  disci- 
pline. Richard  Allen  was  a  man  of  independent  char- 
acter as  shown  by  his  conception  of  religion,  by  his 
purchasing  his  freedom,  by  his  unwillingness  to  have 
others  support  him,  by  his  unwillingness  to  travel  as 
a  preacher's  assistant  in  the  South  and  sleep  in  his 
carriage  at  night,  by  his  resentment  of  the  treatment 
of  his  people  at  St.  George.  He  was  a  thrifty  man. 
As  a  slave  he  did  more  work  than  other  slaves ;  he 
always  could  find  work ;  he  seemed  to  have  been  a 
good  trader;  he  owned  several  teams  when  Bethel  was 
established  though  he  had  been  in  Philadelphia  but  a 
short  while.  He  was  a  man  of  strict  integrity ;  when 
a  slave  he  delivered  a  message,  his  word  was  taken 
and  he  did  not  have  to  bear  a  note  with  his  master's 
signature.  When  the  first  property  was  purchased  for 
the  African  Church,  though  a  majority  of  the  commit- 
tee wanted  to  give  up  the  property  and  did  do  so,  Al- 
len had  given  his  word,  and  therefore  kept  it.  And 
this  should  ever  be  remembered  in  connection  with 
the  oldest  piece  of  property  owned  by  any  Negro  or- 
ganization in  the  country — the  first  bond  on  it  was 
Richard  Allen's  word. 

His  remains  lie  buried  in  Bethel  Church,  Phila- 
delphia. 


Abington,  Rev.  C.  W.,  third  son  of  Peter  and  Lu- 
anda Abington,  was  born  near  Roanoke,  Va.,  March 
22,  1872.  His  father  died  before  he  was  four  years  old, 
and  the  responsibility  of  providing  for  six  small  chil- 
dren fell  upon  the  widowed  mother,  thus  the  boy  was 
early  in  life  taught  the  value  of  self  help  and  self  re- 
liance. His  uncle,  Rev.  William  Frantz,  both  a  preach- 
er and  a  teacher,  adopted  him,  but  on  account  of  poor 
health  could  not  long  keep  him.  Finally  Rev.  P.  M. 
Onley,  of  Cumberland  City,  Md.,  took  charge  of  him. 
Young  Abington  had  evidenced  signs  of  ability  and 
Elder  Onley  and  his  wife,  endeavored  to  give  him  the 
best  training  possible.     But  Mr.  Onley  was  stricken 


with  paralysis,  and  in  1885  young  Abington  began  to 
shift  for  himself.  He  went  first  to  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
then  to  Chattanooga,  where  he  continued  his  studies 
along  with  his  work.  He  was  converted  in  1892  and 
joined  Warren  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Chattanooga, 
and  despite  the  aversion  to  the  ministry  he  was  unable 
to  resist.  He  was  licensed  to  exhort  shortly  after  his 
conversion  by  Rev.  Jas.  T.  Gilmore,  and  licensed  to 
preach  by  Rev.  Dr.  T.  B.  Caldwell.  After  studying 
some  time  in  Chattanooga  he  entered  Gammon  The- 
ological Seminary,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated with  honors  in  the  class  of  1898,  and  at  once  was 
given  a  mission  on  Ft.  Wood,  Chattanooga,  and  in  his 


REV.  C.  W.  ABINGTON. 

few  months'  stay  he  remodeled  and  beautified  the 
church  building,  organized  a  choir  and  elevated  the 
church  service.  At  the  annual  Conference  in  1898  he 
was  transferred  to  the  Oklahoma  Conference  and  sta- 
tioned at  Guthrie,  Okla.,  remaining  five  years,  adding 
many  people  to  the  church  and  building  the  first  press- 
ed brick  church  owned  by  colored  people  in  Oklahoma, 
also  purchasing  the  property  adjoining  the  church  for 
a  parsonage.  To  him  was  due  also  the  credit  for  the 
Y.  M.  C.  L.  in  Guthrie.  He  was  transferred  in  1904  to 
the  Central  Texas  Conference  and  stationed  at  Metro- 
politan Church,  Austin,  Texas,  a  church  erected  by 
Bishop  Grant.  It  was  burdened  with  debts,  many  dat- 
ing back  fourteen  years,  and  the  building  had  also  be- 
come almost  a  total  wreck.  But  in  a  short  while  all 
of  the  old  debts  were  discharged,  confidence  built  up, 
the  building  entirely  remodeled  and  provided  with  all 
modern  improvements  and  comforts  including  an  ade- 
quate heating  plant,  and  the  citizens  of  Austin,  without 
regard  to  denomination,  gave  substantial  recognition 
of  his  splendid  services.  At  the  close  of  his  five  years 
he  was  given  what  was  then  said  to  be  the  greatest 
ovation  ever  accorded  a  retiring  minister  in  Austin,  re- 
gardless of  race  variety.  From  Austin  Rev.  Abington 
was  transferred  to  the  Northeast  Texas  Conference 
and  stationed  at  Bethel  Church.  Dallas,  which  was 
erected  by  Bishop  Armstrong.  He  remained  at  Dallas 
for  five  vears,  being  more  popular  at  the  end  than  at 
the  beginning.  The  Dallas  Express,  a  local  journal, 
said  of  his  pastorate,  "it  is  conceded  to  be  the  most 


18 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


successful  administration,  viewed  from  every  angle,  in 
the  history  of  the  church,  and  this  verdict  is  acquiesced 
in  by  persons  who  have  held  membership  in  the  church 
for  more  than  thirty  years.  Each  year  the  church  has 
extended  its  influence  in  the  community.  Aside  from 
paying  the  mortgage  debts  and  buying  the  house  and 
lot  adjoining  the  church  property,  and  paying  for  it 
excepting  one  note,  $150.00,  not  yet  due,  the  building 
has  been  completely  renovated  and  equipped  with  all 
modern  conveniences  and  is  unexcelled  for  beauty  and 
comfort."  Five  hundred  and  thirty-seven  members 
were  received  during  the  five  years,  most  of  whom  were 
converted  in  the  church  meetings,  and  $24,569.05  was 
raised  for  all  purposes,  and  the  largest  pipe  organ  in 
any  colored  church  in  the  State  was  installed. 

From  Dallas  Rev.  Abington  was  sent  to  Corsicana, 
where  he  is  doing  the  same  kind  of  work,  being  now  in 
his  second  year.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Abington  is  a  hard 
student,  an  eloquent  and  convincing  preacher,  a  me- 
thodical pastor,  a  tireless  worker  and  a  lover  of  hu- 
manity. He  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Paul 
Quinn  College  in  1908.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
general  conferences  of  1912  and  1916,  and  a  member 
of  the  Missionary  Board. 

Adams,  Revels  Alcorn,  was  born  in  Vicksburg, 
Mississippi,  February  28,  1869;  the  son  of  Rev.  Henry 
Page  and  Caroline  V.  Adams,  both  of  Mississippi,  the 


Bishop  Tanner,  January  15,  1892,  and  elder  by  Bishop 
W.  B.  Derrick,  December  10,  1896.  For  about  ten 
years  he  resisted  the  voice  within  which  called  him 
and  found  excuses  in  favor  of  refusing  the  evangelis- 
tic field,  but  eventually  he  humbled  himself  to  the  will 
of  God,  and  as  a  result  into  his  life  has  come  the  joy 
of  doing  service  for  humanity  and  helping  thousands 
to  find  the  peace  which  world  giveth  not. 

The  following  are  some  results  of  his  evangelistic 
campaigns:  at  Natchez,  Miss.,  376  converts;  Detroit, 
Mich.,  600;  Zanesville,  Ohio,  140;  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
160;  Boston,  Mass.,  84;  Chicago,  111.,  800;  Kansas 
City,  Kansas,  250;  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  300; 
Charleston,  W.  Va.,  400.  Dr.  Adams  also  lectures  on 
Social  Purity,  Sex  Hygiene  and  Eugenics,  and  is  a 
student  of  sociology.  He  is  corresponding  secretary 
of  the  New  Evangelical  Association,  president  of  the 
National  Home  Purity  League,  editor  of  the  Home 
Purity  Magazine,  author  and  publisher  Cyclopedia  of 
African  Methodism  in  Mississippi  and  the  new  sen- 
sational book,  "The  Negro  Girl,"  and  composer  of 
several  musical  productions. 

Dr.  Adams  sings ;  also  plays  the  piano,  organ, 
cornet  and  violin,  and  directs  his  own  choirs  in  evan- 
gelistic campaigns. 

Alexander,  Connie  C,  was  born  of  slave  parents, 
but  devoted  Christians,  in  Pulaski  County,  Arkansas, 
October  20,  1881.  His  mother,  with  whom  he  is  now 
living  and  whom  he  supports,  is  a  loyal  Christian.  His 
father,  who  died  in  1912,  was  one  of  the  industrious 
farmers  in  Arkansas,  and  had  been  a  class-leader  in 


REV.  R.  A.  ADAMS 

former  having  come  from  Kentucky,  and  the  latter 
from  Virginia.  His  boyhood  and  youth  were  fraught 
with  many  discouraging  circumstances. 

After  completing  the  common  school  courses  of 
his  native  State,  he  pursued  the  theological  course  at 
Payne  Theological  Seminary ;  then  went  into  the  ac- 
tive ministry,  serving  with  success  the  various  charges 
to  which  he  has  been  appointed,  adding  large  numbers 
to  the  church.  Among  others,  he  has  served  as  pastor 
the  leading  charges  in  the  following  cities  in  Missis- 
sippi: Clarksdale,  Brookhaven,  Jackson,  Natchez  and 
Greenville ;  also  Avery  Church,  Memphis,  Tennessee. 
It  was  while  serving  the  last  named  church,  with  a 
salary  of  $1800.00,  that  Dr.  Adams  answered  the  call 
to  the  work  of  an  evangelist,  in  which  he  has  been  so 
eminently   successful.     He   was   ordained   deacon   by 


CONNIE  CALVIN  ALEXANDER 

the  African  Methodist,  Episcopal  Church  for  thirty- 
five  years. 

Mr.  Alexander's  education  was  received  in  the 
public  schools  in  Pulaski  County,  near  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas,  in  the  tribal  schools  in  the  Indian  Territory 
(now  Eastern  Oklahoma),  Philander  Smith  College, 
Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  and  the  High  School,  Kansas 
City,  Missouri.  He  was  converted  August  20,  1900, 
afterward  joining  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

In  1912  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Rev.  L. 
E.  Nelson,  of  the  North  East  Oklahoma  Conference 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  , 


19 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


Alexander,  Wellington  Grenville,  was  born  at 
Orange,  Orange  Co.,  Va.,  December  25,  i860,  the  first 
of  seven  children  of  Lewis  and  Celia  Alexander,  mem- 
bers of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  The  family  early  after 
the  war  removed  to  the  District  of  Columbia,  where 
he  attended  the  Government  School,  a  Quaker  school, 
the  city  public  schools  and  Howard  University.  He 
also  studied  in  and  graduated  from  the  Chautauqua 
Scientific  and  Literary  Circle,  Bishop  J.  H.  Vincent, 
chancellor. 

Young  Alexander  professed  religion  and  joined  Mt. 
Pisgah  A.  M.  E.  Church  during  the  pastorate  of  the 


,  DR.  W.  G.  ALEXANDER. 

Rev.  Jno.  P.  Cox,  filling  the  positions  of  organist  of  the 
choir,  teacher  and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
School,  class  leader,  trustee,  steward  and  local  preach- 
er. He  joined  the  Baltimore  Conference  May  9,  1879, 
holding  its  session  at  Union  Bethel,  now  Metropolitan, 
under  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown.  His  first  appointment  was 
Queen  Anne  Circuit,  Anne  Arundel  Co.,  Md.  He  was 
ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Payne  at  Easton,  Md., 
May,  18S1,  and  elder  by  Bishop  Payne,  May,  1883.  He 
has  held  the  following  appointments : 

West  River,  Md.  f  Frederick,  Md. ;  Emanuel,  Ports- 
mouth, Va. ;  St.  John,  Montgomery,  Ala.;  St.  John, 
Birmingham,  Ala.;  St.  James,  Columbus,  Ga. ;  Beth- 
el, Atlanta,  Ga. ;  Stewart,  Macon,  Ga. ;  Campbell 
Chapel,  Americus,  Ga.,  and  built  the  church  at  West 
River,  Md.,  costing  S3000;  reduced  the  mortgage  in- 
debtedness at  Frederick,  Md.,  of  $3000,  one  half; 
lifted  mortgage  at  Portsmouth  of  $1000,  at  which 
place  he  built  and  furnished  a  parsonage  costing 
$5500,  paying  over  two-thirds  of  its  cost ;  renovated 
the  church  at  Montgomery  at  a  cost  of  $2300,  paying 
quite  two-thirds  of  its  cost.  At  St.  James,  Colum- 
bus, he  paid  $1700  on  a  debt  of  $3000;  at  Big  Bethel, 
Atlanta,  he  reduced  the  mortgage  of  $32,000  to  $17,- 
000,  tore  down  and  rebuilt  this  great  structure  at  an 
additional  expense  of  $21,000,  leaving  only  $3000  of 
this  extra  cost  due.  At  St.  John,  Birmingham,  Ala., 
he  secured  the  deeds  of  this  property  by  compromise 
suit,  securing  a  two-story  parsonage  almost  as  a  gift, 
which  was  improved,  and  on  completion  was  worth 


$3500  to  the  Connection.  He  removed  the  debt  of 
$1800  on  Steward  Church,  Macon;  Ga. ;  purchased 
the  triangular  lot  adjoining,  paying  $1000  cash  for  it; 
secured  by  suit  property  of  Armistead  Bryant,  valued 
at  $4000.  At  Campbell  Chapel,  Americus,  he  remain- 
ed six  months,  reducing  the  indebtedness  $750.  He 
has  received  into  the  church  by  revivals,  etc.,  375°; 
baptized  1800;  was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Con- 
ference at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  May,  1892;  Wilmington, 
N.  C,  May,  1896;  Columbus,  O.,  May,  1900;  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  May,  1904;  Philadelphia,  1916. 

Morris  Brown  College  conferred  upon  him  the  de- 
gree of  A.M.,  Wilberforce  University,  Ohio,  the  de- 
gree of  D.D.  Wellington,  Jr.  studied  at  Morris 
Brown  College  and  Lincoln  University;  Florence 
was  graduated  as  -a  trained  nurse  from  Morris  Brown 
College;  Grant  studied  at  Morris  Brown  College. 

He  has  been  a  contributor  to  the  Christian  and 
Southern  Recorders,  Voice  of  Missions,  Voice  of  the 
People,  New  York  and  Atlanta  Age,  People's  Advo- 
cate, Colored  American.  The  following  pamphlets 
have  been  written : 

"Living  Words,"  "The  Triumphant  March  of  Afri- 
can Alethodism,"  "The  Man  in  the  Pulpit,  what  he 
should  be,  what  he  should  know."  He  has  delivered 
the  following  addresses:  "Richard  Allen,  the  Pion- 
eer in  Negro-American  Achievement,"  "The  Negro- 
American  in  the  Civilization  of  the  Caucasian,"  "The 
Literary  beauties  of  the  Bible  for  lovers  of  Litera- 
ture," "Payne,  Crummall,  Douglass,  modern  masters 
of  the  pulpit  and  platform,"  "The  pulpit  ^  and  the 
schoolroom  in  Negro-American  Uplift,"  "Lectures 
on  Biblical  Archeology." 

He  has  set  to  music  three  of  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne's 
lyrics,  which  appear  in  his  book,  "Domestic  Educa- 
tion."   He  is  a  Mason  and  Knight  of  Pythias. 

He  was  curator  of  Hampton  Normal  and  Agricul- 
tural Institute,  Hampton,  Va.,  for  four  years;  a  di- 
rector of  the  Anti-Saloon  League;  a  member  of  the 
World's  Congress  of  Religions,  Chicago,  111. ;  of  the 
Southern  Sociological  Congress;  the  National  Geo- 
graphic Society;  president  of  the  Southern  Race  Con- 
gress, Macon,  Ga.  For  ten  years  he  was  dean  and 
professor  in  Turner  Theological  Seminary,  Morris 
Brown  College,  Atlanta,  Ga.  He  served  as  Presiding 
Elder  of  the  South  Atlanta,  Rome  and  Valdosta  Dis- 
tricts A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  fraternal  messenger  to 
the  General  Conference  of  the  Colored  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  Little  Rock,  Ark.  He  was  elected 
to  organize  Young  People's  Christian  Endeavor  So- 
cieties throughout  the  A.  M.  E.  Connection,  but  de- 
clined that  he  might  rebuild  the  wrecked  Big  Bethel 
Church.  Atlanta,  Ga.  He  was  elected  "president  of 
Payne  University,  A.  M.  E.,  Sehna,  Ala.,  but  declined 
He  was  voted  for  for  Bishop  at  the  General  Confer- 
ence at  Columbus,  Ohio. 

His  wife,  Mrs.  Harriet  Alexander,  to' whom  he  was 
married  in  Washington,  D.  C,  May  9,  1876,  has  faith- 
fully and  courageously  kept  up  with  the  work  of  her 
husband,  and  is  a  leading  member  of  The  Colored 
Women's  Federation  and  other  civic  league  clubs, 
and  the  Eastern  Star  Chapter.  They  own  their  own 
home  at  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Dr.  Alexander  has  lectured  by  invitation  to  such 
schools  as  Gammon  Theological  Seminary,  Atlanta 
University,  Clark  University,  Morris  Brown  Univer- 
sitv,  Spelman.  Atlanta  Baptist  College,  Tuskegee, 
Hampton,     Tallahassee,     Edward      Waters,      Jackson- 


20 


£ 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


ville,  Payne,  Selma,  Montgomery  Normal  and  Indus- 
trial Institute,  Montgomery  Girls'  Industrial  and  the 
Huntsville  Normal  Agricultural  College. 

Allen,  Rev.  George  Wesley,  son  of  George  and 
Margaret  Allen,  one  of  ten  children,  was  born  August 
10,  1854,  in  Lee  County,  Alabama.  Parents  were 
members  of  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Began  attending  school  in  1867,  and  attended  ir- 
regularly twenty  years.  He  received  much  of  his  in- 
struction from  professors  in  colleges  and  high  schools 
for  whites,  who  taught  him  privately,  as  he  was  pro- 
hibited from  attending  their  schools  because  he  was 
colored.  Received  the  degree  D.  D.  from  Payne  Uni- 
versity, and  Wilberforce  University. 

Was  converted  July,  1867,  and  joined  M.  E. 
Church  (South)  the  same  year,  there  being  no  A.  M. 
E.  Church  near. 

He  held  almost  every  office  in  the  church,  stew- 
ard, trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher,  Sun- 
day school  teacher,  pastor,  presiding  elder  and  general 


REV.  G.  W.  ALLEN,  D.D. 

officer.  Was  licensed  to  preach  in  1878  at  Enon,  Ala- 
bama, by  Rev.  Cain  Rogers,  P.  E. ;  ordained  deacon 
December,  1892,  at  Eufaula,  Ala.,  by  Bishop  A.  Grant; 
ordained  elder  December,  1894,  at  Union  Springs,  Ala-, 
by  Bishop  A.  Grant.  Joined  Annual  Conference  at 
Opelika,  Ala.,  under  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines,  Decem- 
ber, 1890. 

Has  held  the  following  appointments :  Phoenix 
City  Mission,  four  years;  Salem  Circuit,  two  years; 
St.  Peters  and  Grant  Chapel,  three  years ;  presiding 
elder  of  Montgomery  District,  four  years ;  presiding 
elder  of  Union  Springs  District,  six  months,  until  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  May,  1904,  at  Chicago,  when  he 
was  elected  editor  of  Southern  Christian  Recorder, 
succeeding  Rev.  G.  E.  Taylor.  He  has  built  the  fol- 
lowing churches:  Bethel,  Bullock  Co.,  Ala.;  Gaines 
Chapel,  Girard,  Ala. ;  Grant  Chapel,  Phoenix  City ;  St. 
Peters,  Lee  County,  Ala. ;  aided  in  the  erection  of  sev- 
eral others.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to  General  Con- 
ferences in  1900,  1904,  1908,  1912,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916.  He  was 
voted  for  the  bishopric  in  May,  1912- 


Married  Mrs.  Phoebe  Harvey  Allen  of  Stewart 
Co.,  Ga.,  March  2,  1876.  They  have  eight  splendid  chil- 
dren, all  of  whom  they  have  given  a  first-class  educa- 
tion, and  in  this  respect  are  greatly  to  be  compliment- 
ed. The  seven  sons  and  one  daughter  are :  Griffin  A. 
Allen,  M.  D.,  37  years,  finished  Tuskegee ;  at  Meharry, 
as  pharmacist  and  physician ;  also  finished  Girard  City 
High  School  in  Girard,  Ala. 

William  W.  Allen,  age  35,  finished  at  Girard  City 
High  School  and  Georgia  State  College  at  Savannah, 
Ga.,  and  was  business  manager  of  the  Southern  Chris- 
tian Recorder,  and  a  member  of  the  General  Confer- 
ences of  1908,  1912  and  1916. 

James  L.  Allen,  age  33,  finished  at  Girard  City 
High  School  and  Georgia  State  College. 

John  S.  Allen,  age  31,  finished  at  Girard  City  High 
School,  and  took  a  college  course  at  Clark  University 
and  Lincoln  University  of  Missouri. 

Alexander  J.  Allen,  A.  B.,  age  29,  finished  at  Gir- 
ard High  School ;  finished  college  course  at  Clark 
University ;  is  in  senior  year  and  class  for  B.  D.  at 
Yale  University. 


MRS.  G.  W.  ALLEN 

Nimrod  B.  Allen,  A.  B.,  B.  D.,  age  27,  finished 
Girard  City  High  School;  finished  college  course  at 
Wilberforce  University,  and  B.  D.  at  Yale  University. 

Marion  A.  Allen,  A.  B.,  age  24,  finished  Girard 
City  High  School  and  college  course  at  Atlanta  Uni- 
versity. 

Bertha  Lee  Allen  (only  living  daughter)  finished 
at  Columbus,  Ga.,  and  at  Atlanta  University,  and  is 
now  studying  in  Boston,  Mass. 

Contributed  to  many  newspapers  and  magazines. 
He  was  manager  of  the  Columbus  Progressive  Age, 
Columbus  Messenger,  editor  and  manager  of  the  East 
Alabama  Messenger,  and  is  now  editor  of  the  South- 
ern Christian  Recorder. 

Addressed  graduating  classes  at  Columbus  City 
High  School,  Payne  University  and  others.  Connect- 
ed with  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  and  International  order;  K.  of 
P.  and  some  local  societies.  Was  W.  M.,  secretary 
and  treasurer  in  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  He  is  a  Republican 
and  was  representative  in  the  Alabama  Legislature 
two  years,  and  was  elected  a  second  time  but  counted 


21 


°& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


out  by  Democrats.  Dr.  Allen  lives  in  his  own  home  was  elected  a  lay-delegate  to  the  Centennial  General 
and  has  been  actively  associated  with  the  Orphan  Conference  in  Philadelphia,  1916.  He  is  now  in  his 
Home  and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  of  Columbus,  Ga.  twentieth  year  as  clerk  of  Emanuel  Church,  under  the 

Allen,  Mrs.  Phoebe  C,  wife  of  Rev.  G.  W.  Allen, 
D.  D.,  editor  of  the  Southern  Christian  Recorder.  Miss 
Phoebe  C.  Harvey  and  Prof.  G.  W.  Allen  were  united 
in  matrimony  March  2,  1876.  Rev.  C.  S.  Smith,  (now 
Bishop)  performed  the  marriage  ceremony  near  Eu- 
faula,  Ala. 

Allen,  Miss  Mattie  A.,  former  district  superin- 
tendent of  S.  S.  of  Phila.,  was  born  October  31,  1872, 
at  Bensalem,  Pa.  One  of  twelve  children  born  to  Leroy 
and  Lucy  Allen.  At  an  early  age  was  converted  in 
the  Bensalem  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Been  an  active  work- 
er in  the  church  and  Sunday  school,  filling  office  as 


MISS  MATTIE  A.  ALLEN 

teacher  and  superintendent.  She  was  District  Super- 
intendent of  the  Philadelphia  District  Sunday  Schools 
of  the  Philadelphia  Conference  for  six  years,  from  1909 
to  191 5.  She  was  educated  in  the  Bensalem  public 
schools;  also  took  a  course  in  training  for  nurses. 

Alston,  Lewis  Markfield,  was  born  in  Charleston, 
S.  C,  September  10,  1859.  After  receiving  a  common 
school  training  in  the  public  school,  he  served  at  trade 
in  the  George  S.  Hacker  Door  Sash  and  Blind  Factory, 
and  upon  completion  of  his  trade,  was  employed  as  a 
mechanic,  serving  as  apprentice  and  tradesman  for  a 
period  of  thirty-five  years. 

In  the  year  1883,  January  10,  he  was  joined  in 
matrimony  at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  to  Miss  Maggie 
Jeanette  Motte,  by  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Dart. 

He  joined  Emanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Charleston, 
S.  C,  May  24th,  1883,  and  was  fellowshipped  and  ap- 
pointed a  steward  .by  the  Rev.  L.  R.  Nichols  the  next 
year.  He  was  elected  clerk  of  the  church  during  the 
pastorate  of  Dr.  W.  W.  Beckett;  appointed  a  class 
leader  during  the  pastorate  of  the  late  Dr.  J.  H.  Welch. 
He  has  been  frequently  elected  a  delegate  to  district 
conferences  and  was  the  delegate  from  Emanuel 
Church  to  the  last  Electoral  College,  from  which  he 


LEWIS  MARKFIELD  ALSTON 

pastorate  of  Rev.  A.  E.  Peats,  and  is  a  prominent  fac- 
tor in  the  community  and  church  life  of  the  city  of 
Charleston,  S.  C.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Maggie  J.  Motte 
Alston,  is  a  stewardess  and  president  of  the  South 
Carolina  Conference  Branch  of  the  W.  H.  &  F.  So- 
ciety. 

Alston,  Mrs.  Maggie  J.,  President  Conference 
Branch  of  Women's  Home  &  Foreign  Missionary  So- 
ciety,    South     Carolina     Conference,     was     born     in 


H.     -'jM 


MRS.  MAGGIE  J.  ALSTON 

Charleston,  S.  C,  February  17,  i860,  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Jeannetta  Motte  Alston.  She  attended 
Simonton  and  Avery  Normal  Institute  of  Charleston; 
became  a  member  of  Emanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church  during 
the  pastorate  of  the  late  Bishop  M.  B.  Salter;  became 


22 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


&° 


a  Sunday  School  teacher  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years, 
and  is  still  serving  in  that  capacity.  She  has  served 
her  Church  in  many  ways  and  is  now  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Stewardess'  Board. 

Sister  Alston  is  so  deeply  interested  in  the  affairs 
of  her  Church  that  she  has  attended  the  Annual  Con- 
ference Sessions  for  the  past  twenty-eight  years.  At 
the  Annual  Conference  held  at  St.  George,  S.  C,  1905, 
she  was  made  President  of  the  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  Society 
of  the  South  Carolina  Conference  Branch.  During 
that  time  she  has  held  conventions  yearly  and  raised 
more  than  nine  hundred  dollars  for  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions. 

In  1908  she  attended  the  General  Conference  at 
Norfolk,  Va.  In  191 1  attended  the  Quadrennial  Meet- 
ing of  the  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  Society  at"Binningham,  Ala. 
In  1912  she  attended  the  General  Conference  at  Kan- 
sas City,  Mo.,  and  in  191 5  the  Quadrennial  Meeting  of 
the  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  Society  in  New  Orleans,  La. 

Becoming  a  member  of  the  old  Emanuel  Church 
under  Rev.  (later  Bishop)  Salter's  pastorate,  she  serv- 
ed the  following  pastors :  Revs.  L.  R.  Nichols,  B.  H. 
Williams,  N.  B.  Sterrett,  W.  W.  Beckett,  J.  H.  Welch, 
H.  W.  B.  Bennett,  and  A.  E.  Peets,  and  raised,  during 
Drs.  Welch  and  Bennett's. pastorates,  $1,892.73  on  the 
new  Emanuel,  and  to  use  her  own  expression,  "feels 
neither  tired  nor  weary  but  will  work  until  she  awakes 
in  Christ's  likeness.''  At  the  age  of  22  she  was  mar- 
ried to  Mr.  L.  M.  Alston,  a  member  of  Emanuel 
Church.  The  two  have  lived  together  happily  and 
served  in  the  Church  together  for  34  years. 

Alston,  Rev.  W.  R.,  was  born  in  Marion,  S.  C,  in 
!853;  was  converted  and  joined  the  church  at  the  age 
of  16.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Marion  and 
received  his  later  education  under  the  direction  of  H. 
T.  Haynes,  of  Charleston,  who  afterwards  became 
Secretary  of  State  for  South  Carolina  during  Governor 
Chamberlain's  administration,  and  the  Rev.  J.  B. 
Middleton,  a  noted  minister  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church. 

He  taught  school  for  a  number  of  years.  While 
engaged  in  teaching  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 
late  Rev.  William  E.  Johnson,  who  at  the  time  was 
the  leading  character  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  South 
Carolina.  In  February,  1880,  he  was  admitted  into  the 
South  Carolina  Conference  on  trial,  ordained  a  deacon 
under  the  missionary  rule  by  the  late  Bishop  John  M. 
Brown,  and  appointed  pastor  of  the  Centerville  Sta-' 
tion.  In  1883  he  was  ordained  an  elder  by  the  late 
Bishop  William  F.  Dickerson,  in  Morris  Brown 
Church,  Charleston,  S.  C. 

In  1885,  when  the  rebellion  led  by  the  afore-men- 
tioned Rev.  William  E.  Johnson  occurred,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  birth  of  the  Reformed  Methodist  Union 
Church  of  South  Carolina,  the  Rev.  W.  R.  Alston  com- 
batted  the  Rev.  Johnson  and  his  followers  in  defense 
of  African  Methodism.  He  met  the  enemy  on  the 
Britton  Neck  Circuit,  and  by  argument,  persuasion 
and  preaching,  took  back  the  St.  Wright  Church  with 
a  large  membership.  This  Church  had  gone  over  to 
the  "Johnson  faction,"  as  it  was  then  called. 

The  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Florence  was  about  to  be 
captured  when  the  Rev.  Alston  urged  the  Presiding 
Elder,  the  late  Rev.  D.  J.  Lites,  to  convene  the  minis- 
ters of  the  Marion  District  in  extra  session  of  the  Dis- 
trict Conference.  At  this  District  Conference,  held  in 
Marion,  Rev.  Alston  said :   "Mr.  Chairman  and  breth- 


ren, I  move  that  eighty  dollars  of  money  we  have  in 
hand  to  purchase  a  District  parsonage  be  paid  to  this 
white  lady,  who  will  give  us  deeds  and  titles  for  our 
church  property  at  Florence  and  then  we  can  forbid 
the  'Johnson  faction'  making  further  entry  thereon.'' 
By  this  act  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  was  held  fast  in  Flor- 
ence and  more  permanently  established. 

Later  he  was  called  by  the  officers  of  St.  John 
Church,  at  Marion,  to  assist  them  in  preventing  the 
"Johnson  faction"  from  making  inroads  on  the  Church 
there,  for  the  Rev.  Johnson,  himself,  was  holding  ser- 
vices in  the  Graded  School  building  and  making  heavy 
attacks  on  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  his  efforts  to  have 
the  people  of  St.  John  follow  him.  Rev.  Alston, 
through  a  prominent  white  attorney  of  .the  town,  J. 
Monroe  Johnson,  procured  an  injunction  restraining 
the  rebel  ministers  from  further  use  of  the  school 
building.  He  then  preached  to  and  pleaded  with  the 
members  of  St.  John  Church  in  full  congregation  as- 
sembled, which  put  an  end  to  the  spirit  of  rebellion, 
then  apparently  burning  in  many  of  them,  as  a  result 


REV.  W.  R.  ALSTON 

of  the  eloquence  and  brilliancy  of  Rev.  William  E. 
Johnson,  whose  influence  as  a  preacher  and  Presiding 
Elder  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  prior  to  his  rebellion 
was  deeply  felt  by  ministers  and  laymen  alike.  In 
after  years,  when  the  Rev.  Johnson  was  ordained 
Bishop  of  the  church  founded  by  himself,  he  often  re- 
ferred to  Rev.  Alston  in  most  laudable  terms  on  ac- 
count of  the  latter's  work  in  resisting  the  advance  of 
the  "Johnson  faction"  in  defense  of  African  Method- 
ism. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  been  a  successful 
pastor  in  the  thirty-five  years  of  his  ministry  and  has 
never  had  his  character  marked  by  an  Annual  Con- 
ference. He  has  pastored  sixteen  charges  within  that 
period  of  time,  most  prominent  among  which  were 
Centerville,  Florence,  Mt.  Zion  and  Beaufort  Stations. 
He  served  for  a  number  of  years  as  Recording  Secre- 
tary of  the  South  Carolina  Conference.  At  the  ad- 
journment of  that  Conference,  at  Walterboro,  S.  C, 
December,  1913,  he  was  re-assigned  to  his  charge,  Mt. 
Zion  Church,  in  the  Beaufort  District.  One  week  af- 
terwards, Bishop  Coppin  asked  him  to  transfer  to  the 


23 


<& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


Piedmont  Conference  and  fill  a  vacancy  by  accepting 
the  pastorate  of  Bethel  Church  in  the  City  of  Laurens, 
which  charge  he  now  holds. 

Amos,  Rev.  Adolphus  A.,  was  born  in  Barbados, 
West  Indies,  October  12,  1873.  He  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  when  only  five  years  of  age.  He  spent  six 
years  in  the  public  schools  and  four  years  in  college. 
His  father  was  a  minister  of  Wesleyan  Methodist 
Church. 

Converted  at  only  twelve  years  of  age  he  joined  the 
church  which  his  father  was  pastoring,  being  licensed 
to  preach  January,  18S8. 

Soon  afterward  he  went  trading  with  the  Royal 
Mail  Boats  between  Europe  and  America,  Brazil  and 
Central  American  ports,  but  at  length  he  ceased 
traveling  and  landed  in  America  April,  1900.  Here 
lie  visited  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  which 
he  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Gaines,  July  5, 
1908.  He  first  pastored  St.  Luke's  A.  M.  E.  Mission; 
then  served  as  a  supply  at  St.  John's  Church ;  then  St. 
James  Mission.  He  was  ordained  Elder  by  Bishop 
Gaines' May  21,  191 1,  and  is  now  serving  as  pastor  for 
the  second  term  at  the  Emmanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  New  York.  This  church  he  has  had  incorporated 
with  the  intention  of  erecting  a  suitable  place  for 
worship.  In  seventeen  months  he  had  twenty-five 
converts  and  fifty-seven  additional  members  and  raised 
over  $1357,  and  has  a  Sunday  School  of  fifty-three 
scholars. 

Anderson,  Rev.  Boyle  C,  was  born  in  Shelbyville, 
Co.,  Ky.,  1861 ;  moved  to  Cincinnati  the  same  year, 
then  in  1865  to  St.  Charles,  Missouri,  then  to  Stur- 
geon, Boone  Co.,  Mo.,  and  later  to  California,  return- 
ing in  1888.  Was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  W.  B. 
Ousley  in  1888.  Ordained  Elder  at  St.  Joseph,  Mo., 
by  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner  in  1899. 

Attended  Wilberforce  and  graduated  in  Class  of 
1896. 

Has  assisted  in  building  and  repairing  many  of 
the  churches  he  has  pastored.  Before  he  became  a 
member  of  the  Conference  he  organized  a  church  at 
Centralia,  Mo.,  his  sister  having  given  a  lot.  Held  the 
following  appointments:  Chillicothe,  Mo.,  1897; 
Clarksville  Circuit,  1900;  Salisbury  and  Utica  Circuit 
in  1902 ;  Wentsville,  1903-6-7 ;  Canton  Circuit,  1903-9- 
10;  Breckinridge,  1904;  Canton  and  La  Grange,  191 1- 
12;  Frankford  and  Salt  River,  1913-14,  where  he  reno- 
vated the  church  and  put  in  new  electric  lights. 

Anderson,  H.  P.,  was  born  in  Salisbury,  Pa.,  his 
father  having  been  transported  here  in  the  early 
forties  via  "The  Underground  Railway."  His  early 
religious  impressions  were  received  from  a  Quaker 
family  for  whom  his  father  worked.  Losing  his  father 
early  in  life,  young  Anderson  supported  his  mother 
and  sister  at  first  on  the  farm,  then  by  working  in  a 
brickyard  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  and  later  as  a  coachman. 
During  all  this  time  he  was  reading  and  studying  with 
a  view  to  entering  Wilberforce  University,  which  he 
did  in  1889.  Here  he  was  converted  and  called  to 
preach.  Here  also  he  met  the  young  woman  who 
afterwards  became  his  wife.  He  spent  seven  years 
at  Wilberforce  completing  the  college  and  theological 
courses.  He  supported  himself  largely  by  dining-car 
service   during  vacation.     While   at   Wilberforce   for 


two  and  a  half  years  he  pastored  a  mission  at  Cedar- 
ville,  Ohio.  He  was  sent  by  Bishop  Tanner  on  enter- 
ing the  New  Jersey  Conference  to  Morristown,  N.  J. 
While  here  he  took  a  two  years'  post-graduate  course 
at  Drew  Theological  Seminary.  Through  Bishop  Der- 
rick he  was  appointed  to  St.  James'  Church,  Newark, 
N.  J.  Here,  as  at  Morristown,  the  church  was  reno- 
vated. Here  he  also  organized  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  for  col- 
ored men.  After  five  years  at  Newark,  Bishop  B.  W. 
Arnett  assigned  him  to  Mt.  Zion,  an  old  and  influen- 
tial church  at  Trenton,  N.  J.  During  his  pastorate 
here  the  church  was  newly  carpeted,  the  walls  fres- 


REY.   H.   P.  ANDERSON,   D.D. 

coed  and  a  new  pipe  organ  installed  at  a  cost  of  $2000. 
Next  he  was  assigned  by  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines  to  St. 
James'  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Atlantic  City,  N.  J.,  the  larg- 
est church  in  the  conference.  Here  he  has  remained 
seven  years  and  done  great  work  in  the  way  of  han- 
dling church  obligations  to  the  amount  of  $28,000. 
Rev.  Anderson  has  served  as  secretary  of  his  confer- 
ence six  years  and  has  been  three  times  elected  to  the 
general  conference.  He  attributes  his  success  in  the 
ministry  largely  to  his  wife,  who  is  his  chief  aid  in 
Sunday-school  work.  Mrs.  Anderson,  who  is  the 
daughter  of  Rev.  Jeremiah  Lewis,  one  of  the  leading 
ministers  in  the  Ohio  Conference,  is  a  graduate  of  Wil- 
berforce University  and  has  had  experience  as  a  pub- 
lic school  teacher.  For  four  years  Rev.  Anderson  was 
head  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  of  New  Jersey,  resign- 
ing in  order  to  devote  himself  more  fully  to  the  work 
of  the  pastorate.  While  Grand  Chancellor  of  this 
organization  he  doubled  the  membership  in  New  Jer- 
sey. Rev.  Anderson  was  a  member  of  the  Educational 
Board  1908-16,  the  General  Conference  Commission 
1916,  the  Episcopal  Committee  of  the  General  Con- 
ference 191 6,  and  received  a  large  vote  for  missionary 
secretary  at  the  Centennial  General  Conference. 

Anderson,  Rev.  J.  C,  is  pastor  of  Quinn  Chapel  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Fie  entered  the  itiner- 
ancy in  January,  1889,  at  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  and  has 
served  from  the  smallest  missions  to  stations  of  first 
rank  in  the  Connection,  pastoring  such  churches  as  St. 
James,  St.  Paul,  Minn.;  Wayman  Chapel, Chicago,  111.; 


24 


«& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL.  CHURCH 


G 


Quinn  Chapel,  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  his  present  charge, 
Quinn  Chapel,  Chicago.  He  is  now  pastoring  his  fourth 
charge  in  nineteen  years. 

He  has  organized  churches  and  bought  and  paid  for 
church  property  of  every  description  and  wiped  out 
debts  wherever  he  has  gone,  and  added  scores  and  hun- 
dreds of  souls  to  the  church  in  every  place.  In  Octo- 
ber, iqit,  he  purchased  a  church  in  Louisville,  Ky., 
which  originally  cost  $75,000  and  entertained  the  West 


REV.  J.  C.  ANDERSON. 

Kentucky  Conference.  This  property  is  acknowledged 
to  be  the  finest  and  most  commodious  and  convenient 
church  owned  by  the  race  in  the  State  of  Kentucky. 

He  studied  in  Hamline  University  and  the  Univer- 
sity of  Chicago,  graduated  from  Taylor  University  and 
later  from  McCormick  Theological  Seminary,  Chicago, 
111.  A  diligent  student,  he  has  met  with  the  demands 
of  his  community.  He  led  his  delegation  to  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  1912,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Financial  Board  from  1912  to  1916,  and  fraternal  dele- 
gate to  the  M.  E.  Church  general  conference  at  Sara- 
toga Springs,  May,  1916. 

Armstrong,  Bishop  Josiah  Haynes,  was  born  May 
30,  1842,  in  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  converted  at 
Jacksonville,  Fla.,  1868,  under  the  preaching  of  Rev. 
William  Bradwell.  He  joined  the  traveling  Connec- 
tion in  the  Florida  Conference,  1869;  was  ordained  a 
deacon  1869  by  Bishop  John  M.  Brown,  and  ordained 
an  elder  by  the  same  Bishop,  1870.  Ordained  to  the 
office  of  Bishop  by  Rt.  Rev.  Wesley  John  Gaines,  D.D., 
May  19,  1896;  died  March  23,  1898,  at  Galveston,  Tex., 
was  buried  at  Galveston,  Texas,  March  27,  1898. 

He  served  in  the  Civil  War  as  cook,  teamster  and 
when  the  regulations  permitted,  as  a  soldier.  Coming 
out  of  the  war  he  was  converted  and  entered  the  min- 
istry. He  served  the  following  charges :  Lavilla  Ct. ; 
Lake  City  Ct. ;  Monticello,  Fla. ;  Presiding  Elder  Live 
Oak  District,  Florida;  pastor  Reedy  Chapel,  Galves- 
ton; Bethel,  Dallas;  Austin,  Texas;  Presiding  Elder  of 
Houston  (Texas)  District.  He  was  secretary  of  his 
Conference  for  eleven  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
convention  that  nominated  General  Grant  in  1872.  He 
served  two  terms  in  the  Florida  Legislature  as  repre- 


sentative from  Columbia  County.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  F.  and  A.  M.  and  was  Grand  Master  of  the  State 
of  Texas  for  four  years.  He  was  a  trustee  of  Paul 
Quinn  College.  He  built  churches  at  Lake  City,  Fla. ; 
Bellville,  Fla.;  Jasper,  Fla.;  Bethel,  Dallas,  Texas,  and 
remodeled  Reedy  at  Galveston,  Texas. 

In  1892  he  was  elected  financial  secretary  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  and  in  1896  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  he 
was  elected  to  the  bishopric  and  assigned  to  the  Tenth 
Episcopal  District. 

He  published  two  works:  "Originals"  and  "What 
Communion  Hath  Light  with  Darkness." 

Arnett,  Benjamin  William,  seventeenth  bishop  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  March  6th,  1838,  at 
Brownsville,  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania ;  was  bap- 
tized at  six  months  old,  by  Samuel  G.  Clingman,  of 
the  Ohio  Annual  Conference.  Was  convicted  under 
the  preaching  of  Rev.  Jeremiah  Lewis,  February  10th, 
1856,  converted  February  14th,  received  into  the 
Church  February  17th  by  Rev.  Leven  Gross,  of  the 
Ohio  Annual  Conference ;  licensed  to  preach  March 
30th,  1865,  by  Rev.  J.  D.  S.  Hall,  of  the  Baltimore 
Conference,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  recommended  to  the 
traveling  connection  by  Rev.  William  B.  Lewis,  of  the 
Ohio  Conference;  received  on  probation  April  16th, 
1867,  by  the  Ohio  Annual  Conference,  at  Lexington, 
Ky. ;  received  first  appointment  to  Walnut  Hills,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  April  19th,  1867;  ordained  deacon  April 
30,  1868,  by  William  Paul  Quinn,  at  Columbus,  Ohio; 
ordained  elder  May  12th,  1870,  by  Bishop  Daniel  A. 
Payne,  at  Xenia,  Ohio;  assistant  secretary  to  the  gen- 
eral conference,  1872 ;  secretary  to  the  general  confer- 
ence, 1876-1880. 

In  May,  1880,  he  was  elected  financial  secretary 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  by  the  general  conference  at 
St.  Louis,  Mo. ;  May,  1884,  he  was  re-elected  financial 
secretary  by  the  general  conference  at  Baltimore, 
Md. ;  May  19th,  1888,  he  was  elected  bishop  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church  by  the  general  conference  at  Indianapo- 
lis, Ind. ;  ordained  May  24th,  1888.  His  labors  have 
been  in  the  following  states  since  that  time. :  1882- 
1892,  the  Seventh  Episcopal  District,  comprising 
South  Carolina  and  Florida;  1892-1893,  Arkansas  and 
Mississippi;  1893-1S96,  Ohio  and  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania;  1896-1900,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Michi- 
gan ;  1900-1904,  Ohio,  California  and  Western  Penn- 
sylvania ;  1904-1906,  New  York,  Massachusetts,  New 
Jersey,  Eastern  Pennsylvania,  Rhode  Island  and  Con- 
necticut. 

In  1893  he  was  a  member  of  the  Parliament  of  Re- 
ligions at  Chicago,  111.,  delivered  six  addresses  and 
presided  September  15th.  The  A.  M.  E.  Church  pre- 
sented him  a  gold  medal  for  the  part  he  took  in  behalf 
of  the  Church,  He  has  held  the  following  positions: 
Secretary  of  the  Bishops'  Council  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church ;  historian  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  trustee  of 
the  Archaeological  and  Historical  Society  of  Ohio; 
vice-president  of  the  Anti-Saloon  League  of  America, 
trustee  of  Wilberforce  University,  director  of  Payne 
Theological  Seminary,  chairman  Executive  Commit- 
tee, trustee  of  the  United  Society  of  Christian  En- 
deavor, trustee  and  vice-president  of  the  Normal  and 
Industrial  Board  of  Wilberforce  University,  statisti- 
cal secretary  of  the  Ecumenical  Conference  for  the 
Western  Section,  1891-1901 ;  chairman  of  the  Statisti- 
cal Committee  for  the  Western  Section,  1901-1911.  He 


25 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


"5 


presided  at  the  Ecumenical  Conference,  London,  Eng- 
land, September  7th,  1901  ;  was  chaplain  of  the  Na- 
tional Republican  Convention  at  St.  Louis,  1896;  pre- 
sented to  President  McKinley,  for  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  the  Bible  upon  which  he  took  his  oath ;  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee,  National 
Sociological  Society ;  Chairman  Committee  on  Legis- 
lation and  Transportation,  National  Sociological  So- 
ciety ;  life  member  of  the  Business  Men's  League  of 
the  United  States;  president  of  the  Publication  Board, 
1 904- 1 906. 

For  twenty-four  years  he  edited  the  "Budget"  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  organized  the  "Sons  of 
Hannibal,"  at  Brownsville,  Pa.,  1859;  organized  the 
"Sisters  of  Protection,"  June.  1859,  at  Brownsville  ;  in 
August,  1859,  organized  the  "Mutual  Aid  Society," 
composed  of  men ;  in  1863,  organized  the  "Brothers 
and  Sisters  of  Love  and  Charity,"  at  Brownsville ; 
was  a  delegate  to  the  national  Grand  Tabernacle,  in 
1863,  at  Philadelphia;  in  1S64,  organized  the  "Faith 
and  Hope  League  of  Equal  Rights,"  at  Brownsville, 
Uniontown,  Washington, Monongahela  City,  Allegheny 
and  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ;  in  1865  was  a  member  of  the  State 
Equal  Rights  League  of  Pennsylvania  and  western 
solicitor,  having  charge  of  twenty-two  counties ;  in 
1865  organized  a  joint  stock  company  and  started  a 
store ;  prepared  the  charter  which  passed  through  the 
Legislature;  in  June,  1865,  organized  Grand  United 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  at  Brownsville,  Pa.  Was  a 
member  of  the  National  Equal  Rights  League,  Syra- 
cuse, N.  Y.,  October  4th,  1865,  Frederick  Douglass, 
president ;  member  of  the  Equal  Rights  Convention, 
Cleveland,  Hon.  J.  M.  Langston,  president ;  secretary 
of  the  National  Convention,  Washington,  D.  C,  De- 
cember, 1866,  Hon.  J.  M.  Langston,  president.  Was 
foreman  of  a  jury,  where  all  were  white,  at  Toledo, 
Ohio,  1872;  also  foreman  of  a  jury  composed  of  all 
colored  men  in  the  spring  of  1872,  at  Toledo ;  was 
chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Resolutions  of  the 
Congressional  Convention  in  1872,  at  Toledo,  repre- 
senting five  counties,  which  nominated  I.  B.  Sher- 
wood. Was  fraternal  delegate  to  the  Miami  Conven- 
tion of  United  Brothers,  August  12th,  1872,  at  Pleas- 
ant Ridge,  Ohio;  in  1874  was  grand  orator  of  the 
Good  Samaritans  and  Daughters  of  Samaria  for  the 
States  of  Ohio  and  Indiana  and  a  life  member  of  the 
same;  he  was  a  member  of  the  Corinthian  Lodge  of 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio ; 
raised  to  the  Sublime  Degree  Master  Mason,  August 
13th,  1875;  was  arched  in  December,  1877,  in  Gustava 
Chapter,  Urbana,  Ohio ;  Knighted  by  the  Taylor  Cmn- 
mandery,  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  1878;  was  Grand  Chap- 
lain Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  the  State  of  Ohio  in  1879; 
was  Grand  Orator  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  1879;  was  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  the  Wise  Men  of  the  World, 
at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  1882,  and  Grand  Lecturer  of  the 
same ;  was  Grand  Lecturer  of  Councils  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Immaculates,  at  Nashville,  1883; 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars, 
1884.  The  Central  Republican  Club,  of  San  Francis- 
co, gave  him  a  farewell  meeting  at  the  "Wigwam," 
October  19th,  1886;  the  Golden  Gate  Lodge,  of  San 
Francisco  and  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  tendered  him  a 
reception,  October,  1886;  was  a  member  of  the  recep- 


tion committee  to  welcome  Hon.  J.  G.  Blaine  to 
Greene  County,  1884:  was  elected  to  the  Ohio  Legis- 
lature to  represent  Greene  County,  1886-87;  was 
author  of  the  bill  abolishing  "Black  Laws"  of  the 
State,  and  to  provide  for  the  teaching  of  scientific  tem- 
perance in  all  the  schools. 

Was  elected  delegate  to  the  Ohio  State  Sunday 
School  Convention,  at  Norwalk,  Ohio,  1878,  and  was 
elected  vice-president  of  the  same ;  was  a  delegate  to 
the  International  Sunday  School  Union,  at  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  1878,  and  at  Toronto,  Canada,  188 1 ;  was  elected 
to  the  Sunday  School  Union  of  Ohio  to  represent 
them  at  Robert  Raike's  Centennial,  London,  England, 
1880 ;  elected  to  represent  the  Inter-Denominational  S. 
S.  Union,  of  South  Carolina,  at  the  AA^orld's  Conven- 
tion, London,  England,  July  2nd,  1889 ;  May  25th, 
1890,  he  responded  to  the  welcome  address  of  Hon. 
James  A.  Beaver,  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  at  the 
International  S.  S.  Convention,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ;  he 
was  elected  and  was  one  of  the  vice-presidents  of  the 
International  Convention  until  1893.   . 

Delivered  the  Annual  Address  before  the  College 
Societies  of  Wilberforce  University,  June  19th,  1877; 
addressed  the  Masons  of  the  District  of  Columbia, 
May,  1866;  also  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  of  the  District 
of  Columbia ;  addressed  the  John  G.  Whittier  Club,  of 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  189S;  delivered  an  address  in  the 
Tabernacle,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  July  4th,  1898;  de- 
livered an  address  before  the  International  Anti- 
Saloon  Convention,  December,  1898,  at  Columbus, 
Ohio ;  addressed  the  Congregational  Social  Club,  of 
Boston,  1899;  delivered  the  Annual  Address  to  the 
graduates  of  the  High  School,  Paris,  Ky.,  May,  1899; 
also  to  the  faculty  and  students  of  the  Georgia  State 
Industrial  School,  Prof.  R.  R.  Wright,  president,  June 
7th,  1899;  delivered  an  address  by  invitation  to  the 
Republican  State  Convention,  of  Denver,  Col.,  Sep- 
tember 28th,  1886.  Was  one  of  the  invited  guests  and 
delivered  several  addresses  at  the  Centennial  Celebra- 
tion of  the  first  settlement  of  the  Northwest  Terri- 
tory, April  7th,  1888,  at  Marietta,  Ohio;  delivered  an 
address  in  the  House  of  Representatives  in  the  State 
of  Georgia,  before  the  Colored  Teachers'  Association. 
December  nth,  1883;  was  a  member  of  the  Centennial 
Conference  of  Methodists  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  Decem- 
ber 24th,  1884,  and  delivered  an  address,  "The  Mission 
of  Methodism  to  the  Extremes  of  Society ;"  delivered 
the  Annual  Address  before  the  students  of  Claflin 
University  and  the  Claflin  College  of  Agriculture  and 
Mechanical  Institute,  May  22nd,  1889,  Orangeburg,  S. 
C. ;  delivered  an  address  at  the  reception  of  the  G.  A. 
R.  in  Chicago,  August,  1900;  also  an  address  on  "The 
Development  of  the  Northwest  Territory,"  in  Music 
Hall,  Chicago,  October  nth,  1899;  has  delivered  ad- 
dresses before  the  International  Christian  Endeavor 
Convention,  at  Montreal,  1893;  Cleveland,  1894;  Bos- 
tpn,  1895;  Washington,  1896;  San  Francisco,  1897; 
Nashville,  1898;  Detroit,  1899;  Cincinnati,  1900;  de- 
livered an  address  at  St.  James'  Hall,  London,  Eng- 
land, Sunday,  September  15th,  1901,  and  at  the  Wes- 
leyan  Church,  Paris,  France. 

He  was  married  May'25th,  1858,  to  Mary  Louisa 
Gordon,  at  Brownsville,  Pa.  Their  union  has  been 
blest  with  the  following  children;  Alonzo  T.  A.,  Ben- 


26 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


S° 


jamin  W.,  Jr.,  Henry  Y.,  Anna  L.,  wife  of  Prof.  Wal- 
ter J.  Mason ;  Alphonso  T.,  Florence  G.,  wife  of  Rev. 
Morrishaw,  of  New  Jersey ;  Daniel  A.  Payne.  Bishop 
Arnett  died  October  7th,  1906,  at  Wilberforce,  while 
presiding  bishop  of  the  First  Episcopal  District. 

Arnett,  Benjamin  W.,  Jr.,  eldest  son  of  Bishop 
B.  W.  Arnett,  was  born  in  Brownsville,  Pennsylvania, 
in  1866,  attended  public  schools  and  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity, from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  degree 
A.B.  in  1886.  He  later  attended  Columbia  University, 
New  York.  For  many  years  he  was  a  teacher,  having 
taught  in  Birmingham,  Ala. ;  at  Campbell  College,  at 
Allen  University,  at  the  Georgia  State  Industrial  Col- 


REV.  B.  W.  ARNETT,  JR.,  A.M.,  D.D. 

lege  and  at  Edward  Waters  College,  where  he  was  at 
one  time  president.  He  was  chaplain  of  a  regiment 
of  United  States  Volunteers  during  the  Spanish- 
American  war.  He  has  served  as  pastor  at  Spring- 
field, 111. ;  Springfield,  O. ;  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  Jamaica, 
N.  Y. ;  Union,  Philadelphia,  and  Bethel,  New  York, 
where  he  built  the  new  edifice,  and  is  at  present  pas- 
tor. He  was  also  presiding  elder  of  the  Springfield 
(Ohio)  and  the  Harrisburg  (Pa.)  Districts,  and  was 
secretary  of  the  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League, 
1900  to  1904.  He  was  twice  married  and  has  one 
daughter.  The  honorary  degrees  A.M.  and  D.D.  have 
been  conferred  upon  him. 

Arnett,    Rev.    Henry    Young,    pastor    of    Ward 

A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia,  is  the  third  son  of  Bishop 

B.  W.  Arnett;  was  born  at  Walnut  Hills,  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  May  26,  1868;  attended  the  primary  schools  of 
Cincinnati,  afterwards  entering  Wilberforce  University 
(Ohio),  pursuing  the  normal  and  scientific  courses, 
graduating  with  the  "Class  of  '89"  with  the  degree  of 
"Bachelor  of  Sciences."  After  completing  a  course  in 
the  Hudson  Business  College  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  he 
began  teaching  school.  He  taught  mathematics  in  the 
Kittrell  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute  (N.  C.)  ; 
taught  pedagogy  and  natural  philosophy  in  Allen  Uni- 
versity (Columbia,  S.  C.)  ;  was  private  secretary  to  the 
president,  and  then  financial  secretary  of  Wilberforce 
University. 


In  State  affairs  he  has  many  times  been  a  delegate  to 
the  Greene  County  Republican  conventions,  and  to 
the  Ohio  State  Republican  conventions;  for  twelve 
years  he  was  an  asst.-sergeant-at-arms  of  the  Republi- 
can national  conventions ;  he  has  served  as  a  railway 
mail  clerk,  and  was  appointed  comparer  of  deeds  for 
the  District  of  Columbia,  by  President  William  Mc- 
Kinley. 

As  a  churchman  he  has  served  as  Sunday  School 
teacher  and  superintendent,  class  leader,  steward,  mis- 
sionary, deacon  and  elder.  For  five  years  he  pastored 
the  Frankford  (Phila.)  Station,  at  the  same  time  pas- 


ifwf  y  u 


REV.  HENRY  YOUNG  ARNETT,  M.S. 

toring  at  Holmesburg  three  of  these  years.  Here  he  re- 
duced the  mortgage  indebtedness.  He  has  just  served 
his  fifth  year  at  Mt.  Pisgah  Church,  one  of  the  most  ac- 
tive churches  in  Philadelphia.  Here  he  has  completely 
renovated  the  church,  making  it  practically  new,  and 
leaves  it  with  all  bills  paid,  no  indebtedness  and  a  com- 
fortable bank  account. 

After  serving  as  a  delegate  to  the  General  Confer- 
ences in  Columbus  and  Chicago  as  a  layman,  just  as 
soon  as  he  was  eligible  he  was  elected  by  the  Philadel- 
phia Conference  to  represent  it  in  Kansas  City,  and  is 
now  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference 
to  meet  in  Philadelphia.  He  is  a  member  and  the  sec- 
retary of  the  Finance  Committee  of  the  Philadelphia 
annual  conference,  and  the  chairman  of  its  special 
committee  to  protect  its  Bishop  from  newspaper  at- 
tacks. For  seven  years  he  has  been  secretary  of  the 
Educational  Congress  and  Literary  Chautauqua  of  the 
First  Episcopal  District. 

He  is  married  and  lives  at  47  North  Ruby  street, 
Phila.,  Pa.  He  served  as  reading  clerk  at  the  Kansas 
City  General'  Conference,  and  is  now  a  member  and 
the  secretary  of  the  General  Conference  Commission 
and  the  sub-commission.  For  several  years  he  was 
secretary  to  the  Historical  Commission  of  the  church. 

Artis,  Mrs.  Mary  Louisiana,  was  born  in  Little 
Rock,  Ark.  She  joined  Shorter  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Denver,  Colorado,  in  1891,  while  Rev.  P.  A.  Hubbard 
was  the  pastor.  Sister  Artis  has  worked  along  all 
lines  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  doing  missionary  work 
out  in  the  far  West,  in  Vancouver  and  Victoria  City  in 
British  Columbia.  For  25  years  she  has  also  worked 
under  the  W-  C.  T.  U.     She  was  consecrated  a  dea- 


27, 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


fc 


coness   in   Mi 
Church,  by  Bi 


lwaukee.   Wis.,   in   St.   Mark     A.  M.  E. 
shop  C.  T.  Shaffer  in  1902.    She  founded 


MRS.  M.  L.  ARTIS. 

Emanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1910  in  Montclair,  New 
Jersey,  where  she  now  resides. 

Ashley,  H.  C,  was  born  July  38th,  1854,  at  Clin- 
ton, Hickman  County,  Kentucky,  and  attended  the 
public  schools  of  the  community.  He  was  converted 
and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  an  early  age.  In 
1879  he  was  admitted  to  the  Kentucky  Annual  Con- 
ference, under  Bishop  Payne,  and  appointed  to  Louis- 
ville.    He  served  here  successfully    and    many    other 


REV.  H.  C.  ASHLEY. 

charges,  among  them  at  Woodland  Mills,  Ky. ;  Mem- 
phis, Tenn. ;  Shelbyville,  Ky. ;  Chattanooga,  Tenn. ; 
Nashville,  Tenn.  He  served  also  in  Alabama,  and  was 
then  transferred  to  New  York  in  1890.  He  served 
Springfield,  Mass.,  three    years,    and    erected  a  new 


church,  at  a  cost  of  $12,000,  paying  $7000  In  1894  he 
was  made  presiding  elder  of  the  Trenton  District  of 
the  New  Jersey  Conference.  He  also  served  the  fol- 
lowing charges  in  the  First  Episcopal  District:  Mace- 
donia, Camden,  N.  J. ;  Trenton,  N.  J. ;  Media,  Pa. ;  Jer- 
sey City,  N.  J. ;  East  Camden,  N.  J. ;  New  Brunswick, 
N.  J.,  and  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  where  he  died,  Decem- 
ber 28th,  1912,  while  serving  the  fourth  year  as  pas- 
tor of  Trinity  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  married  to 
Mrs.  M.  A.  (Burke)  Ashley,  and  they  had  one  child, 
now  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Ashley  Browne,  of  Philadelphia. 

Ashton,  Mrs.  Estella  G.  (Goodwin),  a  graduate  of 
Morris  Brown  University,  class  1907,  dressmaking  and 
normal ;  studied  at  the  McDowell  School  of  Dressmak- 
ing and  Designing,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  a  graduate  of  the 


MRS.  ESTELLA  G.  ASHTON. 

American  College  of  Dressmaking  and  Designing,  Kan- 
sas City,  Mo.,  and  Carnes  School  of  Dressmaking, 
Jacksonville,  Florida.  She  attended  the  Girls  Normal 
School  and  the  W.  Phila.,  Evening  High  School  in 
stenography  and  typewriting,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  She  is 
also  a  skilled  hair  culturess. 

She  was  converted  at  an  early  age,  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Allen  Temple,  Atlanta.  Ga. ;  is  an  excellent  ex- 
ample of  true  womanhood.  She  is  now  a  member  of 
Mount  Pisgah,  Philadelphia  ;  sings  in  the  choir.  She 
is  a  devoted  wife  and  daughter. 

Askew,  Rev.  Tony  Jackson,  son  of  Andrew  Jack- 
son Askew  and  Flora  Adline  Sessomes,  was  born 
March  20,  1868,  at  Harrellsville,  North  Carolina.  He 
is  the  second  son  of  eleven  children.  At  the  age  of 
five  years  he  entered  the  first  school  ever  taught  for 
colored  children  in  his  native  town  after  emancipation. 
He  attended  the  country  schools  about  seven  years, 
three  months  to  the  year;  the  Plymouth  State  Normal 
at  Plymouth,  North  Carolina,  three  years ;  Dickerson 
Seminary  at  Williamsport,  Pennsylvania,  two  and  a 
half  years,  and  the  Western  Theological  Seminary  of 
Allegheny  City,  now  North  Side  Pittsburgh,  two 
years.    The  degree  of  D.D.  was  conferred  by  Morris 


28 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Brown  College.    He  taught  school  in  North  Carolina 
two  years  with  a  first  grade  certificate. 

Converted  in  Scranton  in  1891  under  Rev.  Chas. 
A.  McGee,  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  served 
as  class  leader,  steward,  Sunday  school  superintend- 
ent and  trustee  in  said  church.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  in  1892,  and  joined  the  Conference  in  1894 
at  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  under  Bishop  B.  W.  Ar- 
nett,  D.D.     He  was  ordained  deacon  at  Wilkesbarre, 


REV.  TONY  JACKSON  ASKEW,  D.D. 

1895,  by  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett,  and  ordained  elder  at 
Brownsville,  Pennsylvania,  in  1898  by  Bishop  B.  F. 
Lee,  D.D. 

He  has  filled  the  following  appointments:  Lock 
Haven  and  Jersey  Shore,  Pennsylvania ;  West  Newton 
and  West  Elizabeth,  St.  Paul,  Pittsburgh ;  Bellefonte, 
Williamsport;  St.  Paul,  Hamilton,  Bermuda,  West 
Indies,  served  as  Presiding  Elder  of  the  Conference, 
Huntingdon  and  Everett,  Pennsylvania,  Washington, 
Pennsylvania.  He  is  at  present  Presiding  Elder  of 
the  Pittsburgh  District  of  the  Pittsburgh  Conference. 
He  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $1,000  at  Bellefonte,  $1,400  at 
Williamsport,  $1,500  at  St.  Paul,  Bermuda;  reduc- 
ed the  mortgage  $3,500  at  Washington,  Pennsylvania ; 
built  St.  Paul  Church,  S.  S.  Pittsburgh,  at  a  cost  of 
$10,000,  and  reduced  the  debt  on  same  to  $3,700.  Re- 
ceived into  the  Church  twenty-seven  hundred  and 
forty-eight  people,  baptized  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-two,  married  seven  hundred  and  four. 

He  was  financial  agent  for  Wilberforce  Univers- 
ity one  year,  a  member  of  the  general  conferences  of 
1908  at  Norfolk,  1912  at  Kansas  City,  and  1916  at  Phil- 
adelphia. He  has  been  a  member  of  the  S.  S.  Union 
Board  since  1912,  and  is  a  life  trustee  of  Wilber- 
force University.  In  1912,  at  Kansas  City,  he  was 
voted  for  as  Secretary  of  Education.  On  one  occasion 
he  preached  the  Baccalaureate  Sermon  to  the  High 
School  of  Mt.  Union,  Pennsylvania.  He  has  been  a 
contributor  to  the  Christian  Recorder  and  the  Voice 
of  Missions,  the  Bermuda  Colonist,  and  the  Williams- 
port Gazette-Times. 

In  1894  he  married  Mrs.  Irene  Jane  Askew,  a 
young  lady  of  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania.     Their  one 


child,    Flora   Isabelle,    18  years   old,   was   graduated 
from  the  Pittsburgh  High  School  in  191 5. 

Dr.  Askew  was  Secretary  of  the  Pittsburgh  Con- 
ference for  three  years  and  is  its  present  Treasurer, 
which  office  he  has  held  for  seven  years.  Was  a  mem- 
ber, by  election,  of  the  Fifth  World  International  C. 
E.  Convention,  which  convened  in  Chicago,  111.,  July, 
I9I5- 

Atkinson,  Rev.  Robert  Lee,  son  of  Isham  and  Clara 
Atkinson,  was  born  September  26,  1864,  at  Smithfield, 
N.  C,  and  died  January  2,  1901,  at  Southport,  N.  C. 
His  parents  moved  to  Selma,  N.  C,  in  1868,  where  he 


REV.  ROBERT  LEE  ATKINSON. 

leceived  his  early  training  in  the  public  schools.  His 
parents  being  loyal  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
were  among  the  founders  of  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church 
and  Sunday  School  of  Selma,  N.  C,  and  trained  their 
son  in  the  laws  and  doctrine  of  the  church  of  their 
choice.  He  received  a  normal  school  training  at  Shaw 
University,  Raleigh,  N.  C. ;  was  converted  in  1880  and 
connected  with  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  which  he 
filled  the  following  offices :  steward,  trustee,  class  lead- 
er, cxhorter,  local  preacher  and  Sunday  School  teacher. 
He  was  superintendent  of  St.  John  Sunday  School  from 
1882  to  1892 ;  was  principal  of  Selma  public  school  from 
1886  to  1892,  except  one  year,  when  he  taught  at  Cam- 
den, S.  C.  He  was  Worshipful  Master  of  Rough  Ash- 
ler Lodge  No.  52  of  Selma,  N.  C.  Masonic  Fraternity 
for  several  years. 

His  mother  having  died  in  1883,  he  being  the  oldest 
of  ten  children,  helped  to  support  and  educate  the  other 
members  of  the  family. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  from  St.  John  Church, 
Selma,  N.  C,  in  1887;  joined  the  North  Carolina  Con- 
ference at  Kinston,  N.  C,  in  November,  1892,  under 
Bishop  Gaines,  who  assigned  him  to  the  East  Greens- 
boro Circuit.  He  pastored  successfully  the  following 
charges :  East  Greensboro  Circuit,  Whitsett  Circuit, 
Roxboro  Circuit,  St.  James  Station,  Winston-Salem,  N. 
C,  and  New  Jordon  Circuit. 

He  was  ordained  deacon  and  Elder  by  Bishop  Handy 
in  1893  and  1895  respectively.  In  November,  1900,  he 
was  transferred  from  the  Western  to  the  North  Caro- 


29 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


lina  Conference  by  Bishop  Lee,  who  stationed  him  at  He  was  graduated  from  Kittrell  College,  June,  1900,  and 

Southport,  N.  C,  where,  after  preaching  on  the  last  in  the  same  year  was  elected  principal  of  the  Graded 

night  of  the  old  year,  taking  for  his  theme  "The  Chris-  School  of  Hickory,  North  Carolina, 
tian  Warfare,"  he  departed  this  life  in  the  early  morn-  He  began  his  insurance  career  as  local  agent  in  1900. 

ing  of  January  2,  1901.  He  is  now  the  esteemed  and  efficient  assistant  manager 

Atkinson,  William  C,  one  of  the  Church's  busi- 
ness men,  was  born  in  Black  River,  Georgetown  Co., 
South  Carolina,  December  20,  1856,  being  the  son  of 
Amelia  and  James  Christopher  Atkinson,  the  former 
a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church ;  the  latter  of  the 
M.  E.  Church.  There  were  fifteen  other  children  be- 
sides William. 

He  began  attending  the  rural  school  in  Black 
River  in  1865.  He  only  attended  school  four  years  of 
his  life  but  was  given  some  help  in  acquiring  knowl- 
edge by  a  family  for  whom  he  worked.  He  was  con- 
verted about   1886  and  joined  the  A.  M.   E.   Church. 


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WILLIAM  CHRISTOPHER  ATKINSON 

He  has  held  the  following  offices  in  the  Church: 
Steward,  Trustee,  Class  Leader  and  Treasurer  of 
Steward  Board. 

In  December,  1888,  he  married  a  young  woman 
of  Georgetown,  South  Carolina.  Their  union  was 
blessed  with  nine  children  :  W.  C.  Atkinson,  Jr.,  E. 
W.  Atkinson,  Lena,  Theodore,  Hughes,  Florence, 
Amelia,  Orilla  and  Janie.  One  daughter  is  married. 
Theodore  and  Lena  are  graduates. 

At  an  early  age  Mr.  Atkinson  worked  at  cutting 
timber,  sleeping  under  a  brush  tent  in  the  woods; 
later  he  tried  the  carpenter's  trade,  but  not  liking  it  he 
finally  went  into  the  mercantile  business,  where  he 
has  had  excellent  success. 

He  is  said  to  own  the  leading  green  grocery  busi- 
ness in  Georgetown,  regardless  of  color.  He  owns  a 
home  valued  at  two  thousand  dollars,  two  brick  stores 
in  the  business  section  of  the  city,  and  other  property 
in  the  city  and  county.  Though  a  prosperous  business 
man,  Mr.  Atkinson  says  that  his  chief  work  is  in  and 
for  his  Church. 

Avery,  J.  M.,  the  oldest  of  six  children  was  born 
in  Burke  County,  near  Morganton,  N.  C.,  October  10, 
1876;  his  parents  being  Thomas  and  Elizabeth  Avery. 


•JOHN  MOSES  AVERY 

and  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  North  Caro- 
lina Mutual  and  Provident  Association,  director  of  the 
Loyal  Knights  of  King  David  and  the  People's  Building 
and  Loan  Association,  treasurer  of  Lincoln  Hospital, 
class  leader,  trustee  and  superintendent  of  St.  Joseph  A. 
M.  E.  Sunday  school,  Durham,  N.  C 

Mr.  Avery  was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Confer- 
ence in  1904,  iyoS  and  1916. 

He  is  president  of  the  alumni  of  Kittrell  College, 
and  secretary  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 


REV.   J.   C.   AYLER. 

Ayler,  Junius  Crowley,  was  born  in  Virginia  49 
years  ago.  His  father  was  the  son  of  a  German  wom- 
an and  his  mother  was  of  Negro  and  Indian  blood. 


30 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


O 


His  early  scholastic  and  religious  training  was  given 
by  his  mother.  Junius  found  Christ  when  a  youth,  in 
.  a  "quarter  house,"  on  the  Via  Mead  farm,  Tensas 
Parish,  Louisiana.  He  taught  in  the  public  schools 
of  Virginia  and  read  theology  at  night.  He  served  as 
principal  of  Suffolk  Normal  and  Collegiate  Institute 
one  year.  He  married  Alice  V.  Jackson,  of  Suffolk, 
Virginia,  entered  the  Virginia  Conference  and  was 
ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  John  M.  Brown  and  an 
elder  by  Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne,  who  transferred  him 
to  the  New  Jersey  Conference  at  New  Brunswick.  He 
was  prepared  in  private  for  college  and  entered  the 
seminary  of  the  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church  and  grad- 
uated as  president  of  his  class  in  1886.  While  pastor 
at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  he  read  law  under  Tames  E.  Hayes, 
Esq.,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  New  Jersey  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1894.  He  also  studied  philosophy  for  two 
years  and  received  a  certificate  (not  a  degree),  dated 
February  8,  1893,  signed  by  Prof.  A.  T.  Ormont.  Af- 
terwards Chaddock  College,  Quincy,  111.,  conferred  on 


Pev.  Ayler  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He  was 
then  appointed  pastor  at  New  Haven,  Conn.,  and  he 
matriculated  in  the  senior  class  in  1899  of  Yale  Uni- 
versity Law  School,  took  a  course  of  lectures  under 
Simeon  E.  Baldwin  and  others.  Rev.  Dr.  Ayler  reads 
the  Bible  in  ten  languages  and  speaks  five  of  them. 
See  Dr.  Blyden's  "Islam,  Christianity  and  the  Negro 
Race."  Also  see  the  "African  Abroad,"  by  Wm.  H. 
Ferris,  A.M.  He  has  built  one  church  and  is  building 
another  in  Worcester,  Mass.  He  represented  the  New 
Jersey  Conference  in  the  General  Conference  of  1892, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  He  has  served  his  church  as  presid- 
ing elder  in  the  New  Jersey  and  New  York  confer- 
ences. The  saddest  stroke  of  his  life  was  the  death  of 
his  wife  in  1901.  Mr.  Ayler  is  author  of  a  little  book, 
entitled  "Guide-Lights,"  of  a  pamphlet  known  as  the 
"Constitutional  Rights  of  the  American  Negro,"  and 
of  several  articles  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Review,  including 
one  on  "Elohistic  Names."  He  is  Republican  in  poli- 
tics and  a  Prince  Hall  Master  Mason. 


jARKSDALE,    JAMES     DRAYTON, 

was  born  at  Goldsville,  S.  C,  Oc- 
tober 24,  1862;  was  baptized  in  in- 
fancy in  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
near  Clinton,  S.  C,  and  has  never 
been  a  member  of  any  other  denom- 
ination. He  attended  such  country 
schools  as  were  available  in  the 
early  days  of  his  childhood,  but  having  a  great  yearning 
for  education,  he  left  his  home  at  the  age  of  thirteen 


REV.  JAMES  D.  BARKSDALE,  D.D. 

years,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  more  knowledge.  After 
working  as  a  water  boy  for  two  years  on  the  railroad 
and  saving  his  money,  he  went  to  Columbia,  the  capital 
of  the  State,  where  he  attended  school.  Being  unusually 
apt  and  studious  he  had  advanced  sufficiently  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  years,  to  secure  a  third  grade  teachers'  certi- 
ficate, and  taught  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  coun- 
ty,  (Laurens,  S.  C),  for  two  years.     He  then  went  to 


Anderson,  S.  C,  and  attended  Greeley  Institute  when  not 
teaching.  On  finishing,  he  took  the  teachers'  examination 
at  Edgefield,  S.  C,  and  obtained  a  first-grade  certificate. 
He  intended  to  make  teaching  a  life  profession.  In  1881 
he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  S.  H.  Jefferson,  and 
in  the  early  part  of  1882  was  taken  up  by  the  presiding 
elder  as  a  supply.  He  met  the  Columbia  (S.  C.)  Con- 
ference at  Spartanburg,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  W.  F.  Dick- 
erson  in  1882.  and  was  admitted  on  trial.  He  was  or- 
dained deacon  by  Bishop  Dickerson  at  the  District  Con- 


MRS.  J.  D.  BARKSDALE. 

ference  at  Manning,  S.  C,  May,  1883.  At  the  next  ses- 
sion of  the  Conference  which  met  at  Greenwood,  S.  C, 
December,  1883,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Mother  Con- 
ference (South  Carolina).  In  1884  he  was  ordained  Eld- 
er by  Bishop  James  A.  Shorter,  at  the  session  of  the 
South  Carolina  Conference,  which  met  at  Beaufort.  Be- 
cause of  the  great  success  he  had  while  pastoring  in 
Summerville,  S.  C,  Bishop  Arnett  appointed  him  pastor 
of  "Big  Bethel,"  Georgetown,  S.  C.    After  three  years' 


31 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


S 


pastorate  at  this  church,  with  great  success,  he  was  sent 
to  Goodwin  Circuit  by  Bishop  Salter,  and  served  one  and 
a  half  years,  when  Bishop  Turner  transferred  him  to  De- 
troit, Michigan,  and  assigned  him  to  Bethel.  After  spend- 
ing four  years  in  the  Michigan  Conference,  Bishop  Ar- 
nett  transferred  him  to  the  Indiana  Conference,  and  as- 
signed him  to  Richmond.  From  this  charge,  after  one 
year,  he  was  sent  to  Evansville,  Ind.,  and  served  two 
years,  when  Bishop  Grant  transferred  him  to  the  Mis- 
souri Conference,  where  he  spent  less  than  a  year,  when 
Bishop  Shaffer  transferred  him  to  the  Colorado  Confer- 
ence, but  after  two  years  was  sent  back  to  the  Missouri 
Conference.  Rev.  Barksdale  has  always  been  a  close  stu- 
dent of  books,  giving  attention  to  language  and  science. 
He  has  a  knowledge  of  Hebrew,  Greek  and  Latin,  but  is 
especially  well  informed  in  astronomy  and  mathe- 
matics. Perhaps  few  average  ministers  have  so  good  a 
knowledge  of  these  sciences  as  he  has,  especially  in 
astronomy.  As  a  preacher  he  is  rather  quiet ;  never 
noisy  or  boisterous,  but  is  most  rigid  in  his  reasoning. 
As  a  newspaper  writer  he  has  received  many  high  com- 
pliments from  men  of  letters.  He  has  written  papers 
on  scientific  and  theological  subjects.  At  present  he  is 
Presiding  Elder  in  the  Missouri  Conference  and  has 
been  for  eleven  consecutive  years,  save  one.  He  is  a 
man  of  modesty  and  fairness  in  dealing  with  men.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Centennial  General  Conference. 

Barnes,  Mrs.  Mattie  Gaston,  wife  of  R.  B.  Barnes, 
M.D.,  of  Cleburne,  Texas,  was  born  December  9,  1866, 
on  the  plantation  of  Hon.  Win.  Oxshire,  on  Little  Riv- 


MRS.  MATTIE  GASTON  BARNES 

er,  a  tributary  of  Big  Brazos,  near  Cameron,  Tex.  Her 
parents,  Nathan  and  Elizabeth  Gaston,  although  without 
school  advantages,  were  intelligent  and  gave  their 
daughter  her  first  training.  There  being  no  school  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Gaston  residence,  Mat- 
tie  was  sent  to  school  at  Port  Sullivan,  but  her  stay 
was  short.  She  was  next  taught  by  Mr.  John  E. 
Conner  and  wife  until  she  entered  Prairie  View 
Normal  School,  Texas,  in  1881,  where  her  stay 
was  attended  by  many  hardships  and  discouragements, 


owing  to  the  work  she  had  to  do  on  her  father's 
farm.  She  remained  part  of  two  terms.  After  leaving 
Prairie  View,  she  taught  private  school.  While  engaged 
in  this  work  she  met  Dr.  Barnes,  who  was  then  the  prin- 
cipal of  the  city  school  at  Rockdale,  Texas,  at  a  moon- 
light picnic  in  1886,  and  they  were  married  in  1887,  and 
taught  together  in  the  Nunn  community.  They  have  one 
daughter,  Antionette,  now  Mrs.  Baker,  of  Ft.  Worth. 
They  have  also  an  adopted  daughter,  Rosa  Douglass,  who 
has  lived  with  them  twenty-three  years.  In  1889  Prof. 
Barnes  was  elected  principal  of  the  Gainesville  city  school, 
and  in  1893,  Mrs.  Barnes  became  one  of  the  assistants  in 
the  school.  She  also  taught  two  months  at  Coesfield.  She 
finished  a  course  in  kindergarten  work  at  the  Kansas 
State  Normal  Emporia,  Kans.,  in  1894,  being  the  only 
colored  member  of  her  class. 

She  received  a  diploma  in  millinery  from  Madame 
Jordan's  school  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  took  a  course  in 
hair  manufacturing  at  the  Reynold  School,  Chicago,  111., 
receiving  a  diploma  in  1909. 

After  Dr.  Barnes  took  his  medical  degree,  the  family 
moved  to  Cleburne,  Tex.,  in  1900,  and  Mrs.  Barnes  be- 
came active  in  fraternal  circles,  having  prior  to  this 
joined  in  Gainesville,  the  Court  of  Calanthe,  the  ladies' 
department  of  the  K.  of  P.  Order.  In  1902  she  was  made 
deputy ;  in  1904  was  elected  president  of  the  Endow- 
ment Board,  which  position  she  has  filled  with  credit 
for  twelve  years. 

Mrs.  Barnes  has  at  all  times  placed  in  the  front  rank 
of  her  activities  the  work  of  the  Master.  Having  been 
started  along  the  right  path  by  a  Christian  mother  and 
father,  she  was,  when  a  very  small  child,  taken  into  the 
church  and  baptized  by  the  Rev.  Wilhite.  She  joined 
Coxe's  Providence  A.  M.  E.  Church  on  probation,  under 
the  Rev.  John  Conner,  and  was  carefully  watched  over  by 
Uncle  Ben  Williams  until  she  was  made  a  full  member. 
She  attended  Sunday  school  conventions  and  camp  meet- 
ings where  she  met  many  prominent  African  Methodists, 
such  as  Bishops  Grant  and  Cain  and  Prof.  Kealing.  She 
has  served  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  at  Cle- 
burne since  1 902,  and  has  shown  great  interest  in  foreign 
missions. 


REV.  JOSEPH  B.  BATTLE. 

Battle,  Rev.  Joseph  Bunyan,  was  born  in  Barbour 
County,  Ala.,  March  22,  1875,  the  son  of  Rev.  Eugene 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<s° 


and  Mrs.  Queen  Battle.  His  father  is  a  minister  of  the 
M.  B.  Church,  and  lives  in  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  where 
Joseph  was  brought  up  from  about  twelve  years  old. 
He  attended  Tuskegee  Institute,  Ala.,  and  Paine  Col- 
lege, Augusta,  Ga.  He  entered  the  ministry  in  the  year 
1898,  during  which  year  he  was  assigned  to  serve  at 
Charlestown,  Ark.,  on  the  Charlestown  Circuit.  He 
has  been  a  successful  pastor  and  evangelist.  He  can- 
not answer  all  the  calls  to  conduct  revivals.  He  is 
sometimes  called  the  "Lord's  Battle  Axe."  He  has  been 
elected  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence from  the  Northwest  Mississippi  Conference.  He 
now  pastors  Jonestown  Station,  the  seat  of  the  first 
session  of  that  Conference. 

Baxter,  Daniel  M.,  one  of  the  six  children  of 
Aaron  and  Mary  Webb  Baxter,  both  of  whom  were  mem- 
bers of  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  October  2,  1872,  at 
Charleston,  S.  C.  His  father  died  when  he  was  seven 
years  of  age,  and  his  mother  when  he  was  twelve.  He 
began  school  at  the  age  of  seven  years,  and  attended 
about  eighteen  years,  attending  principally  the  Si- 
monton  School,  Charleston;  private  preparatory 
school  in  New  York.  He  graduated  from  public  schools 
of  native  city  and  College  Preparatory  of  New  York  and 
the  theological  department  of  Howard  University.     Con- 


REV.  DANIEL  MINORT  BAXTER 

verted  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  joined  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  under  Rev.  (Bishop)  W.  H.  Heard.  He  served 
as  steward,  trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher, 
Sunday  school  teacher,  chorister,  president  of  Allen 
League.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  at  Washington,  D. 
C,  in  1903,  by  Dr.  D.  P.  Seaton. 

Was  ordained  deacon  in  1905  at  High  Springs,  Fla., 
by  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner ;  was  ordained  Elder  in  1906  at 
St.  Petersburg,  Fla.,  by  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner.  Joined  An- 
nual Conference  in  1905,  at  High  Springs,  Fla.,  under 
Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner. 

Has  held  the  following  appointments :  Bracksville, 
Fla.,  1905-1907;  Ocala,  Fla.,  1907-1910;  Mt.  Zion,  Jack- 
sonville, Fla.,  1910-1915;  Presiding  Elder,  North  Jack- 
sonville District,  191 5  to  date.  He  renovated  church  and 
parsonage  at  Ocala,  Fla.,  at  a  cost  of  $2000;  made  addi- 
tion and  purchased  land  at  Brooksville  at  a  cost  of  $800; 


completed  Mt.  Zion  Church  at  Jacksonville  at  a  cost  of 
$4000;  lifted  mortgages  on  Macedonia  at  Brooksville,  to 
the  amount  of  $300;  Mt.  Zion  at  Jacksonville  to  the 
amount  of  $1054.39.  He  has  taken  2010  people  into 
the  church  and  baptized  520  persons. 

Was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  at  Kansas 
City,  Mo.,  in  1912,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Centennial 
General  Conference  of  1916.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Allen  League  for  191 2-16. 

Received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Edward  Waters 
College,  and  is  treasurer  of  the  same ;  a  member  of  the 
Commission  to  Union  Bishops'  Council,  Washington, 

D.  C.  Married  in  1891  Miss  Laura  Anna  Alston,  of 
Charleston,  S.  C.  They  have  two  children,  Miss  Mae  E. 
Baxter,  19  years  of  age,  graduate  of  Edward  Waters 
College  in  1914,  and  now  a  sophomore  at  Oberlin  College, 
and  Miss  Irene  C.  Baxter,  16  years  of  age,  third  year  at 
Edward  Waters  College.  He  has  contributed  to  Times 
Union,  Florida  Metropolis,  Christian  Recorder,  A.  M.  E. 
Review,  and  other  periodicals,  and  has  written  the  fol- 
lowing pamphlets,  "Has  the  United  States  in  it  the  Ele- 
ments of  Permanency,"  "Christian  Tradition  and  Heath- 
en Mythology." 

The  principal  addresses  made  were:  Emancipation 
Address,  1912;  Baccalaureate  Sermon,  Fessenden  Acad- 
emy ;  Commencement  Address  to  class  of  1907,  Edward 
Waters  College ;  Religious  Societies,  F.  and  A.  M.  He 
is  connected  with  F.  and  A.  M.  Progressive  Order  of 
Men  and  Women,  Good  Templars,  and  has  been  treasurer 
of  Masonic  Benefit  Association ;  Grand  National  Secre- 
tary Progressive  Order  of  Men  and  Women ;  director  of 
Masonic  Temple ;  is  a  Republican,  and  owns  several 
pieces  of  real  estate. 

Beaman,  Geo.  W.,  was  born  at  Pickens,  Miss.,  No- 
vember 10,  1867,  one  of  the  twelve  children  of  George  W. 
and  Elizabeth  Beaman. 

Dr.  Beaman  was  converted  in  the  year  1882,  was 
licensed  to  preach  at  midnight  on  June  26,  1886,  by  Rev. 
Albert  Jackson,  D.D.,  of  Friar's  Point,  Mississippi.  Was 
ordained  deacon  in  Grenada,  Miss.,  at  the  court  house 
January,  1888,  by  Bishop  H.  W.  Warren  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  having  gone  to  the  said  church  to  take  advantage 
of  her  educational  facilities.  He  was  ordained  Elder  in 
1892  at  Crystal  Springs,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  Andrews. 

He  began  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Pick- 
ens, Miss.,  when  a  boy.  He  also  had  private  tutors. 
After  finishing  the  common  school  he  taught  public 
schools  in  Holmes,  Hinds,  Pike,  Pearl  River  and 
Nessha  counties,  in  Mississippi,  after  which  he 
gave  himself  solely  to  the  ministry.  He  built 
two  churches  at  Bee  Lake,  Miss.,  his  first  pastorate, 
and  organized  several  others  the  same  year,  prior  to  his 
ordination.  He  also  pastored  successfully  at  Anding  and 
Vally,  Howard  Station,  Mt.  Olive  at  Yazoo  City,  Dixon 
Circuit,  Miss.,  going  from  this  charge  to  New  Orleans 
University.  He  advanced  rapidly  through  the  college  pre- 
paratory course,  when  his  means  were  too  meagre  for  him 
to  longer  attend.  He  took  his  course  in  theology  at  Gam- 
mon Theological  Seminary,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  finishing  within 
two  years,  having  taken  one  year  at  New  Orleans  Univer- 
sity. He  then  pastored  Laurel  St.  Church  in  Springfield, 
111. ;  Pittsfield  and  Jacksonville,  III,  and  Ft.  Madison,  la. 
From  thence  he  was  sent  to  Quincy,  111.,  to  Bethel  A.  M. 

E.  Church,  a  most  beautiful  structure,  a  large  commo- 
dious building  commanding  respect  with  a  very  large  au- 
dience ;  from  thence  to  East  St.  Louis,  here  he  bought  a 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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nice  house  from  the  Presbyterians  and  soon  built  up  a 
large  congregation  next  to  Ouinn  Chapel,  South  St. 
Louis,  Mo.  Here  he  paid  a  very  annoying  debt  and  soon 
had  things  moving  on  toward  victory. 

He  next  transferred  to  the  Arkansas  Conference,  and 
was  appointed  by  Bishop  Derrick  to  Antioch  Station. 
Here  he  built  a  splendid  house  of  worship  and  had  a  great 
revival,  paying  the  church  out  of  debt  the  same  year,  and 
reporting  the  largest  dollar  money  fund  ever  carried  to 
Conference  from  this  point.  He  also  pastored  South  Hot 
Springs,  Okalana  Station,  Brown  Memorial  of  Little 
Rock.  This  church  had  the  most  successful  three  years 
during  his  administration,  and  was   a  leading  spirit  in 


REV.  GEORGE  W.  BEAMAN,  D.D. 

securing  a  home  for  the  "Old  Folks"  of  this  community; 
also  organized  the  "Young  People's  Interdenominational 
LTnion."  He  was  also  elected  one  of  the  secretaries  of  the 
Arkansas  Conference,  and  an  alternate  delegate  to  the 
General  Conference  at  Chicago  in  1904.  By  reason  of  the 
removal  of  one  delegate  at  the  General  Conference,  he 
was  seated  as  a  member  of  that  body.  Baxter,  Cotton 
Plant  and  Derrick  Chapel  of  Helena,  Ark.,  prospered 
under  his  pastorate.  Bishop  Lee  wanted  a  man  for  Eliza- 
bethtown,  Kv.,  and  to  Embry  Chapel  he  was  sent  and  suc- 
ceeded handsomely.  Many  were  added  to  the  church  and 
it  paid  out  of  debt.  He  added  more  than  one  hundred 
souls  to  the  church  in  Harrodsburg,  Ky. ;  the  church  was 
much  revived  and  paid  out  of  debt.  He  was  also  dean  of 
theology  at  Wayman  Institute.  He  kept  the  school  on  the 
map.  The  last  year  of  Bishop  Shaffer's  administration 
in  Kentucky,  when  all  the  leading  men  in  the  two  Confer- 
ences had  decided  that  it  was  too  hard  for  the  few  to 
carry  the  school,  he  pleaded  for  its  continuation,  and  it  is 
still  operating.  More  than  150  persons  joined  the  church 
in  Richmond,  his  next  charge.  This  church  was  revived 
and  much  paid  on  its  bonded  debt.  While  here  he  took 
special  interest  in  the  temperance  movement,  making 
speeches  throughout  the  State.  He  took  much  interest  in 
the  educational  advancement  of  our  people  in  Jellico. 
Many  white  people  joined  his  church  there.  His  parents 
having  grown  aged  and  infirmed,  asked  him  to  come 
South  and  take  care  of  them,  so  he  transferred  to  the 
North  Louisiana  Conference,  was  stationed  at  Minden, 


then  Shreveport  (Staner  Hill,  Second  Church),  and  Ray- 
ville,  La.  Success  attended  his  efforts  in  these  charges. 
He  preached  the  annual  sermon  to  the  North  Louisiana 
Conference,  December,  1914,  and  immediately  Bishop 
Conner  sent  him  to  St.  Matthew,  Greenville,  Miss.  He 
spent  one  year  here  and  was  sent  to  Shaw,  Miss.,  where 
he  is  now  doing  good  work. 

His  wife  was  Miss  Alberta  Drew,  of  Lake  Provi- 
dence, La.,  who  was  born  in  Greenville,  Miss.,  April, 
1890.  He  has  three  children,  William,  Rosale  and  Tyrus 
Walls  Beaman. 

The  degree  of  D.D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
Campbell  College  in  1914.  He  preached  the  Baccalaure- 
ate sermon  at  Southern  University,  Helena,  Ark.,  in  1906, 
and  the  Thanksgiving  sermon  at  Alcorn  College,  Miss, 
has  made  many  speeches  and  addresses,  among  them  one 
with  Newman  in  Artillery  Hall,  New  Orleans,  1891,  at 
Alcorn  College,  1915.  He  is  a  splendid  speaker  and  hard 
worker. 

Beard,  Jesse  E.,  was  born  March  2,  1873,  on  a 
farm  near  Guyton,  Effingham  Co.,  Ga.,  where  his 
mother  had  been  a  slave.  The  youngest  child  of  four 
girls  and  five  boys,  being  without  the  care  of  a  father, 
he  was  soon  doing  such  work  as  he  could  do  on  the 
farm  until  eleven  years  of  age,  when  his  mother  mov- 
ed to  the  town  of  Guyton.  He  attended  the  city 
school,  working  odd  hours  every  day,  which  he  did 
throughout  his  school  life.  When  the  State  College 
of  Georgia  was  established,  Elder  W.  O.  P.  Sherman 


REV.  JESSE  ELIJAH  BEARD,  D.D. 

encouraged  him  to  attend,  and  so  he  was  one  of  the 
first  ten  young  men  enrolled.  After  three  years  here, 
he  took  a  three-year  course  at  Tuskegee  Bible  School. 
He  next  attended  Gammon  Theological  Seminary. 
He  also  took  a  course  in  optics  in  the  South  Bend  Col- 
lege of  Optics. 

He  was  converted  at  fourteen  years.  Having  al- 
ways loved  the  Church  and  Sunday  School,  he  early 
felt  called  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  received 
exhorter's  license  at  the  hands  of  Elder  W.  O.  P.  Sher- 
man at  seventeen  years  of  age,  receiving  local  license 
six  months  later.  "  He  joined  the  Conference  under 


34 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


Bishop  A.  Grant  at  Quitman,  Ga.,  1894,  later  transfer- 
ring to  the  then  North  Georgia  Conference  to  attend 
school  in  Atlanta.  Before  entering  the  ministry  he 
worked  on  the  farm,  drove  teams,  worked  at  the  tin 
tiade  and  taught  school.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in 
1896  at  Cedartown,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner;  or- 
dained Elder  at  Georgetown,  S.  C,  by  Bishop  A. 
Grant,  in  1898.  He  served  the  following  appoint- 
ments: Emma  Lane  Mission  (Emanuel  Co.,  Ga.), 
Moncks  Corner  Ct.,  Kingstree  Ct.,  Beaufort,  Francis 
Brown  (Charleston),  Prosperity  (where  the  new  par- 
sonage was  destroyed  by  fire,  he  losing  all  his  effects), 
Clinton,  Cokesbury,  Greenwood  (where  he  built  a  fine 
brick  church,  leaving  a  debt  of  only  $5,000),  Bethel 
(Georgetown),  where  in  one  rally  his  people  raised 
nearly  $4,000.     Here  he  served  five  years. 

Rev.  Beard  taught  in  the  Theological  Department 
of  Allen  University  five  years,  being  three  years  dean 
of  the  department  in  connection  with  his  pastorate. 
He  has  been  instrumental  in  bringing  many  people 
into  the  Church.  It  has  been  his  lot  to  pay  off  debts 
rather  than  to  make  them  for  others  to  pay.  He 
attributes  much  of  his  success  to  the  tireless  energy, 
faithful  prayers  and  loving  devotion  of  a  sainted 
mother. 

He  was  married  in  1897,  April  28,  to  Miss  Leon- 
ora F.  Richmond,  of  Charleston.  To  them  have  been 
born  Ruth  Ellen,  •Elbert  Hooper  and  Samuel  Adiel. 
At  the  age  of  ten  years  and  seven  months,  1909,  Aug- 
ust 31,  Ruth  departed  for  the  rest  beyond  "Death's 
Sea.'' 

Some  years  ago,  having  been  invited  to  deliver 
the  Annual  Address  at  Morris  Brown  College  and  the 
address  before  the  religious  societies  of  Wilberforce 
University,  unsought,  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divin- 
ity was  conferred  upon  him  by  each  of  said  institu- 
tions. 

He  has  re-published  the  minutes  of  the  first  Con- 
ferences held  in  South  Carolina,  comprising  the  Con- 
ferences of  1865,  1866  and  1867. 

Seeing  the  great  need  of  such  a  work,  he  has  in 
course  of  preparation  a  Biographical  History  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  ministry  in  South  Carolina. 

Beck,  Joseph  Brown,  principal  Howard  School, 
Georgetown,  S.  C,  eldest  of  eight  children  of  El- 
bert and  Mary  Beck.  Was  born  in  Abbeville  Coun- 
ty, South  Carolina,  in  the  70's.  The  remains  of 
his  sainted  mother  now  rest  under  the  trees  of  Spring 
Grove,  in  Abbeville.  His  father  still  lives,  known  and 
respected  throughout  his  section  as  a  preacher  of 
holiness  and  an  honest,  Christian  gentleman.  Abram 
Brown,  his  maternal  grandfather,  was  a  pioneer  in  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  in  the  upper  part  of  South  Carolina, 
the  founder  of  Brown  Church,  on  the  Calhoun  Falls 
Circuit,  in  Abbeville  County.  In  an  autobiography 
he  said  that  after  some  trouble  between  the  white  and 
colored  worshipers  of  one  Salem  church  (white),  in 
that  settlement,  where  the  Negroes  used  to  occupy  the 
rear  seats,  it  was  decided  that  the  colored  people 
would  have  to  leave,  for  they  were  too  zealous  in 
their  worship.  A  white  man,  Sugar  Johnson,  encour- 
aged them  to  build  a  church  of  their  own.  He  says : 
"Sugar  Johnson  gave  me  the  ground.  I  stepped  the 
ground  and  Johnson  carried  the  stakes ;  and  he  told 
me  that  he  would  make  to  me  a  deeded  gift  of  that 
land — two  acres — on  which  to  erect  a  church."  Brown 
built  an  arbor  here  and  called  it  "Brown  Oh !"  their 


first  building.  He  also  founded  Diamond  Hill  Church, 
near  Lowndesville,  S.  C,  in  much  the  same  way. 

Joseph  B.  Beck  pursued  his  studies  in  the  city 
schools.  His  last  teacher,  Miss  Nannie  A.  Wardlaw, 
a  college  graduate  of  Claflin  University,  urged  him  to 
go  to  college.  Anxious  to  go  to  college  he  passed  suc- 
cessfully the  examination  for  teacher's  certificate,  and 
taught  his  first  school,  "The  Poor  House,"  being  lo- 


PROF.  JOSEPH  B.  BECK. 

cated  near  the  county  almshouse.  He  entered  Allen 
University,  Columbia,  S.  C,  in  the  fall  of  1889.  Among 
the  students  at  that  time  were  A.  J.  Wilson,  W.  A. 
Fountain,  S.  Simmons  and  A.  E.  Peets,  all  now  being 
leading  African  Methodist  ministers,  and  D.  J.  Jordan, 
C.  G.  Garrett,  E.  N.  Metts,  leaders  in  the  educational 
field.  He  finished  in  the  Class  of  '91,  as  first  honor 
man,  and  entered  at  once  upon  his  career  as  a  teacher. 
In  the  years  1900  and  1901,  the  State  Board  of  Educa- 
tion of  South  Carolina  decided  to  submit  the  leading 
Negro  educators  of  the  state  to  a  rigid  literary  test 
in  order  to  ascertain  their  fitness.  A  summer  normal 
was  accordingly  planned  and  held  in  the  city  of  Co- 
lumbia, for  Negro  teachers,  conducted  by  a  faculty 
of  the  ablest  white  teachers  in  the  state.  Professor 
Beck  attended  these  test  normals  and  enjoyed  the 
courses.  At  the  close  of  these  two  years  of  work  the 
teachers  attending  were  classified  as  "Excellent,  good, 
fair  or  poor,"  and  Professor  Beck  was  classed  "Excel- 
lent." Since  then  he  has  conducted  summer  schools 
for  teachers  in  Richland,  Greenville,  Beaufort,  Green- 
wood, Abbeville  and  Williamsburg  Counties.  He  was 
also  a  member  of  the  faculty  of  the  first  state  normal 
conducted  by  Negro  teachers  in  South  Carolina.  He 
attended  the  National  Educational  Associations  at 
Hampton,  Asheville  and  St.  Louis.  At  the  St.  Louis 
meeting,  191 1,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  execu- 
tive committee  of  that  body. 

He  successfully  passed  the  United  States  Civil 
Service  examination  for  clerk-copyist  (first  grade), 
and  was  offered,  June  5th,  1907,  an  appointment  at 
Pensacola,  Fla.  Again,  in  July,  he  was  appointed  by 
the  government  to  a  position  in  New  York,  and  the 
following  September  was  again  certified  for  appoint- 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


ment  in  East  St.  Louis,  111.  But  as  he  was  preparing 
to  leave  for  East  St.  Louis,  the  trustees'of  the  George- 
town city  schools,  in  a  called  meeting,  raised  his  salary 
and  prevailed  upon  him  to  remain  at  the  head  of  the 
schools  here.  He  yielded  to  their  proposal,  feeling 
that  he  could  do  more  good  for  his  people  as  a  teacher 
than  he  could  in  the  government  service.  He  is  still  in 
charge  of  this,  the  Howard  school,  which  has  nearly  a 
thousand  children  enrolled. 

Prof.  Beck  joined  the  St.  James  A.  M.  E.  Church 
at  Abbeville,  S.  C,  at  the  age  of  twelve  years.  He  was 
converted  and  received  into  the  church  in  the  year 
under  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.   C.   C.   Dunlap. 


He  was  superintendent  of  the  St.  James  S.  S.,  and 
secretary  of  the  official  board  of  the  church  for  some 
years;  also  district  superintendent  of  the  Abbeville 
district;  supervising  and  militant  secretary  of  the 
"Blue  Army,"  one  of  the  divisions  into  which  Bethel 
Church,  of  Georgetown,  was  divided  in  the  $3650 
rally  under  Dr.  J.  E.  Beard,  and  is  now  a  member  of 
the  trustee  board  of  Bethel  and  a  teacher  in  the  Sun- 
day school. 

Some  years  ago  he  purchased  for  his  parents  a 
few  acres  of  land  on  which  they  were  enabled  to  spend 
the  declining  years  of  their  life  in  comfort.  In  1901 
he  married  Miss  E.  M.  Dunmore,  the  beautiful  and 
accomplished  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  Dun- 
more,  of  Georgetown,  S.  C,  and  they  have  three  prom- 
ising boys,  Joseph,  Cornelius  and  Roswell. 

Beckett,  Jabez  Campbell,  oldest  son  of  John  Wes- 
ley and  Catherine  Stella  Beckett  and  the  grandson  of 
Bishop  Jabez  P.  Campbell,  was  born  October  14,  1877, 
at  Hagerstown,  Md.  Both  of  his  parents  were  mem- 
bers of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  one  of  nine 
children.     He  entered   school  at  the  age  of  6  years 


and  spent 
from  the 
sity  of  Pe 
ary.  He 
School,  B. 
B.D.  from 
converted 


REV.  J.  C.  BECKETT,  S.T.B. 

twenty  or  more  years  in  school,  graduating 
Central  High  School,  Philadelphia,  LTniver- 
nnsylvania  and  Reformed  Episcopal  Semin- 
received  the  degree  of  A.B.  from  the  High 
S.  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  and 
the  Reformed  Episcopal  Seminary.  He  was 
in  1889  and  joined  Union  Church,  Philadel- 


phia. He  has  been  class  leader,  exhorter,  local 
preacher,  Sunday  School  teacher  and  superintendent 
and  president  of  Allen  C.  E.  League. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  July  15,  1907,  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  by  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett;  ordained 
deacon  June  15,  1908,  at  Carlisle,  Pa.,  by  Bishop  W. 
J.  Gaines ;  ordained  Elder  May  16,  1909,  at  Milford, 
Del.,  by  Bishop  Gaines;  joined  the  Annual  Conference 
in  1908  at  Carlisle,  under  Bishop  Gaines. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments :  Disney, 
Philadelphia,  1908;  Morris  Brown,  1909-1910;  Camp- 
bell Church,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  191 1,  to  date.  He 
has  taken  150  people  into  the  church;  baptized  70  and 
married  33.  He  is  a  delegate  to  the  General  Confer- 
ence of  1916.  In  1903  he  married  Miss  Sidney  Clifton, 
of  Atlanta,  Ga.  They  have  five  children,  Mary  C„ 
age  11;  Florida  G.,  age  9;  John  C,  age  7;  Chas.  C, 
age  4  and  Francis  J.,  age  1. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  contributed  to  the 
Christian  Recorder  and  has  acted  as  private  secretary 
to  Bishops  Grant,  Gaines  and  Tyree.  He  has  been 
associated  with  the  Frederick  Douglass  Memorial 
Hospital  of  Philadelphia.  He  is  a  modest  but  forceful 
character. 

Beckett,  John  Wesley,  was  born  in  Georgetown 
(West  Washington),  D.  C,  May  28,  1848.  Received 
bis  schooling  in  this  community,  ^also  attended  Wil- 
berforce  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated. 
Rev.  Beckett  was  known  as  the  sweetest  singer  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  produced  and  thousands  were  brought 
to  salvation  through  the  songs  he  sang.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  J.  T.  Jenifer,  July  13,  1869, 
at  Wilberforce  Lhiiversity,  Ohio,  and  sent  as  assistant 
supply  to   Lebanon  Circuit,  April   13,   1870.     He  was 


REV.  JOHN  WESLEY  BECKETT. 

admitted  to  the  Ohio  Conference  by  Bishop  D.  A. 
Payne  at  Toledo,  Ohio,  May,  1870;  ordained  deacon 
by  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne,  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  April  25, 
1S72;  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne,  Zanes- 
ville,  Ohio,  May  22,  1873.  He  held  the  following  ap- 
pointments: Lebanon  Ct,  Ohio  Conf.,  1870-1872;  in 
September,  1872,  he  was  appointed  by  Council  of  Bish- 
ops as  endowment  agent  of  Wilberforce  to  succeed 
Rev.  Henry  J.  Young;  resigned  as  agent  June,  1873, 


3d 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


&° 


and  was  appointed  as  supply  to  Mt.  Pisgah,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  then  held  Greenville,-  S.  C,  1874 ;  Winns- 
boro,  S.  C,  1875;  Hagerstown,  Md.,  1876-77;  Bethel, 
Baltimore,  Md.,  1878-80.  He  served  also  the  follow- 
ing churches  in  the  order  named:  Union,  Phila.,  Pa.; 
Wilmington,  Del.;  Bethel,  Phila.,  Pa.;  Union,  Phila., 
Pa.;  Metropolitan,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Bethel,  Balti- 
more, Md. ;  Trinity,  Baltimore,  Md. ;  Payne,  Baltimore, 
Md.  In  1876  married  Catherine  Campbell,  daughter 
of  the  late  Bishop  Jabez  Pitt  Campbell.  She  died  in 
1888.  As  a  result  of  this  union  eight  children  were 
born,  five  of  whom  are  living  at  the  present  time:  Ja- 
bez Campb.ell  Beckett,  a  member  of  the  Phila.  Annual 
Conference ;  Mary  Stella  Beckett,  a  teacher  in  the 
schools  of  Phila. ;  William  H.  J.  Beckett,  secretary  of 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  in  Washington,  D*  C. ;  Mrs.  Katherine  B. 
Anderson,  and  Elvira  F.  Beckett,  a  graduate  nurse. 
In  1890  he  was  married  again  to  Mary  S.  Chase,  of 
Holmesburg,  Pa.  Two  sons  were  born  to  them,  Wal- 
ter Chase  Beckett,  now  an  undertaker  in  Germantown, 
Pa.,  and  Handy  Beckett,  a  student  in  Tuskegee  Insti- 
tute. Rev.  Beckett  was  a  familiar  figure  at  Christian 
Endeavor  conventions  and  swept  audiences  by  song. 
He  died  in  Philadelphia,  May,  1906.  In  1893  Rev. 
Beckett  paid  the  mortgage  on  Bethel,  Baltimore,  which 
had  stood  for  48  years,  since  Bishop  Payne  was  its 
pastor. 

Beckett,  Mrs.  Mary  S.  C,  widow  of  Rev.  John  W. 
Beckett,  D.D.,  (the  sweet  singer),  and  daughter  of 
Elias  and  Malvina  S.  Chase,  was  born  in  Holmesburg, 
Philadelphia  County,  Pa.  She  begain  her  local  mis- 
sionary work  under  the  direction  of  her  mother  and 
her  aunt,   Miss   C.   E.   A.  James,   who   would   once  a 


MRS.  MARY  S.  C.  BECKETT 

week  visit  the  sick  and  shut-ins,  carrying  fruit,  jellies, 
etc.,  reading  passages  of  scripture  and  singing  songs 
of  cheer. 

Moving  to  Frankford,  Pa.,  where  there  are  better 
school  facilities,  she  graduated  from  the  Wilmot  Pub- 
lic School  and  entered  Robert  Vaux  School,  12th  and 
Wood  streets,  under  the  principalship  of  Prof.  Jacob 
C.  White.    She  next  entered  the  High  School. 

She  married  the  Rev.  John  W.  Beckett,  D.D.,  then 
pastor  of  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Washington, 


D.  C.  It  was  then  that  her  public  missionary  career 
began.  She  was  president  of  the  auxiliary  and  made 
a  creditable  financial  showing  of  missionary  funds. 
Removing  to  Bethel  Church,  Baltimore,  1893,  she 
again  resumed  missionary  work — her  auxiliary  report- 
ing one  hundred  dollars,  this  being  the  first  auxiliary 
in  the  connection  to  make  so  large  a  report  in  mite 
missionary  work.  Going  to  Trinity  Church,  in  the 
same  city,  she  was  again  elected  president  of  the  aux- 
iliary and  the  loyal  and  faithful  woman,  astonished 
the  Connection's  Mite  Missionary  Society  by  a  total 
of  $1,546.38  in  five  years  as  follows:  1898-1899,  $100; 
1899-1900,  $125;  1900-1901,  $220,  1901-1902,  $353; 
1902-1903,  $748.33;  a  total  of  $1,546.33. 

They  worked  with  the  following  motto :  "The 
liberal  soul  shall  be  made  fat." 

Mrs.  Beckett  has  been  unanimously  elected  four 
consecutive  times  as  corresponding  secretary  of  "The 
Woman's  Parent  Mite  Missionary  Society."  Without 
salary  she  has  written  over  ten  thousand  letters  to 
assist,  inform,  inspire  and  encourage  the  twenty-two 
thousand  women  of  the  organization.  Moving  to 
Philadelphia,  she  was  made  treasurer  of  Special  Fund, 
Philadelphia  Conference  Branch. 

Beckett,  Lemuel  M.,  was  born  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  October  9,  1854.  In  early  youth  he  attended 
what  was  then  called  "Pay  School,"  as  the  public 
school  system  for  colored  children  had  not  been  estab- 
lished.     He    spent    one   year   at   Wayland    Seminary, 


REV.  LEMUEL  M.  BECKETT,  B.D. 

Washington,  D.  C,  and  three  years  at  Howard  Uni- 
versity. He  completed  his  theological  course  at  Wil- 
berforce  University  in  1884,  graduating  as  the  valedic- 
torian of  his  class.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1877. 
He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1884,  by  the  late  Bishop  R. 
H.  Cain,  and  Elder  by  the  late.  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown. 
His  parents  were  Clement  and  Mary  Beckett.  He  is 
also  the  brother  of  the  late  Rev.  J.  W.  Beckett,  the 
sweet  singer.  Rev.  L.  M.  Beckett  has  been  a  fre- 
quent contributor  of  anniversary  sermons  to  the 
Christian  Recorder.  He  married  Miss  Mary  C.  Giles, 
of  Washington,  in  1884.  He  is  now  presiding  Elder 
of  the  Potomac  district  of  the  Baltimore  Conference. 


37 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Beckett,  William  Wesley,  40th  bishop  of  the  Afri- 
can Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  son  of  Thomas  and 
Martha  Beckett,  -was  born  in  1859,  at  Edisto  Island, 
S-  C.  He  began  attending  school  in  1866  and  attended 
fourteen  years,  attending  public  school  and  later  Clark 
University  and  Gammon  Seminary,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  grad- 
uating from  Gammon  Theological  Seminary.  He 
received  the  degree  of  D.D.  •  from  Allen  University, 
did  post-graduate  work  at  Columbia  University  for 
the  Ph.D.  degree.  He  was  converted  in  1870  and  join- 
ed the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1871.  He  has  held  almost 
all  offices  in  the  church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
in  1878  at  Edisto  Island,  S.  C,  by  Rev.  A.  T.  Carr. 
He  was  ordained  deacon   1886  at  Marion,   S.   C,  by 


BISHOP  WILLIAM  WESLEY  BECKETT,  D.D. 


Bishop  Shorter  and  ordained  Elder  1888  at  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  by  Bishop  Ward.  He  joined  the  Annual 
Conference  at  Georgetown,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  Dick- 
erson.  He  has  held  the  following  appointments: 
Union  Circuit,  1884;  Brunson  Ct.,  1S85-1886;  Sheldon 
Ct.,  1887-89 ;  Attended  School,  1888-92;  P.  E.  Beaufort 
Dist.,  S.  C,  1894;  Emanuel  Station,  1895;  P.  E.  Mt. 
Pleasant  Dist.,  1896-1900;  Charleston  Dist.,  1900-04; 
Morris  Brown  Station,  1904- '08;  Secretary  of  Mis- 
sions, iox>8-'i2;  President  of  Allen  University,  1912- 
'16.  He  built  Ward  Chapel  at  Brunson,  S.  C,  at  a 
cost  of  $1800  in  1885,  raised  $12,000  for  Emanuel 
Station,  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  1895,  remodeled  Mor- 
ris Brown  at  Charleston  at  a  cost  of  $5000,  in  1905  ; 
bought  parsonage  of  Morris  Brown,  $2500  in  1907. 
He  lifted  a  mortgage  on  Emanuel  Station  at  Charles- 
ton to  the  amount  of  $7000  in  1895.  He  has  taken 
2958  people  into  the  church,  baptized  987  people.  He 
has  been  a  delegate  to  all  General  Conferences  from 
1896  to  1916.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Church  Ex- 
tension Board,  1904-1908.  He  was  Secretary  of  Mis- 
sions, 1908-1912  and  was  voted  for  bishopric  at  Kans- 
as City.  He  married  Mrs.  Mary  Beckett  in  1878. 
Their  children  are:  James  O.  Beckett,  Mrs.  Mattie 
Coasey,  Mrs.  Laura  Lopez  and  Mrs.  Catherine  Davis, 
all  of  whom  completed  a  common  school  course.  He 
was  editor  of  the  Voice  of  Missions  for  four  years,  and 
has  contributed  to  the  Recorders  and  daily  papers. 
He  preached  the  Baccalaureate  sermon  at  Wilberforce 


in  191 1  and  at  Morris  Brown,  in  1915.  He  is  con- 
nected with  the  Odd  Fellows  and  Masons.  He  is  a 
Republican  and  was  a  member  of  the  South  Carolina 
Legislature  in  1882-1884;  inspector  of  Port  of  Charles- 
ton, 1892-1894.  He  was  elected  the  fortieth  bishop  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  May  18,  1916,  and  assigned  to 
West  Africa. 

Bennett,  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  was  born  Novem- 
ber 15,  1865,  in  Georgetown  County,  S.  C.  He  was  con- 
verted very  young.  His  parents  sent  him  to  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  where  he  entered  the  Simonton  School  and 
finished  with  honor.  He  taught  school  several  years; 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1880;  joined  the  annual  Con- 
ference in  1889  under  Bishop  Arnett. 

He  studied  theology  in  Gammon  Theological  Sem- 
inary at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Allen  University,  Columbia,  S. 
C.  He  also  took  a  course  in  the  University  of  Chicago, 
Chicago,  111.  He  filled  the  following  appointments: 
Goose  Creek  Circuit.  St.  Peter's  Circuit,  Mt.  Pleasant 
Circuit,  Bethel  Station,  Georgetown,  S,  C. ;  Emmanuel 
Station,  Charleston,  S.  C.  He  spent  five  years  each  at 
the  following  three  appointments :  St.  Peter's  Circuit, 
Mt.  Pleasant  Circuit,  Emmanuel  Station,  Charleston, 
S.  C.  Spent  fifteen  years  at  three  places.  At  Em- 
manuel Church  he  attended  Sunday  School  when  a  boy 
and  after  many  years,  he  was  appointed  pastor  of  that 
great  church  by  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin,  D.D. 

He  paid  off  the  $28,000  mortgage  on  Emmanuel  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  November  29,  1909,  which  set  at  liberty 
the  members  of  the  church  and  five  officers  who  had 
their  personal  property  mortgaged  as  security  for  the 
church.  He  built  three  churches,  one  parsonage.  He 
was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  1912.  Bish- 
op Lee  appointed  him  Presiding  Elder  of  the  Edisto 
District  in  1912.    He  died  1915. 

Bentley,  Daniel  S.,  was  born  in  Madison  County, 
Kentucky,   September  20,   1850.     He  attended  school 


REV.  DANIEL  S.  BENTLEY,  D.D. 

at  Berea  College  and  later  studied  theology  under  the 
guidance  of  Prof.  R.  W.  Landis,  of  the  Presbyterian 
Theological  Seminary. 


38 


ft 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


a 


At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  began  to  preach  and 
was  received  into  the  membership  of  the  Kentucky 
Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  remained  in 
that  conference  fourteen  years,  working  steadily  up- 
ward from  the  humblest  mission  circuits  to  the  prom- 
inent stations  in  Danville,  Louisville  and  Frankfort. 
He  was  transferred  to  the  Indiana  Conference  in  1884, 
and  three  years  later  to  the  Pittsburgh  Conference 
and  stationed  at  the  Wylie  Avenue  Church,  Pitts- 
burgh. Three  years  later  he  was  appointed  Presiding 
Elder  of  the  Pittsburgh  District.  Returning  to  the 
pastorate  at  the  end  of  three  years  he  served  in  suc- 
cession the  following  churches :  Brown  Chapel,  Alle- 
gheny ;  Washington,  Scranton  and  St.  James',  Pitts- 
burgh. In  -1906  he  was  again  appointed  Presiding 
Elder,  this  time  of  the  Allegheny  District,  which  office 
he  filled  for  five  years.  Returning  once  more  to  the 
pastorate  at  St.  James',  Pittsburgh,  he  has  continued 
his  ministry  to  Williamsport  and  Homestead. 

He  has  written  considerably,  both  for  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  Review  and  the  weekly  Recorders.  He  pub- 
lished a  volume  in  1900  entitled,  "Brief  Religious  Re- 
flections." The  volume  is  being  carefully  revised  and 
enlarged  with  a  view  to  a  future  republication. 

He  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from 
Livingstone  College.  He  was  a  vice-president  of  the 
Parliament  of  Religions  at  Chicago  in  1893,  an  alter- 
nate delegate  to  the  Ecumencial  Conference  at  Lon- 
don in  1900,  and  a  member  of  four  General  Conferences 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Church  Extension  Board.  Dr.  Bentley  is  prominent  in 
the  councils  of  his  church  as  a  man  of  acknowledged 
ability  and  influence. 

Bethune,  Mary  McLeod,  a  daughter  of  slave  par- 
ents, Samuel  and  Patsy  McLeod,  was  born  in  a  three- 
room  log  cabin  on  a  little  cotton  and  rice  farm  about 
three  miles  from  Mayesville,  S.  C,  July  10,  1875,  being 
one  of  a  family  of  seventeen  children.  Her  education 
was  received  in  the  Presbyterian  mission  school  at 
Mayesville,  S.  C. ;  Scotia  Seminary,  Concord,  N.  C, 
and  the  Moody  Bible  Training  School,  Chicago,  111. 
She  was  married  in  1898,  but  soon  became  a  widow, 
with  one  child.  She  founded  the  Daytona  Educational 
and  Industrial  Training  School  at  Daytona,  Fla.,  Oc- 
tober 3,  1904,  an  institution  for  the  training  of  girls, 
and  is  doing  a  remarkable  work  in  that  State.  She  is 
organizer  Florida  Woman's  Christian  Union,  trustee 
Industrial  School  at  Miami,  Fla.,  and  Rescue  Home, 
Jacksonville,  Fla. ;  member  National  Federation  of 
Colored  Women,  Florida  State  Federation  of  Colored 
Women  (vice-pres.),  Amanda  Smith  Community,  Mar- 
ried People's  Council,  Jennie  Dean  Hospital  Club. 
Address,  Daytona,  Fla. 

Betts,  Rev.  S.  H.,  was  born  in  Evergreen,  Cone- 
cuh County,  Alabama,  July  31st,  1866.  At  an  early 
age  was  moved  to  Milton,  Santa  Rosa  Co.,  Florida, 
where  he  began  school  and  from  there  to  Pensacola, 
where  he  completed  his  literary  education.  In  his 
early  manhood  he  was  a  train  porter.  He  was  con- 
verted February  8th,  1895,  joined  Allen  Chapel  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  and  started  preaching.  He  studied  the- 
ology under  the  Revs.  A.  H.  Attaway,  B.  W.  Roberts 
and  James  Dean,  and  took  correspondence  courses 
with  Payne  Theological  Seminary,  Morris  Brown 
University  and  Edward  Waters  College.  He  deliver- 
ed the  annual  address  to  the  theological  class  of  Ed- 


ward Waters  College  in  1909,  and  received  the  degree 
of  D.D.  He  was  the  leader  of  the  West  Florida  con- 
ference to  the  general  conference  in  1912,  one  of  the 
leading  trustees  of  the  educational  work  of   Florida, 


REV.  S.  H.  BETTS,  D.D. 

and  one  of  the  best  presiding  elders  of  his  state;  a 
financier  and  church  builder,  and  an  able  lecturer.  In 
1915  he  delivered  the  literary  address  at  Morris  Brown 
University.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Young  People's 
Congress  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  in  1914,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916,  represent- 
ing the  West   Florida  Annual  Conference. 


Bianchi,  Benj.  A.,  was  born  at  Robertsville,  S.  C, 
March  10,  1870,  on  the  plantation  of  Mr.  H.  M.  Law- 
ton.  His  father  was  of  Italian  descent,  his  mother  an 
American  Xegro.  His  father  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade,  was  educated  before  the  Civil  War  in  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  and  was  never  a  slave.  His  mother  was  a 
house  girl  and  dressmaker.  They  were  married  under 
the  ceremonies  which  were  accorded  to  colored  people 
at  that  time. 

To  the  union  were  born  eleven  children,  seven 
boys  and  four  girls,  only  three  of  whom  survive. 

When  Benjamin  was  eight  years  old  his  father 
died.  Then  he  began  a  life  of  hard  toil.  He  worked 
as  a  herdsman  for  a  number  of  years,  sometimes  eat- 
ing roast  potatoes  and  sucking  milk  from  the  cows  for 
sustenance.  He  seldom  knew  the  luxury  of  shoes,  but 
thinly  clad  he  cut  turpentine  boxes,  dipped  gum, 
ploughed  on  the  farm  behind  ox,  mule  and  horse,  hoed 
corn,  cotton,  rice  and  thinned  the  cotton  with  his 
hands. 

Starting  his  education  late  in  life,  when  he  was 
twenty  years  old,  he  was  unable  to  read  a  second 
reader  with  any  intelligence.  He  attended  the  coun- 
try school  taught  by  white  Southern  teachers,  but  the 
facilities  were  very  poor.  Having  a  great  craving  for 
knowledge  he  matriculated  at  the  George  State  Indus- 
trial College,  in  Savannah,  Ga.  Prof.  R.  R.  Wright, 
A.M.,  Sr.,  was  its  president.  Later  he  went  to  Gam- 
mon School  of  Theology  in  Atlanta  and  studied  two 


39 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


years  trying  to  prepare  himself  for  the  work  for  which 
God  had  called  him.  The  time  spent  here  was  not 
thrown  away.  Without  such  preparation  he  says  that 
he  would  not  have  been  able  to  hold  a  decent  appoint- 
ment, and  thanks  Bishop  Thirkield  and  the  other  good 
professors  whose  encouragement  he  had.  He  joined 
the  South  Carolina  Conference  December,  1893,  under 
Bishop  Moses  B.  Salter  and  received  his  first  appoint- 
ment from  the  hands  of  Bishop  J.  C.  Embry,  Decem- 
ber, 1896,  at  Aiken,  S.  C. 

He  has  held  the  following  charges :   Estell  Mis- 


REV.  BENJAMIN  ABBOTT  BIANCHI 

sion,  Lake  City,  Gapway,  Black  River,  Aiken,  St. 
George,  Holly  Hill  and  Summerville.  I  le  was  the  P. 
E.  of  the  Charleston  District  five  years,  and  St.  Luke 
Station,  Charleston,  S.  C,  at  which  place  he  is  now. 
In  February,  1899,  he  married  Miss  Hester  E.  Scott, 
at  Mt.  Pleasant,  S.  C.  To  their  home  were  born  seven 
children,  five  girls  and  two  boys.  His  wife  and  two 
of  his  children  have  preceded  him  to  the  glory  land. 

Billings,  Rev.  Charles  Franklin,  the  son  of  Heze- 
kiah  and  Elsie  Ann  Billines,  both  members  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  March  9,  1873,  in  Adams  Co., 
Miss.  He  was  one  of  seven  children.  He  began  at- 
tending school  in  1879  and  spent  thirteen  years  in 
school,  attending  schools  at  Church  Hill  and  Blue 
Ridge,  Jefferson  Co.,  Miss.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Mor- 
ris Brown  and  Campbell  College.  He  received  the 
degree  B.D.  from  Campbell  College  and  Morris  Brown. 
He  was  converted  in  1888  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  nearly  every  office 
in  the  church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  1895  at 
Jefferson  County  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Watson ;  was  ordained 
deacon  1903  at  Brookhaven,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  Tyree, 
and  ordained  elder  1907  at  Port  Gibson,  Miss.,  by 
Bishop  M.  B.  Salter.  Fie  joined  the  annual  conference 
1901  at  Hattiesburg,  Miss.,  under  Bishop  Tyree. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments  in  Mis- 
sissippi :  Pearl  Haven  Mission,  1903 ;  Rock  Point  Cir- 
cuit, 1903-05;  Bethel  Circuit,  1906-09;  Zion  Circuit, 
1910;  Meridian  Station,  1911-12;  Laurel  Station,  1913; 
P.  E.  1913  to  1916.     He  built  Mt.    Salem,    Liberty, 


Miss.,  $800,  in  1907;  Billings  Chapel,  Gloucester,  Miss., 
$650,  in  1908;  in  1909  Billings  Chapel  rebuilt,  $700. 

He  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $200  on  Bethel  at  Liberty, 
Miss.,  and  on  Galilee,  at  Caseyville,  $150  in  1910.  He 
has  taken  about  800  people  into  the  church,  baptized 
450  and  married  40  couples.  He  is  Assistant  Secre1 
tary  of  his  conference  in  Mississippi.  He  married 
Rosa  D.  Billings,  of  Jefferson  Co.,  Miss.,  December, 
1905.  They  have  six  children,  namely,  Bertha  C,  19 
years;  Hezekiah  E.,  17  years;  Elsie  A.,  14  years; 
Marie  V.,  10  years;  Virgie  Lee,  6  years;  Rosa  A.,  4 


REV.  C.  F.  BILLINGS,  B.D. 

years.  Bertha  C.  Billings  is  a  graduate  of  Campbell 
College.  He  is  a  stockholder  and  director  of  the 
Negro  State  Fair  of  Mississippi.  He  owns  a  home  and 
property  at  Brookhaven  and  Jackson,  Miss.  He  is  an 
alternate  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference. 


Boddie,  Francis  F.,  one  of  six  children  of  Benja- 
min and  Sarah  Boddie,  his  mother  being  a  member  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  at  Waverly  Hall,  Ga., 
February  15,  i860.  He  began  attending  school  at  nine 
years  of  age,  attending  during  ten  years,  Mt.  Zion 
School,  Waverly,  Ga. ;  Atlanta  University  and  Griffin 
High  School,  and  received  the  D.D.  degree  from  Mor- 
ris Brown  University ;  was  converted  at  fifteen  years 
of  age,  and  joined  A.  M.  E.  Church ;  held  offices  of 
steward,  trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher 
and  Sunday  school  teacher.  Was  licensed  to  preach 
at  Sparta,  Ga.,  by  Rev.  George  Coplin,  in  1882 ;  or- 
dained deacon  by  Bishop  Dickerson,  at  Sandersville, 
Ga.,  in  1883;  elder  at  Columbus,  Ga.,  by  Bishop 
Shorter  in  1885;  joined  the  annual  conference  under 
Bishop  Dickerson,  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  in  1S82 ;  had  the 
following  appointments :  Prospect  Circuit,  Milledge- 
ville  Station,  1888-90;  Lumpkin  Station,  1890-94;  Ea- 
tonton  Station,  Fort  Valley  District,  Americus  Dis- 
trict, Columbus  District,  Dublin  Station,  Milledge- 
ville  District ;  built  St.  Mark's  Church,  at  Lumpkin, 
Ga.,  in  1895,  at  a  cost  of  $18,000.  Lifted  mortgages 
on  St.  John's  Church,  at  Eatonton,  Ga.,  in  1898,  to  the 
amount  of  $600;  took  1500  people  into  the  church  and 
baptized  800;  was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences 
of  1900,  1904.  1908  and  1912.    Was  a  member  of  Sun- 


40 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


day  School  Union  Board,  1900-04,  and  Executive 
Board  of  Morris  Brown  College.  He  died  May,  191 5. 
His  wife,  Mrs.  Carrie  A.  Boddie,  was  born  in  Sparta, 
Ga.  They  had  six  children :  William  Fisher  and  Julian 
F.,  both  practicing    physicians ;    Ella    J.,    graduate  of 


REV.  FRANCIS  F.  BODDIE,  D.D. 

Morris  Brown ;  Elwood,  of  Eddy  High  School ;  Sarah 
and  Alice  Boddie.  Dr.  Boddie  was  aggressive,  and 
became  an  important  factor  in  every  community  in 
which  he  served,  and  in  every  organization  of  which 
he  was  a  member. 

• 
Bowling,  Alonzo  J.,  was  born  at  Lincoln,  111.,  Au- 
gust 25,  1S79,  one  of  the  four  children  of  Thomas  and 
Jane  Bowling,  both  members  of  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Church  of  that  city.  Alonzo's  school  life,  which 
lasted  twenty  years,  was  spent  in  the  grammar  school 
of  Lincoln,  111. ;  the  High  School  of  Kansas  City, 
Kan. ;  State  Normal,  University  of  Michigan,  Ohio 
State  University,  Harvard  College,  being  a  graduate 
of  each.  He  has  the  degree  of  A.B.  from  Michigan 
University,  A.M.  from  Ohio  State  University  and 
Harvard  College;  B.D.  from  Albion  College,  Albion, 
Mich.,  where  he  received  his  theological  training,  hav- 
ing also  studied  theology  in  Northwestern  University 
and  Boston  University.  Rev.  Bowling  was  converted 
in  1893,  joining  the  Methodist  Church  in  Topeka, 
Kans.,  in  1895.  He  has  served  as  class  leader,  ex- 
horter,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher  and 
superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school.  At  present  he 
is  director  of  Dearborn  Social  Center  and  assistant 
pastor  of  the  Institutional  Church,  Chicago,  111.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1915  by  Dr.  W.  D.  Cook, 
and  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1915,'  at  Wilwau- 
kee,  Wis.,  under  Bishop  B.  F.  Lee.  His  wife,  Mrs. 
Katie  M.  Fowler  Bowling,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  he  married 
January,  1916.  He  has  served  as  editor  of  "The  Con- 
servator," Chicago,  and  has  been  a  contributor  to  the 
"Northwestern  Christian  Recorder"  and  the  "Broad 
Ax."  He  has  written  "Negro  Education,"  Harvard, 
1912;  a  comparison  of  Kansas  City,  Kan.,  and  Brook- 
line,  Mass.,  school  systems,  1912;  "Elimination  of 
Negro  Children  from  Public  Schools,"  Columbus,  O., 
1908.    He  is  a  Mason,  Knight  of  Pythias.  Odd  Fellow, 


Elk  and  True  Reformer.  He  is  one  of  the  moving  pic- 
ture censors  of  the  City  of  Chicago.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of 
Science,  National  Geographic  Society,  and  the  Royal 
Society  Clubs  of  London. 

Braxton,  Rev.  W.  H.,  was  born  in  the  early  70's  at 
Port  Gibson,  Mississippi,  the  eldest  son  of  George  and 
Sarah  Braxton,  both  ex-slaves.  At  the  age  of  five  years 
he  was  placed  in  the  public  school;  at  sixteen  he  grad- 
uated from  the  public  schools  and  entered  the  Port 
Gibson  Normal  and  Business  Institute,  finishing  in 
three  years,  teaching  school  in  the  meantime.  Prof.  J. 
M.  Taylor,  the  principal  of  the  institute,  recommended 
Mr.  Braxton  very  highly  when  he  entered  Alcorn  A. 
and  M.  College  to  finish  his  scientific  course. 

He  married  during  his  junior  year  in  college,  but  he 


REV.  W.  H.  BRAXTON,  D.D. 

did  not  give  up  his  desire  to  secure  a  college  education. 
During  vacation  he  taught  school  in  Arkansas. 

He  took  a  special  correspondence  course  from  the 
New  York  School  of  Science.  He  next  took  the  theo- 
logical course  at  Alorris  Brown  College,  Atlanta,  Ga., 
and  after  four  years  he  finished,  and  the  next  year  he 
wrote  a  thesis  which  secured  for  him  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity. 

He  has  done  much  work  both  as  an  educator  and 
pastor,  having  taught  in  some  of  the  best  schools, 
built  and  improved  churches  and  parsonages.  With  an 
amiable  wife  and  seven  children,  he  is  still  happy,  despite 
the  much  suffering  he  has  undergone  to  make  a  record 
and  to  have  the  world  to  know  that  he  lives  in  it. 

In  1902,  while  attending  a  quarterly  Conference,  he 
had  five  boy  children  burned  to  death. 

He  was  invited  to  deliver  an  address  to  the  Y.  M.  C. 
A.  of  the  Louisiana  State  University  in  1909,  and  it 
was  stated  by  the  President  that  he  was  the  only  Ne- 
gro that  ever  had  that  honor. 

Braswell,  James  S.,  one  of  the  eleven  children  of 
Bird  A.  and  Watie  Braswell,  was  born  November  20, 
1865,  in  Leon  County,  Florida.  He  attended  public 
schools  about  seven  years,  studied  theology  at  Morris 


41 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3° 


Brown  College  and  further  improved  through  private 
study.  He  was  converted  and  joined  St.  Laurene  A. 
M.  E.  Church  September  3,  1886,  and  has  held  every 
office  from  Sunday-school  teacher  to  presiding  elder. 


taught  in  Hillsboro  County  for  three  years.  She  mar- 
ried Mr.  James  S.  Braswell  at  Tarpon  Springs,  Fla., 
where  they  lived  until  they  entered  the  ministry  at 
Clearwater.     She  was  converted  at  the  age  of  14  and 


REV.  J.  S.  BRASWELL,  D.D. 

In  1893  Rev.  J.  W.  Dukes  licensed  him  to  preach  at 
Tarpon  Springs,  Florida;  in  1895  he  was  admitted  into 
the  annual  conference  and  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop 
Grant :  in  1900  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Gaines.  He 
held  the  following  charges :  Clearwater  Mission,  1894 ; 
Clearwater  and  Petersburg  Circuit,  1895-1897;  Willis- 
ton  Circuit.  1897-1901 ;  High  Springs,  1901-5;  Ocala, 
1905-6;  Palatka,  1906-1910;  Orlando,  1910-15.  He 
built  churches  at  Clearwater,  Petersburg,  Williston, 
Mt.  Brook  on  Williston  Circuit,  High  Springs,  Pa- 
latka, the  last  costing  $15,000,  and  paid  mortgage  of 
$500  on  Mt.  Olive,  Orlando.  He  has  taken  into  the 
church  about  2000  persons  and  baptized  about  1200. 
He  was  elected  an  alternate  to  the  general  conference 
in  1908,  a  delegate  in  1912  and  1916,  treasurer  of  South 
Florida  Conference  for  six  years.  He  edited  "The 
People's  Headlight"  at  Palatka,  published  pamphlets 
on  "Baptism"  and  "Infant  Baptism,"  preached  bacca- 
laureate sermon  for  Hungerford  Industrial  School,  is 
a  Mason.  Odd  Fellow,  having  held  high  office  in  each; 
a  Republican  and  a  house  owner,  and  has  been  gener- 
ally active  in  civic  and  religious  affairs  everywhere  he 
has  pastored.  January  19,  1891.  he  married  Miss 
Brilla  L.  Burton,  of  Tampa,  Fla.  Three  children  have 
been  born  to  them  :  Birdie  Arnett,  who  died  at  21  while 
studying  at  Howard  University;  La  Belle  C,  who  died 
at  18'  while  at  Morris  Brown  University,  and  James  S., 
Jr.,  now  17  years  of  age,  and  Marion  E.,  an  adopted 
child  of  2  years  of  age.  Rev.  Braswell  received  D.D. 
from  Edward  Waters,  and  is  now  presiding  elder  of 
the  Palatka  district,  South  Florida  Conference,  serv- 
ing his  second  year. 

Braswell,  Mrs.  Brilla  Launtine  (Burton),  was 
born  at  Tampa,  Fla.,  April  15,  1871,  seventh  child  of 
Nelson  and  Maria  Burton.  She  grew  up  at  Manatee 
and  Cedar  Key,  Fla.,  entered  Cookman  Institute,  Jack- 
sonville, Fla.,  in  1885;  after  spending  four  terms  she 


MRS.  J.  S.  BRASWELL. 

has  been  helpful  to  her  husband  in  all  his  ministerial 
labors,  and  has  been  especially  successful  in  Christian 
Endeavor  work.  In  191 1  she  attended  the  Interde- 
nominational Christian  Endeavor  Convention  at  At- 
lantic City,  X.  J.,  and  visited  many  of  the  leading  cities, 
of  the  North.  Mrs.  Braswell  is  an  accomplished  dress- 
maker and  milliner  and  has  conducted  successful  busi- 
nesses in  Ocala,  Orlando  and  Palatka,  and  has  taught 
her  trade  to  many  others  who  are  now  successfully  fol- 
lowing it. 

Brent,  Rev.  Geo.  Wilson,  son  of  Mary  Taylor  and 
Geo.  Brent,  was  born  March  21st,  i860,  in  a  log  cabin 
on  the  boundary  line  between  the  Taylor  and  Gushing- 
berry  plantations,  in  King  George  County,  Va.  It 
was  said  that  his  father  (African  born)  was  drugged, 
trapped,  captured  and  sold  to  an  English  naval  officer, 
who  brought  him  to  Virginia  and  sold  him  again  for 
debt.  His  parents  had  a  "broom  stick  wedding"  at 
the  marriage  of  Cushingberry's  son  to  Taylor's  daugh- 
ter, and  they  respectively,  as  "man  and  maid  servant," 
were  made  a  present  to  the  contracting  parties.  His 
father  ran  away  and  joined  the  army  at  the  call  for 
colored  troops  in ''63,  and  for  revenge  the  kidnappers 
picked  his  mother  up  on  the  public  highway  and  sold 
her  to  Georgia.  From  1869  to  1870  young  Brent  was 
at  the  colored  Orphan  Home  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
He  was  "bound  out"  to  the  then  noted  theatrical  stars, 
Charles  R.  Thorne  and  wife,  and  with  them  went  to 
Lexington,  Mass.,  and  was  used  as  understudy  by  the 
young  men  of  the  family.  He  later  served  in  various 
capacities  of  bell-boy,  stable  boy,  race  horse  jockey, 
amateur  pugilist,  fireman  and  deck  hand  on  a  river 
steamer,  and  longshoreman,  all  of  which  increased  his 
knowledge.  He  was  converted  in  February,  1877,  and 
joined  Big  Bethel,  Baltimore,  Md.,  Rev.  J.  W.  Beckett, 
pastor.  He  drew  up  the  first  "constitution"  for  the 
colored  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  which  was,  however,  rejected. 


42 


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G 


He  moved  to  Norfolk  and  for  many  years  was 
active  in  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church,  especially  the  Sun- 
day school,  of  which  he  was  superintendent,  helping 
to  lay  the  foundation  for  the  splendid  organization 
there  today.  He  was  also  president  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
of  Norfolk  when  the  first  secretary  (Mr.  W.  A.  Hun- 
ton)  was  called  to  the  colored  branch.  In  1888  he 
moved  to  Madison,  N.  J.,  where  for  the  past  28  years 
he  has  been  an  important  factor  in  church  and  com- 
munity life,  especially  in  connection  with  Sunday 
school  work,  having  been  superintendent  of  the  Madi- 
son Sunday  school  and  district  superintendent  of  the 
Newark   district.     He   was   married   in    1885   to   Miss 


REV.  GEORGE  W.  BRENT. 

Mitta  M.  Holt,  of  Raleigh,  N.  C.    They  have  no  chil- 
dren. 

Brother  Brent  is  an  interesting  writer  and  has 
contributed  for  thirty  years  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Review, 
Christian  Recorder,  Southern  Recorder,  and  secular 
papers.  He  pastored  and  saved  the  church  at  Easton, 
Penna.,  but  was  refused  admission  to  the  annual  con- 
ference because  he  was  "too  old"  it  was  claimed.  He 
is  a  great  lover  of  religion,  a  promoter  of  morals  and 
a  man  of  ideals. 

Brinson,  Jesse,  was  born  at  Summertown,  Ga., 
March  19,  1875,  son  of  David  and  Alice  Brinson.  In 
a  family  of  seven  children  three  were  girls  and  four 
were  boys.  His  father,  who  died  in  1904,  was  for  twen- 
ty-four years  a  steward  and  held  other  offices  in  the 
church.  His  mother  still  lives  and  is  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  church.  He  studied  in  the  schools  of  his 
home  and  neighboring  counties,  and  from  1897  to  I9°2 
taught  in  the  public  schools  of  Emmanuel  County, 
teaching  three  years  of  this  time  at  Summertown. 

On  account  of  poor  health  he  gave  up  teaching  and 
took  up  the  business  of  painting,  in  which  he  has  made 
much  success  as  a  contractor  in  Savannah,  Georgia,  to 
which  place  he  moved  in  1904.  He  was  converted 
when  only  a  boy,  impressions  having  been  made  upon 
him  by  his  Sunday  School  teacher,  Mrs.  J.  T.  Smith, 
in  teaching  the  first  Psalms,  and  he  has  become  es- 


pecially attached  to  Sunday  School  work.  He  was  once 
connected  with  three  Sunday  Schools  of  different  de- 
nominations, but  having  different  hours  of  meeting.  He 
was  connected  with  Sunday  School  work  in  Dublin, 
Georgia,  and  also  served  as  a  trustee. 

October,  1898,  Mr.  Brinson  was  married  to  Miss  Lil- 
lie  Pughsley  of  Swainsboro,  Ga.  Their  children  are 
Sylvester,  a  girl,  and  Charles  Luke,  a  boy. 

He   became    connected    with    St.    Phillip's    Sunday 


MR.  JESSE  BRIXSOX. 

School,  Savannah,  Georgia,  in  1904,  soon  afterwards 
became  a  teacher,  and  in  1909  was  made  assistant  su- 
perintendent, and  in  1910  was  made  superintendent  and 
has  served  ever  since.  The  school  has  five  depart- 
ments, thirty-five  classes  and  about  600  pupils,  and  has 
been  greatly  improved  under  Mr.  Brinson's  adminis- 
tration. 

Brisbane,  A.  L.,  was  born  of  A.  M.  E.  parents  in 
Columbia,  S.  C,  March  30,  i860;  emigrated  to  Liberia, 
Africa,  in  1876,  with  his  father  and  mother.  He  was 
converted  November  24,  1884,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  and  has  served  from  Steward  to  Presiding 
Elder.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1892,  joined  the 
itinerancy  in  1893  under  Bishop  Turner,  was  ordained 
Deacon  by  Bishop  Turner  in  1895,  and  Elder  in  1899 
by  Bishop  A.  Grant;  was  delegate  to  the  General 
Conference  in  1908,  and  appointed  Presiding  Elder  of 
the  Monrovia  District  by  Bishop  Heard  the  same  year. 
In  this  capacity  he  has  served  faithfully  up  to  the 
present.  He  is  also  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  Gen- 
eral Conference  in  1916. 

Brookens,  Jackson  Andrew,  son  of  Charles  and 
Mary  Brookens,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  Yazoo  County,  Miss.  He  en- 
tered the  King  School  in  1870;  was  converted  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1876;  licensed  to  preach 
in  1882  by  Rev.  E.  R.  Carter;  joined  the  annual  con- 
ference in  1886  at  Greenville,  Miss.,  under  Bishop 
Ward  ;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1888,  at  Yazoo  City, 
Miss.,  by  Bishop  Ward,  and  ordained  elder  in  1899,  at 
Grenada,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  Turner.  He  has  held  the 
following  appointments:  Tree  Run,  Miss.,  1877;  Ya- 
zoo City  Circuit,  1889;  Evans  Circuit,  1892;  Yazoo, 
1896;  Pickins,  1899;  Magna  Vista,  1902;  Benton, 
in  1889;  Union  Paradise,  at  Evans,  Miss.,  $450,  in 
1906;  Evans  Circuit,  1910;  Holly  Bluff,  1912;  Tchula, 
1914;  Benton,  1915.  He  built  Piney,  at  Yazoo,  $600, 
1892;  St.  Peter,  at  Pickens,  $450,  in  1899;  Ebenezer, 
at  Benton,  $650,  in  1906.     He   lifted   a  mortgage  on 


43 


°s> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3° 


Price  Chapel,  at  Holly  Bluff,  to  the  amount  of  $182, 
in  1912.  He  has  taken  682  people  into  the  Church, 
baptized  358  and  married  about  50  couples.  He  was 
delegate  to  the  general  conferences  at  Norfolk,  in 
1908,  and  Philadelphia  in  1916.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Georgia 
A.  Brookens,  was  born"  in  Taylor  County,  Miss.  They 
were  married  in  1879,  and  have  nine  children :  Burrell, 
33  years;  Mary,  35  years;  Clarence,  31  years;  Jackson, 
29  years  ;  Hattie,  24  years  ;  Benjamin,  22  years  ;  Hallie, 
21  years;  Beulah,  18  years;  O.  D.  Brookens,  15  years; 
H.  D.  Brookens.  10  years.  His  son,  Benjamin,  won  a 
scholarship  at  Campbell  College.  He  has  contributed 
to  the  "Recorders ;"  has  been  chaplain  of  the  Eastern 
Star ;  has  been  constable ;  is  a  Republican  and  a  home 
owner. 

Brookins,  Mrs.  M.  L.  Harding,  was  born  in  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  and  was  reared  in  Kansas.  She  was  con- 
verted at  the  age  of  eight  years.  She  obtained  her 
education  in  Olathe,  Kans.,  after  which  she  was  mar- 
ried to  Mr.  E.  A.  Harding,  who  afterward  became  an 
itinerant  minister  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  They  were 


MRS.  M.  P.  HARDING  BROOKINS. 

the  parents  of  two  daughters,  Bertha  Aurora  and  Ma- 
bel Eugenia.  After  the  death  of  Rev.  Harding  she 
was  married  to  Rev.  M.  D.  Brookins,  who  at  that  time 
was  Presiding  Elder  of  the  Guthrie  District.  From 
early  youth  she  desired  to  be  useful  in  the  church. 
She  began  to  furnish  music  for  the  churches  and  Sun- 
day schools  in  the  town  in  which  she  lived  at  the  age 
of  14  years,  also  using  her  talent  in  the  way  of  re- 
citals and  dramatic  work  to  benefit  the  church.  She 
began  her  work  as  a  traveling  missionary  in  Oklaho- 
ma, in  1901,  serving  as  President  of  the  W.  H.  &  F. 
M.  Society  of  the  Oklahoma  Conference  three  years, 
then  she  was  elected  President  in  the  Indian  Mission 
Conference  and  served  three  years.  After  the  organ- 
ization of  the  N.  E.  Oklahoma  Conference  she  was 
elected  President  of  the  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  Conference 
branch  and  served  six  years.  She  is  the  first  one 
chosen  and  elected  President  of  the  W.  H.  &  F.  M. 
State  Convention,  which  was  organized  April  23,  1914, 
at  Tulsa,  Okla.,  by  Bishop  W.  D.  Chappelle.  She 
has  made  great  sacrifices  to  build   up  the   Mission- 


ary work  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Oklahoma.  She 
traveled  at  her  own  expense,  lecturing  and  trying  to 
teach  the  women  how  to  do  the  work  for  the  church, 
and  what  to  do  as  missionaries.  She  held  her  annu- 
al executive  boards,  which  were  full  of  spiritual  life 
and  successful  plans.  Her  strong  appeals  to  the  wom- 
en through  the  church  periodicals  resulted  in  the  in- 
crease numerically  and  financially  for  the  Missionary 
Work.  She  is  a  woman  of  talent,  industry  and  sev- 
eral trades. 


Brooks,  Rev.  Charles  Edward,  the  son  of  W.  C. 
and  Mary  Brooks,  was  born  in  New  Orleans,  La., 
Oct.  5th,  1S68.  He  began  to  go  to  school  at  seven 
years  of  age  and  attended  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  city  and  the  Southern  University.  He  was  ap- 
prenticed as  a  bricklayer  and  thoroughly  mastered 
the  trade  at  which  he  worked  for  twenty  years.  Be- 
coming interested  in  labor  organization  he  was  one  of 
the  labor  and  political  leaders  of  New  Orleans  and 
Louisiana. 

In  1893  he  was  converted  and  joined  St.  Peter's 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  held  the  offices  of  steward,  trus- 
tee, class  leader,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  superin- 


REV.  C.  E.  BROOKS,  D.D. 

tendent.  In  1893  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev. 
Charles  Augustus:  in  1896  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop 
Armstrong;  in  1898  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Handy- 
He  joined  the  Louisiana  Annual  Conference  in  1896 
under  Bishop  Armstrong  at  Thibadaux,  La.,  and  has 
held  the  following  appointments:  Osyka  Mission, 
Amite  City,  La.,  Hammond,  Suddsville,  Bellegrove, 
Thibadaux,  Plaquimine,  Napoleonville,  Patterson, 
Franklin,  all  in  the  Louisiana  Conference,  and  he  is 
now  serving  his  fourth  year  as  presiding  elder  of  the 
Northeast  New  Orleans  district.  He  was  a  delegate 
to  the  general  conference  of  1912  and  leads  the  dele- 
gation to  the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916. 
He  is  a  Mason,  K.  of  P.,  Odd  Fellow,  and  member  of 
other  societies.  In  191 1  he  married  Miss  Addie  G. 
Coleman.  He  has  two  children,  and  owns  a  home  in 
Covington.  La. 


44 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<5° 


Brooks,  Reuben  B.,  the  son  of  Daniel  and  Han- 
nah Brooks.  Father  was  a  member  of  M,  E.  Church 
and  mother  of  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Born  at  Greenville,  Fla.,  December  18,  i860.  Was 
a  member  of  a  family  of  15  children. 

Began  attending  school  at  7  years  and  attended 
in  all  six  years.  Attended  public  school  at  Greenville, 
Fla. 

Studied  theology  at  Morris  Brown  University 
and  took  correspondence  course.  Received  degree  of 
D.D.  from  Morris  Brown. 

Converted  in  1882  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
the  same  year. 

Has  held  many  offices  in  the  church,  steward, 
trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher,  super- 
intendent of  Sunday  school  and  district  superintend- 
ent. 

Licensed  to  preach  1885  at  Ocala,  Fla.,  by  John 
R.  Robinson.  Ordained  deacon,  1892,  at  Sanford,  by 
Bishop  Ward. 

Ordained  elder  1894  at  Ocala,  Fla.,  by  Bishop 
Grant. 


REV.  REUBEN  B.  BROOKS,  D.D. 

Joined  Annual  Conference  1889,  at  Gainesville, 
under  Bishop  Arnett.  . 

Had  the  following  appointments : 

Boardman,  Miss.,  1891 ;  Ybor  City,  Allen  Temple, 
1892;  Cedar  Keys,  Ct.,  1892-3;  Micanopy  Ct,  1894-5; 
Key  West  Station,  1896-7;  Sanford  Station,  1898;  Mt. 
Olive  Station,  Jacksonville,  1899-1903 ;  Fernandina 
Station,  1904-5  ;  Presiding  Elder,  Jacksonville  District, 
1895-6;  presiding  elder,  St.  Augustine  district,  1907-10; 
Presiding  Elder,  East  Jacksonville  District,  1911-13; 
Presiding  Elder,  Madison  District,  1914-15;  Pastor  of 
St.  Augustine,  Florida,  1916.  He  has  built  the  follow- 
ing churches : 

Allen  Temple,  Tampa,  Fla.,  $800,  1892;  Mt.  Zion, 
Micanopy,  $1000,  1895. 

Lifted  mortgages  on  Bethel  Station  at  Key  West, 
$1500,  1896;  Mt.  Olive,  Jacksonville,  $500,  1899;  Mace- 
donia, Fernandina,  $2000,  1904. 

Delegate  to  General  Conferences,  1900,  1904,  1908, 
1912  and  leads  the  delegates  of  the  East  Florida  An- 


nual 'Conference  to  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence of  1916. 

Was  a  member  of  the  Educational  Board,  1904, 
and  Church  Extension  1908.  Was  Reading  Clerk  of 
General  Conference  1904  at  Chicago  and  Recording 
Secretary  of  General  Conference  at  Columbus,  Ohio, 
in  1900. 

Was  voted  for  as  Financial  Secretary  of  A.  M. 
E.  Connection  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  in  1908.  Married  May 
28,  1885,  Mrs.  Janie  L.  Brooks,  of  Ocala,  Fla.  Had 
the  following  children :  Mrs.  Pansy  E.  Baker,  Miss 
Connovella  Brooks,  Miss  Polly  D.  Brooks ;  Messrs. 
R.  B.  Brooks,  Jr.  and  Alonzo  Brooks. 

He  is  Grand  Secretary  of  Grand  Lodge  of  Ma- 
sons of  Florida ;  Past  Grand  K.  of  R.  &  S.  of  Grand 
Lodge  K.  of  P.  and  prominently  identified  with  the 
Odd  Fellows.  He  is  a  Republican  and  has  been  In- 
spector of  Customs  at  the  port  of  Key  West,  Fla.  He 
owns  a  good  home. 

Brooks,  Robert  Daniel,  was  born  in  Waymanville, 
Ga.,  March  19th,  1857,  son  of  David  and  Anna  Brooks, 
who  located  near  the  line  of  Upson  and  Monroe  coun- 
ties soon  after  emancipation,  and  were  there  convert- 
ed and  joined  Sugar  Hill  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Robert 
first  attended  Sunday  school  here,  and  studied 
Webster's  speller.  Subsequently  his  parents  moved 
near  Forsyth,  Ga.,  where  they  died.  Being  left  alone, 
he  wandered  away  and  finally  located  at  Lovejoy 
Station,  where  he  was  converted  at  the  age  of  eleven 


REV.  ROBERT  DANIEL  BROOKS. 

years.  There  being  no  other  Methodist  church  near 
by,  he  joined  the  M.  E.  Church  in  which  he  grew  up. 
Professing  a  call  to  the  ministry,  he  was  licensed 
to  preach  in  his  fifteenth  year,  and  in  the  following 
year,  was  received  into  the  Savannah  Annual  Confer- 
ence, ordained  deacon  under  the  missionary  rule,  and 
appointed  pastor  of  Jonesboro  Church.  Here  the  Lord 
blessed  him  and  much  good  was  done.  At  this  point 
he  married  Miss  Anna  Hightower,  and  to  them  was 
born  their  only  child,  Robert  Ernest  Brooks,  now 
Dean  of  Theology  in  Payne  University.  Four  years 
later,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  ordained  elder 
by    Bishop    Foster.      After   serving    several   years    in 


45 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Georgia,  he  secured  a  transfer  to  the  Central  Alabama 
M.  E.  Conference.  While  in  this  conference,  it  was 
made  clear  to  him  through  the  Holy  Spirit  that  the 
church  of  his  parents'  choice  in  which  he  first  received 
holy  impressions,  was  the  open  door  to  his  greatest 
usefulness.  Being  thus  convinced,  he  secured  his  cer- 
tificate of  withdrawal  and  joined  St.  John  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Montgomery,  Ala.,  through  its  quarterly  con- 
ference, Rev.  A.  W.  Atwater,  presiding.  Here  he  serv- 
ed as  class  leader  until  conference.  During  the  ses- 
sion of  the  Alabama  A.  M.  E.  Conference,  held  in  St. 
John  Church,  December  5th,  1885,  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne, 
D.D.,  presiding,  Rev.  A.  W.  Atwater,  P.  E.,  presented 
him  with  his  certificate  of  standing  for  reception  into 
the  conference  upon  which  Bishop  Payne  requested 
him  to  state  to  the  conference  his  reason  for  the  change, 
whereupon  he  stated  that  he  "did  not  come  for  the 
loaves  and  fishes,  that  the  mother  church  had  treated 
him  well,  but  that  recognizing  the  fact  that  in 
every  soul  is  the  sign  of  human  equality,  he  wanted 
to  satisfy  a  long  felt  desire  to  be  in  the  church  of  his 
parents'  choice,  where  he  could  feel  free  and  good — 
the  church  whose  open  door  gives  opportunity  to  the 
Negro  race  for  the  greatest  display  of  usefulness." 
Following  the  statement,  he  was  unanimously  receiv- 
ed, but  as  a  verification  of  the  honesty  of  his  purpose, 
he  refused  to  take  regular  work,  choosing  rather  to 
aid  such  pastors  and  presiding  elders  as  might  need 
him  during  the  year,  so  as  to  give  time  for  better 
acquaintance.  He  did  much  varied  service  that  year. 
From  Bishop  Pavne's  conference  held  in  St.  Luke 
Church,  Opelika.  Ala.,  December  1st,  1886,  he  was 
sent  to  the  pastorate  of.  Emanuel  Church,  Mobile,  Ala. 
Notwithstanding  the  four  years'  limit,  he  was  allowed 
to  remain  five  years,  during  which  he  paid  the  church 
debt  of  $1500,  bought  and  paid  for  the  parsonage, 
erected  the  present  brick  building,  and  increased  the 
membership  from  127  to  480.  From  the  Alabama  Con- 
ference held  in  St.  John,  Montgomery,  Ala.,  Novem- 
ber, 1891,  he  was  transferred  to  the  North  Alabama 
Conference  and  stationed  at  Brown  Chapel,  Selma, 
Ala.,  but  the  General  Conference  of  1892.  having  set 
apart  the  Central  Alabama  Conference,  he,  by  terri- 
torial situation,  became  a  member  of  the  Central  Con- 
ference. Remaining  in  charge  of  Brown  Chapel  four 
vears,  aside  from  the  work  done  for  Payne  Universitv, 
he  paid  $3100  on  the  church  debt  and  increased  the 
membership  from  266  to  684.  His  humble  efforts 
were  greatly  blessed  in  this  pastorate. 

At  the  conference  held  in  Brown  Chapel,  Nov., 
1895,  he  was  by  Bishop  A.  Grant,  D.D.,  appointed 
Presiding  Elder  of  Selma  District.  During  the  twen- 
ty years  of  his  service  as  presiding  elder,  he  served 
Greensboro,  Mobile  and  Camden  Districts,  and  is  now 
serving  his  fourth  appointment  to  the  Selma  District. 

For  twenty  years  he  served  his  conference  as  Chief 
Secretary,  and  is  now  Secretary-Treasurer  of  the  Cen- 
tral Alabama  Conference. 

Elected  Trustee  of  Payne  University,  he  served 
as  Secretary-Treasurer  21  years  and  resigned  the  posi- 
tion on  account  of  failing  health.  During  that  time, 
the  property  titles  were  straightened  out,  the  old  debts 
paid  off ;  23  lots  with  6  dwellings  were  purchased. 
Gaines'  Hall  and  Coppin's  Hall  were  built  and  other 
improvements  made.  He  labored  earnestly  with  head, 
heart  and  hands,  and  to  keep  the  machinery  together 
to  the  well  bring  of  the  school,  he  made  untold  per- 
sonal sacrifices. 


Brown,  Daniel  J.,  was  born  at  Bonneau's  Station, 
now  Barkley  county,  South  Carolina,  December  8th, 
1867.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  public 
school  of  the  county  and  was  later  sent  to  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  where  he  spent  several  years  in  Mary 
Street  Grammar  School,  leaving  to  join  the  family 
which  was  moving  to  take  up  work  in  the  Columbia 
Annual  Conference,  which  was  just  organized.  His 
father,  the  late  Rev.  George  H.  Brown,  was  one  of  the 
pioneer  ministers  of  the  South  Carolina  Conference. 

For  four  years  he  was  forced  to  accept  such  op- 
portunities as  the  public  schools  afforded.  In  the  year 
1882  he  entered  Claflin  University,  Orangeburg,  S.  C, 


&*#0i& 


M'  '     -—**%■ 


•:• 


~J 


REV.  DANIEL  J.  BROWN,  D.D. 

graduating  in  1886.  To  better  qualify  himself  for  his 
life's  work  he  later  entered  Drew  Seminary,  Madison, 
N.  J.,  took  the  prescribed  course,  graduating  after 
three  years  of  hard  work.  He  was  converted  in  1884 
and  became  immediately  active  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
Was  licensed  a  local  preacher  in  1888  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Columbia  Conference  in  1889.  For  eleven 
years  he  both  taught  in  the  public  schools  and  pastor- 
ed  the  churches  to  which  he  was  appointed.  He  has 
never  forgotten  his  early  experiences  in  his  first  mis- 
sion charge  of  about  ten  members,  which  serves  him 
now  as  he  was  permitted  to  observe  upon  the  stern 
realities  of  things  before  him.  He  has  often  said:  "It 
was  just  the  proper  process."  He  was  transferred  to 
the  New  Jersey  Conference  by  Bishop  Abram  Grant 
in  1899  and  stationed  at  Madison.  Here  as  in  other 
charges,  he  did  good  work,  increased  the  membership 
and  placed  the  church  upon  a  better  basis.  The  church 
in  Orange,  N.  J.,  was  greatly  strengthened  in  every 
way  during  his  pastorate  of  five  fruitful  years.  He 
served  for  six  years  as  Presiding  Elder  of  the  N.  J. 
Conference,  winning'the  esteem  and  affection  of  both 
ministers  and  laity.  In  the  pastorate  and  otherwise 
he  has  exemplified  those  elements  of  efficiency  so  es- 
sential to  success  in  any  laudable  endeavor.  He  has 
been  elected  three  times  a  member  of  the  General  Con- 
ference, being  honored  with  the  leadership  of  his  con- 
ference and  of  the  First  District  delegation  in  1912. 

His  manner  of  doing  things  has  won  friends  for 
him  among  all  classes.     He  is  quiet  and  unassuming 


46 


°B> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


and  commands  with  dignity.  He  is  kind  at  heart  and 
generous  in  spirit.  Many  of  his  accomplishments  are 
due  to  his  unfaltering  faith  in  the  gospel  of  self-help, 
seasoned  with  a  liberal  dash  of  courage  and  persever- 
ance. His  rule  is  to  do  all  the  good  he  can  and  as 
little  injury  as  possible.  He  has  made  many  sacrifices, 
but  without   complaint. 

Dr.  Brown  attributes  much  to  his  wife,  as  he  re- 
gards her  help  and  encouragement  so  significant.  Mrs. 
Brown  is  now  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  M. 
M.  Society  of  the  X.  J.  Conference  and  is  identified 
largely  in  all  the  labors  of  her  husband. 


Brown,  Howard  Dennis,  son  of  George  and  Martha 
Brown,  was  born  in  Crumpton,  Md.,  July  18,  1874.  He 
died  Sunday,  December  19,  191 5,  at  Douglas  Hospital, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  'When  he  left  his  home  in  Maryland 
and  came  to  Philadelphia,  he  joined  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Church  and  rose  to  the  position  of  class  leader  and 


Brown,  Bishop  John  Mifflin,  was  born  in  CanwelPs 
Bridge,  now  Odessa,  Delaware,  September  8,  1817.  He 
remained  here  until  he  was  ten  years  old,  then  he  mov- 
ed to  Wilmington,  Delaware,  where  he  lived  in  the 
home  of  a  quaker,  who  sent  him  to  Sunday  and  week- 
day school.  He  received  his  early  education  from  priv- 
ate instructors.  He  declined  the  teaching  of  a  Cath- 
olic priest  on  the  ground  that  he  would  be  a  Methodist. 
He  came  to  live  in   Philadelphia,  where  he   found  a 


1%  C 


BISHOP  T.  M.  BROWN. 


REV.  H.  D.  BROWN. 

local  preacher  and  was  recommended  for  admittance  to 
the  annual  Conference.  He  was  ordained  Elder  at 
Milford,  Del.,  May,  1909,  by  Bishop  Gaines.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Hannah  Jones,  a  school  teacher  in  Philadel- 
phia, in  1907. 

He  served  at  Disney  A.  M.  E.  Church  one  year  and 
was  serving  his  eighth  year  as  pastor  of  La  Mott  A. 
M.  E.  Church  at  the  time  of  his  decease.  Here  he 
built  a  church  and  practically  paid  it  out  of  debt,  and 
so  strong  was  his  hold  on  the  people  and  so  excellent 
was  his  work  that  Bishop  Tyree,  in  spite  of  the  time 
limit,  sent  him  back  for  the  eighth  successive  year.  He 
was  afflicted  for  nearly  two  years,  but  in  spite  of  this 
he  continued  to  do  such  excellent  work  as  to  excite  the 
admiration  and  commendation  of  his  friends.  On  a 
visit  to  his  Maryland  home  he  finally  collapsed  and  was 
brought  back  to  Philadelphia.  He  was  taken  to  the 
Douglas  Hospital  November  22.  1915,  where  he  died 
December  19.  Dr.  Montrose  Wm.  Thornton,  of  Bos- 
ton, at  his  request,  preached  at  Rev.  Brown's  funeral, 
at  which  were  present  Bishops,  Presiding  Elders,  pas- 
tors and  many  laymen.     (For  his  work  see  "Lamott") 


home  with  Dr.  Emerson  and  Henry  Chester.  These 
proved  to  be  staunch  friends  to  him.  They  instructed 
him  in  the  rudiments  of  education,  catechised  him  in 
the  principles  of  religion  and  doctrines  of  the  church. 
Here  he  learned  the  barber's  trade.  He  attended  St. 
Thomas'  P.  E.  Church  for  a  while,  but  in  1836  he 
united  with  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  attended  evening 
school  and  began  preparation  for  the  ministry.  In  1838 
he  entered  the  Wesleyan  Academy  at  Wilbraham, 
Mass.,  where  he  remained  for  two  years.  In  1840,  his 
health  failing  him,  he  returned  to  Philadelphia.  Later 
he  entered  Oberlin  College,  but  did  not  complete  the 
college  course  there.  In  1844  he  opened  a  school  in 
Detroit,  Michigan.  He  pastored  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  that  city  from  1844  to  1847.  He  was  elected  prin- 
cipal of  Union  Seminary,  out  of  which  grew  Wilber- 
force  University.  Later  he  was  transferred  to  the  In- 
diana Conference  and  stationed  at  New  Orleans,  La. 
After  various  pastorates  in  the  Southern  States,  he 
was  elected  at  the  General  Conference  of  1864  as  editor 
of  the  Christian  Recorder,  but  he  subsequently  re- 
signed, and  was  elected  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
Parent  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  which 
he  held  for  four  years.  (See  Missionary  Department"). 
In  1868  he  was  elected  Bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  at  the  General  Conference  meeting  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  and  ordained  May  25,  1868. 

Brown,  Bishop  Morris,  second  bishop  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in  Charleston.  S.  C,  January 
9,  1770,  of  mixed  parentage.  Bv  dint  of  perseverance 
he  acquired  what  was  in  his  time  a  good  education. 
Being  free  he  had  little  trouble  in  securing  a  license  to 


47 


'iV- 


/7  : 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


•e 


preach  as  soon  as  he  professed  religion.     In   1817  he 

was  ordained  a  deacon  and  the  next  year  an  elder,  and 
began  traveling  in  1818.  In  1822  occurred  the  Den- 
mark Vesey  insurrection  in  Charleston,  and  the  col- 
ored people  were  put  under  a  ban,  and  in  scores  of  in- 
stances, persecuted.  Morris  Brown  had  a  prosperous 
business  in  Charleston,  as  a  maker  of  boots  and  shoes. 
He  assisted    numbers    of    slaves    in    purchasing  their 


BISHOP  MORRIS  BROWN. 

freedom,  and  in  various  ways  succored  them,  and  for 
so  doing  was  rigorously  punished.  Things  touching 
the  privileges  of  people  of  color  grew  to  such  a  pitch 
that  numbers  of  free  colored  people  began  to  go  to  the 
North.  Among  them  was  Morris  Brown,  who  had 
been  imprisoned  for  one  year  before  1822,  for  too  great 
sympathy  for  slaves.  He  succeeded,  however,  in 
reaching  Philadelphia,  in  1822,  though  suspected  of 
complicity  in  the  plot,  and  his  family  came  to  Phila- 
delphia in  1823.  He  was  far  from  being  a  stranger, 
having  attended  conferences  in  the  North  prior  to  that 
time.  Here  he  was  untrammelcd,  and  entered  with 
zest  into  church  and  every  reform  movement  of  that 
day.  Bishop  Allen  was  growing  feeble  and  needed  an 
assistant,  and  the  great  zeal  and  intelligence  of  Rev. 
Morris  Brown  were  recognized  and  he  was  elected 
and  ordained  to  the  episcopacy,  May  25,  1828.  The 
position  was  no  sinecure ;  travel  was  difficult,  and  hos- 
pitality very  uncertain,  but  the  work  was  prosecuted 
with  vigor  and  fine  results,  and  when  Bishop  Allen 
passed  away,  in  1831,  Bishop  Morris  Brown  became 
the  sole  bishop  until  1836,  when  Edward  Waters  was 
ordained  as  bishop  to  assist.  Bishop  Brown  had  quite 
a  family,  the  members  of  which,  beginning  in  1823, 
entered  most  conspicuously  into  the  social  life  of 
Philadelphia.  His  son,  Morris  Brown,  Jr.,  became  one 
of  Philadelphia's  leading  musicians.  In  1844,  while  in 
Canada,  on  episcopal  work,  he  suffered  a  stroke  of 
paralysis,  from  which  he  never  recovered,  dying  in 
Philadelphia,  May  9,  1849. 

Brown,   Norman   Wesley,   was   born   October  20, 
1876,  in  Hartford  County,  Md. 

His  mother  was  given  away  as  a  wedding  present 


during  the  days  of  slavery  from  Ellicott  City,  Md.,  to 
Hartford  County.  Her  father,  Robert  Johnson  and 
Charles  Bell  were  in  the  organization  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  at  Randall's  Town,  Md.,  about  1836.  His 
father  and  his  father's  father  were  in  the  organization 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Hartford  County. 

At  the  age  of  seven  he  was  librarian  in  the  Sunday 
School,  after  which  he  was  teacher  and  superintendent. 
He  was  converted  November  23,  1890,  under  the  pas- 
torate of  Rev.  W.  W.  Wilson. 

He  went  to  Baltimore  in  September,  1891,  and  joined 


i 

REV.  N.  W.  BROWN,  D.D. 

Trinity  A.  M.  E.  Church,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
J.  W.  Norris,  who,  the  following  April,  appointed  him 
class  leader.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  J.  H. 
Collett  April,  1895  !  joined  the  Baltimore  Conference  in 
1897,  Bishop  Handy  presiding;  was  ordained  deacon 
by  Bishop  Handy  in  1899,  and  ordained  elder  by  Bish- 
op Lee. 

Took  the  normal  course  at  Morgan  College,  Balti- 
more;  theological  course  at  Howard  University,  and 
corresponding  scientific  course  from  Chicago  Univer- 
sity. Presented  a  thesis  upon  the  subject  "Immortal- 
ity of  the  Soul"  to  the  faculty  of  Morris  Brown  Col- 
lege, Atlanta  Ga.,  and  received  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity- 
Served  the  following  appointments:  Tatuxtent  Cir- 
cuit, Baltimore  Conference,  two  years ;  Winchester 
four  years;  transferred  to  the  Virginia  Conference  and 
stationed  at  Trinity  Church,  Norfolk,  where  in  five 
years  he  paid  $1225  more  on  the  bonded  indebtedness 
than  six  pastors  had  paid  in  ten  years  before,  and 
greatly  increased  the  membership,  frescoed  the  church, 
put  in  new  carpets,  electric  lights,  bought  a  new  par- 
sonage and  put  $450  granolithic  wall  and  walk  around 
the  church;  spent  one  year  at  John  M.  Brown  Church 
in  the  same  city. 

Though  he  was  out  of  his  church  nine  Sundays  on 
the  account  of  sickness,  raised  $2138.10  and  greatly 
increased  the  membership. 

He  then  served  four  years  at  Newport  News,  Va. ; 
built  a  $2700  parsonage;  added  172  members  to  the 
church ;  rearranged  the  mortgage  debt  and  raised  more 
than  $25,000  during  the  four  years. 


48 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


9 


He  is  now  serving  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Blue- 
field,  W.  Va.,  where  up  to  this  date  he  has  had  splendid 
success.  He  has  raised  during  his  ministry  $41,919.93 
and  added  479  members  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Since 
coming  to  Bluefield  he  has  drawn  into  the  service  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  some  of  the  most  intelligent  and 
best  people  of  the  town. 

Browne,  John  Andrew,  one  of  three  children  of 
Henry  and  Annie  Maria  Brown,  both  members  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in  1882,  at  Chestertown, 
Md.  He  attended  school  for  fifteen  years,  first  in  the 
public  school  of  Chestertown,  Md. ;  private  school, 
Wilmington,  Del. ;  graduated  from  Payne  Theological 
Seminary  of  Wilberforce  University,  Wilberforce, 
Ohio,  from  which  he  received  the  degree  of  B.D.     He 


REV.  J.  A.  BROWNE,  B.D. 

was  converted  and  joined  church  in  1895;  has  held  ol- 
fices  of  class  leader,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school 
teacher,  district  superintendent  of  Sunday  school, 
Wilmington  District,  two  years ;  was  licensed  to 
preach  at  Bethel,  Wilmington,  Del.,  in  1906,  by  Rev. 
P  E.  Mill,  P.  E. ;  ordained  deacon  in  191 1,  at  Wilber- 
force, Ohio,  by  Bishop  Gaines;  ordained  elder  in  1913, 
at  Wilmington,  Del.,  by  Bishop  Tyree.  He  joined  the 
annual  conference  in  1906,  at  Bethel  Church,  Phila- 
delphia, under  Bishop  Gaines.  Held  the  following  ap- 
pointments :  Edgefield  Circuit,  Columbia  Conference, 
1911-12;  Harrington,  Del.,  Philadelphia  Conference, 
1912-13;  Bristol  and  Bensalem,  Philadelphia  Con- 
ference, 1913-16;  La  Mott,  Pa.,  Philadelphia  Confer- 
ence, since  January,  1916.  He  is  secretary  of  the  In- 
terdenominational Ministerial  Alliance  of  Philadel- 
phia and  Vicinity.  Married  Selia  Genera  McElroy,  of 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  December  2,  191 1.  He  is  an  Odd  Fel- 
low and  K.  of  P. ;  has  served  also  on  the  Republican 
State  Central  Committee  of  Delaware ;  organized  Ne- 
gro Protective  League  at  Bristol,  Pa.,  and  served  as 
president  of  same. 


Bruce,  Elijah  Turner,  was  born  January   1,   i<: 
at  Williamsport,    W.    Va.      His    mother,    Mary    Jane 
Bruce,  was  a  member  of  the  Waugh    M.    E.    Chapel. 


Left  fatherless  at  the  age  of  three,  with  an  invalid 
mother,  he  struggled  against  poverty  and  disadvant- 
ages to  gain  a  limited  education.  He  was  converted 
at  the  age  of  nine,  was  teaching  Sunday  school  at 
twelve,  and  at  fourteen   was    superintendent,    and   an 


REV.  E.  T.  BRUCE  . 

exhorter  at  seventeen.  In  1887  he  came  to  Philadelphia 
and  attended  private  schools.  He  became  a  member 
of  Mt.  Pisgah,  under  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  N.  D. 
Temple.  In  1893  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mag- 
gie Drummond,  to  which  union  three  boys  were  born. 
He  was  licensed  as  local  preacher  by  Rev.  E.  T.  M. 
Webster,  and  joined  the  Philadelphia  Conference 
under  Bishop  Tanner.    His  first  charge  was  at  Ward 


MRS.  E.  T.  BRUCE. 

Mission,  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  successful,  hav- 
ing purchased  the  present  site  and  built  the  chapel. 
He  has  served  successfully  the  following  charges: 
Atglen,  two  years;  Wrightsyille,    two    years;  Cham- 


49 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<s> 


bersburg,  five  years ;  Devon,  four,  years ;  Ward  (sec- 
ond time),  two  years;  Asbury,  Chester,  two  years, 
where  he  is  now  the  very  acceptable  pastor. 

Bryant,  Ira  Toussaint,  Secretary-Treasurer  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Sunday  School  Union,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  was 
born  at  Selma,  Ala.,  October  14,  1877,  son  of  Mans- 
field Edward  and  Alice  A.  (Choice)  Bryant.  He  was 
a  student  of  Fisk  University,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  a 
graduate  of  A.  &  M.  College  of  Normal,  Ala.,  during 
the  administration  of  Prof.  William  H.  Council.  Mr. 
Bryant  was  once  an  apprentice  in  the  same  institution 
of   which   he  is  now   head.      He    served   as    monotype 


ern  Recorder,"  which  he  published  at  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  felt  throughout  the  connection.  In  his  early 
ministry  he  combined  teaching  and  preaching,  having 


PROF.  IRA  T.  BRYANT,  LL.B. 

operator  in  the  United  States  Government  Printing 
Office,  Washington,  D.  C,  and  received  the  degree  of 
LL.B.  from  Howard  University.  Has  filled  the  posi- 
tion of  Secretary-Treasurer  of"  the  A.  M.  E.  Sunday 
School  Union  since  1908;  business  manager  of  the 
"Southern  Christian  Recorder;"  editor  of  the  Sunday 
School  Publications  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  ;  director 
of  People's  Savings  Bank  and  Trust  Company;  ex- 
president  Nashville  Negro  Board  of  Trade;  trustee 
Wilberforce  University,  Payne  University,  Turner 
Normal  College;  Progressive;  Mason;  District  Grand 
Master  of  the  Odd  Fellows,    Jurisdiction    Tennessee. 

Bryant,  Mansfield  Edward,  first  editor  of  "The 
Southern  Christian  Recorder,"  was  born  in  Seales,  Lee 
County,  Ala.,  in  December,  1853.  He  was  educated  at 
Atlanta  University,  Ga..  leaving  only  three  months  be- 
fore his  graduation  as  a  bachelor  of  arts.  He  was  a 
classmate  of  Prof.  R.  R.  Wright,  Sr,  now  president  of 
the  Georgia  State  College,  Savannah,  Ga.  After  leaving 
sehool  he  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  Feeling  the  call  to  preach  he  was  licensed, 
and  joined  the  Alabama  Annual  Conference  at  Ope- 
lika,  Ala.,  December,  1875,  under  Bishop  Ward,  and 
was  elected  chief  secretary  of  the  conference.  He 
served  the  Church  as  follows:  Pastor  of  Brown 
Chapel,  Selma,  Ala.,  1876-9;  Emanuel,  Mobile,  Ala., 
1880;  Florence,  Ala.,  1881-2;  presiding  elder  of  Flor- 
ence District,  1882;  presiding  elder  of  Selma  district, 
1883-87,  editor  of  "Southern  Christian  Recorder,"  1888- 
.    He  was  a  forceful  writer  and  made  the  "South- 


REV.  M.  E.  BRYANT,  A.M.,  D.D. 


50 


MRS.  M.  E.  BRYANT. 

taught  school  at  Florence,  Ala.  He  also  edited  a 
newspaper  while  in  Selma,  called  the  "Southern  Inde- 
pendent."   He  married  Miss  Alice  A.  Choice,  in  Ope- 


°8> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


lika,  Ala.,  September  23,  1874.  They  had  five  children : 
Theodore,  who  is  a  practicing  physician  in  Texas; 
Ira  T.,  secretary-treasurer  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Sunday 
School  Union;  Ida  Mae,  deceased;  M.  E.  Bryant  Jr., 
physician  and  printer ;  Carrie,  wife  of  Dr.  C.  H.  John- 
son, of  Atlanta,  Ga.  Rev.  Bryant  died  in  Mobile,  Ala., 
and  was  buried  in  Selma,  Ala. 

Bumry,  Richard  H.,  son  of  Richard  and  Mary 
Bumry,  was  born  in  King  George  County,  Va.,  April 
17,  1864,  and  was  brought  to  Washington,  D.  C,  the 
same  year.  He  lost  both  parents  before  he  was  three 
years  of  age,  and  was  cared  for  by  his  paternal  grand- 
mother. He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  until  the  year  of  1879,  selling  newspapers 
and  blacking  shoes  between  school  hours.    He  worked 


REV.  R.  H.  BUMRY. 


in  the  United  States  Treasury  Department  under  the 
superintendency  of  O.  L.  Pitney,  during  the  years  of 
1880-81,  and  a  part  of  1882.  He  went  to  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  in  the  latter  part  of  1882,  worked  in  the  Black 
Diamond  Steel  Works,  the  Oliver  Wire  Mills,  and 
drifted  into  the  occupation  of  a  coachman.  He  mar- 
ried his  first  wife,  Miss  Jennie  Hogan,  of  Washington, 
D.  C,  May,  1884.  He  was  -converted  January  31, 
1886,  and  joined  Brown  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Pittsburgh,  Rev.  W.  S.  Lowry,  pastor.  He  was  li- 
censed to  preach  under  the  pastorate- of  Rev.  I.  N. 
Ross,  February,  1893  i  served  as  class  leader,  superin- 
tendent of  Sabbath  school,  trustee  and  steward ;  en- 
tered the  itinerancy  October,  1893,  under  Bishop 
Payne,  and  received  the  last  appointment  given  by 
that  great  educator.  Was  ordained  deacon  October, 
1895,  by  Bishop  Arnett,  at  Wheeling,  W.  Va. ;  or- 
dained elder  October,  1896,  by  Bishop  Lee,  at  Wash- 
ington, Pa.  He  has  served  the  following  churches  in 
the  Pittsburgh  Conference :  Parkersburg,  W.  Va.,  one 
year;  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  five  years  ;  Monongahela  City, 
Pa.,  one  year;  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  two  years;  Browns- 
ville, Pa.,  four  years;  Allen  Chapel,  N.  S.,  Pittsburgh, 
four  years ;  presiding  elder  five  years,  and  is  now  in 
his  first  year  at  Bethel,  Wylie  Avenue,  Pittsburgh.  He 


cancelled  the  mortgage  debt  at  Wheeling;  remodeled 
church  at  Brownsville,  and  at  Wheeling.  To  January, 
1916,  has  received  787  persons  into  the  Church;  bap- 
tized 428;  married  205  couples.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  general  conferences  of  1904,  1908,  1912  and  1916, 
and  a  member  of  the  following  boards:  C.  C.  P.  A., 
"Western  Recorder"  and  Publication.  He  married  his 
second  wife,  Miss  Mary  Armstrong,  of  West  Eliza- 
beth, Pa.,  September  1,  1915.  He  has  four  children  by 
his  first  wife — Richard,  Arnold,  Julia  and  William. 
Two  boys,  Richard  and  Arnold,  are  High  School 
graduates.  Julia  is  an  alumnus  of  Wilberforce,  and 
now  teaching  at  the  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute, 
High  Point,  N.  C.  The  youngest,  William,  is  at  pres- 
ent attending  High  School.  Rev.  Bumry  has  contribu- 
ted constantly  to  the  city  newspapers  in  the  towns  of 
his  pastorate,  as  well  as  his  Church  organs.  He  is  the 
first  Negro  elected  to  office  in  Fayette  County,  hav- 
ing served  three  years  as  school  director  in  Browns- 
ville, Pa.  He  is  a  Mason  and  Odd  Fellow,  and  was 
the  chief  secretary  of  the  B.  M.  C,  held  in  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  1890. 


Buren,  Nathaniel  C,  son  of  Isaac  and  Louisa  Bu- 
ren,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
in  1859,  in  Van  Buren  County,  Tenn.,  one  of  ten  chil- 
dren. He  received  his  education  at  Walden  Univer- 
sity, Banvier  Theological  College  and  Moody  Bible 
Institute.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  1873 ;  served  as  steward,  class  leader,  local 


REV.  N.  C.  BUREN. 

preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  superintendent ; 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1877,  by  Rev.  Hiram  Robin- 
son, and  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1880;  was  or- 
dained deacon  in  1882  by  Bishop  Campbell,  and  or- 
dained elder  in  1884,  by  Bishop  Turner.  He  has  held 
the    following    appointments :    Decatursville    Circuit, 


51 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


Pleasaat  Hill  Circuit,  Maurry  Circuit,  St.  James, 
Nashville,  Tenn. ;  Pulaski  Station,  Columbus  Station, 
Franklin  Station,  Kirkwood  Station,  Wichita,  Kan. ; 
Lincoln,  Neb. ;  Atchison,  Kan. ;  Leavenworth,  Kan. ; 
Lexington,  Mo. ;  Boonville,  Mo. ;  St.  John,  Kansas 
City,  Mo.  Presiding  elder  in  Missouri  for  ten  years. 
He  built  St.  James'  Church,  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  at  a 
cost  of  $2500,  in  1886.  He  lifted  mortgages  on  the  fol- 
lowing churches:  Columbus,  Ky.,  $500;  Wichita,  $800; 
Boonville,  $850;  St.  James,  St.  Louis,  $500.  He  has 
received  1875  into  the  Church,  baptized  500  and  mar- 
ried 200.  He  was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences 
of  1904,  1908,  1912  and  1916.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Missionary  Board,  1912-16,  trustee  of  Wilberforce, 
1908-1915.  He  married  Hattie  L.  La  Fitte,  of  Savan- 
nah, Ga.,  in  1897.  He  is  connected  with  the  Masonic, 
Royal  Arch.     He  owns  a  home. 

Buren,  Mrs.  Hattie  Lucile,  was  born  in  Savannah, 
Ga.,  the  oldest  child  of  Samuel  and  Rachel  La  Fitte. 
When  she  was  still  quite  young  her  parents  moved  to 
Macon,  Ga.,  where  she  attended  and  completed  the 
course  at  Ballard  Normal  Institute  and  Fisk  Univer- 
sity, graduating  from  the  latter  with  high  honors,  in 


MRS.  HATTIE  L.  BUREN. 

1893.  She  taught  at  the  Lincoln  School,  of  Atchison, 
Kan.;  in  Tipton  and  Sedalia,  Mo.,  and  Western  Uni- 
versity, at  Quindaro,  Kan.,  in  each  position  giving  en- 
tire satisfaction.  On  January  7,  1897,  she  was  mar- 
ried to  Rev.  N.  C.  Buren,  B.D.  Since  that  time  she  has 
been  prominent  both  in  affairs  of  the  Church  and 
state,  being  for  four  years  treasurer  of  the  State  Fed- 
eration of  Women's  Clubs  of  Missouri,  and  for  three 
years  president  of  the  Mite  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Missouri  Annual  Conference.  She  is  now  serving  her 
third  year  as  president  of  this  society  for  the  St. 
Joseph    District.     She   possesses  a  contralto  voice  of 


great  sweetness.  She  is  one  of  the  twelve  prominent 
women  of  our  race  consulted  by  Governor  Hadley,  of 
Missouri,  in  reference  to  the  establishment  of  a  home 
for  incorrigible  Negro  girls.  She  was  president  of  the 
Board  of  Lady  Managers  for  the  North  Western  Col- 
ored Orphanage,  and  directed  the  "Tag  Day  Rally," 
collecting  for  the  orphanage  $600  in  a  single  day.  She 
is  untiring  in  her  efforts  to  promote  the  intellectual, 
moral  and  spiritual  condition  of  our  people  in  the  com- 
munity in  which  she  lives. 

Burgan,  Isaac  M.,  was  born  October  6,  1848,  near 

Marion,  McDowell  county,  North  Carolina.     Though 

a  child  of  slavery,  he  was  blessed  with  a  mother  that 

possessed  rare  Christian  virtues,  Sylvia  Burgan,  whose 


REV.  ISAAC  M.  BURGAN,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

piety  and  devotion  were  strongly  instrumental  in  giv- 
ing trend  and  impetus  to  his  long  life  of  noble  useful- 
ness. As  a  slave,  young  Burgan,  in  view  of  his  trust- 
worthiness, enjoyed  privileges  denied  his  fellow-serv- 
ants. Evidences  of  the  potential  brilliancy  of  his  in- 
tellect were  clearly  apparent  at  an  early  age,  and  with- 
out a  teacher  lie  would  learn  the  lessons  assigned  his 
white  companions  with  such  seeming  ease  that  his 
owner,  thinking  it  unsafe  to  have  such  a  knowing  slave 
about  the  place,  offered  him  for  sale  at  eight  hundred 
dollars,  but  when  the  traders  came  for  him,  his  owner 
refused  fifteen  hundred  dollars  for  him,  Isaac  having 
manifested  a  disposition  to  use  his  thoughts  and  ener- 
gy to  the  best  advantage  of  his  owner. 

After  emancipation,  he  left  North  Carolina  and 
worked  on  the  railroad  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 
It  was  while  at  work  in  Tennessee  that  he  entered 
school  for  the  first  time,  and  began  a  battle  royal  for 
the  acquisition  of  an  education.  In  December,  1869, 
he  entered  a  select  school  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky.  In 
October,  1870,  he  entered  school  at  Evansville,  Ind., 
under  the  tutorship  of  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Townsend,  D.D. 
He  remained  here  three  years,  being  given  great  in- 
spiration by  Rev.  Townsend.  He  entered  the  State 
Normal  School  at  Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  in  1873,  and  at 
once  took  the  lead  over  his  classmates,  most  of  whom 


52 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


were  whites,  in  many  branches,  excelling  especially  in 
mathematics  and  philosophy.  He  left  the  Normal  in 
the  fall  of  1875,  just  before  graduating,  to  begin  teach- 
ing at  Lost  Creek,  near  Terre  Haute.  He  taught  here 
three  years  and  earned  a  reputation  of  being  "a  nat- 
ural born  teacher." 

While  working  in  Tennessee  he  was  converted  in 
a  Baptist  revival,  but  he  did  not  join  the  church  at 
that  time.  He  afterwards  placed  himself  under  the 
watch  care  of  the  M.  E.  Church  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky:, 
and  later  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Evansville, 
Ind.  He  experienced  a  call  to  the  Christian  ministry 
early  in  life,  and  while  attending  the  Normal  at  Terre 
Haute,  he  was  licensed  to  exhort  by' Rev.  J.  M.  Town- 
send.  While  teaching  at  Lost  Creek,  he  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  Rev.  John  Meyers.  Leaving  his  school 
work  at   Lost   Creek,  he  entered  the  theological   de- 


Little  Rock  (Brown  Memorial),  Marrellton,  Rates- 
ville,  Helena  and  Arkadelphia,  Ark.,  and  the  college 
chapel  at  Paul  Quinn  College,  Waco,  Texas,  during  the 
nineteen  years  of  his  presidency  of  that  institution. 

The  degree  of  B.D.  was  conferred  upon  him  on 
his  graduation  at  Wilberforce.  The  degree  of  D.D. 
was  conferred  upon  him  by  Philander  Smith  College, 
Little  Rock,  Ark.,  and  the  degree  of  LL.D.  was  con- 
ferred upon  him  by  Wilberforce  University. 

At  this  writing  he  is  the  efficient  presiding  elder 
of  the  Houston  district,  Texas  Conference,  and  he  is 
meeting  with  the  same  degree  and  kind  of  success  that 
has  characterized  the  efforts  of  his  previous  years. 

He  has  published  a  book  "Sunday,  the  Original 
Sabbath,"  which  is  commended  by  Bishops  Lee  and 
Coppin  and  Editor  AYright,  and  others. 

Burley,  John  Wesley,  first  financial  secretary  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  of  free  African  parentage,  at 
Baltimore,  Md.,  in  1833.  His  father,  one  of  Baltimore's 
most  prosperous  colored  citizens,  was  able  to  give  him 


MRS.  I.  M.  BURGAN. 

partment  of  Wilberforce  University  in  1878.  His  col- 
lege record  was  commendable  in  every  respect.  At 
the  beginning  of  his  junior  year  he  joined  the  Indiana 
Annual  Conference  at  New  Albany,  under  Bishop  J. 
A.  Shorter,  and  was  appointed  pastor  at  the  college. 
While  in  college  he  held  charges  at  Maysville,  Har- 
veysburg  and  Troy,  Ohio.  He  graduated  with  honors, 
and  was  chosen  valedictorian  for  class  day  exercises. 
He  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Shorter  a  few 
weeks  after  graduating.  While  on  the  campus  at  Wil- 
berforce he  was  urged  upon  to  go  to  Texas  and  take 
charge  of  Paul  Quinn  College,  which  was  then  a  strug- 
gling school  of  little  .consequence.  He  went  and  it 
was  soon  apparent  that  mountain-like  difficulties  would 
eventually  be  either  scaled  or  tunneled,  and  that  im- 
pending improbabilities  would  vanish.  He  gave  nine- 
teen of  the  best  years  of  his  life  in  developing  for  Tex- 
as African  Methodism  an  institution  of  higher  learn- 
ing second  to  none  in  the  Southwest.  Paul  Quinn  Col- 
lege will  ever  stand  as  a  fitting  monument  to  his  con- 
structive skill,  his  untiring  energy  and  patience,  his 
undaunted  courage  and  his  sacrificing  love  for  his 
church  and  his  race. 

He  was  ordained  elder  in  the  West  Texas  Con- 
ference at  Rockdale  in  1884,  by  Bishop  A.  W.  Way- 
man.    He  has  held  charges- at  the  following  places: 

Oakland,  Cal. ;  Richmond,  Ind. ;  Vincennes,  Ind. ; 


•— — -— "*" 

fSL 

(f'J  .''ti^S 

Ser - 

— . — ~^, 

If 

'■'.■  "v'-5S 

•'■  '■'■'-'.  vV'-\ 

yp$yffiffi? 

■     .-"     ■:■ 

IP 

REV.  JOHN  WESLEY  BURLEY. 

a  thorough  business  education.  He  early  entered  the 
ministry,  and  was  elected  the  first  financial  secretary 
by  the  general  conference,  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  in 
1872.  He  was  re-elected  in  1876,  but  died  at  Washing- 
ington,  D.  C,  April  n,  1879. 

Butler,  Mrs.  M.  J.  Brockman,  was  born  in  Green- 
ville, South  Carolina,  April  5,  1883.  She  attended  the 
public  school  of  Greenville,  graduating  in  1896.  She 
studied  at  Barber  Memorial  Seminary  in  Anniston, 
Alabama,  for  several  years ;  later  attending  Clark  Uni- 
versity in  Atlanta. 

She  served  as  matron  and  teacher  at  Campbell 
College,  Jackson,  Mississippi,  under  Dr.  D.  H.  Butler, 
her  husband,  who  was  President  for  five  years.  For 
two  years  she  was  secretary  for  the  Federated  Clubs 
of  the  State  of  Mississippi  and  organized  the  first 
Charitable  and  Literary  Club  under  the  auspices  of 
the  State  Federation  in  Jackson,  Miss.  At  the  Nation- 
al Temperance  Union  that  convened  in  Baltimore,  Md., 
November,  1910,  she  represented  the  State  of  Texas. 
She  was  leader  of  the  Mississippi  delegation  to  the 
Connectional  Missionary  Convention  that  was  held  in 
New  Orleans  in  1914.  She  was  elected  to  represent 
the  women  at  the  General  Conference  at  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  in  1916.     She  served  three  terms  as  state  presi- 


53 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


dent  of  the  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  of  the  state  of  Mississippi ;  served  also  a  third 


MRS.  MAMIE  J.  BROCKMAN  BUTLER. 

term  as  president  of  the  Conference  Branch  of  the 
Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of 
the  Mississippi  Conference. 

Butler,  William  H.  H.,  the  youngest  son  of  Israel 
and  Catherine  Butler,  natives  of  Virginia,  who  moved 
to  Ohio  about  1836,  being  forced  to  leave  that  State 
because  of  the  law  against  Free  Negroes,  was  born  in 
Seneca  County,  O.;  reared  in  Barlow  Township, 
.Washington    County,    O.,    and    attended    the  primary 


REV.  WM.  H.  H.  BUTLER,  D.D. 

neighborhood  school  for  colored  children  till  twelve 
years  of  age,  when  his  father  died.  Then  he  went  out 
into  the  world  to  secure  better  educational  advant- 
ages, leaving  a  widowed  mother.  Worked  at  doing 
"chores"  for  board  and  lodging  in  the  home  of  a  mar- 
ried sister  residing  at  Sandusky,  O.,  and  was  the  first 


student  of  Negro  blood  to  attend  the  high  school  of  that 
city,  and  completed  the  four  years'  course  in  two 
years,  graduating  at  the  head  of  his  class  when  under 
fifteen  years  of  age.  He  enlisted  as  a  private  while 
yet  under  fifteen  years,  and  was  assigned  to  Company 
E,  Fifth  Regiment,  United  States  Colored  Troops  (In- 
fantry), and  joined  the  regiment  in  September,  1864, 
in  the  trenches  before  Petersburg,  Va.,  and  partici- 
pated in  several  battles — Chapin's  Farm,  Deep  Bot- 
tom, New  Market  Heights,  Fort  Gilmore,  Fort  Har- 
rison, in  Virginia ;  and  went  with  his  regiment  to 
North  Carolina  in  the  winter  of  1864-5,  and  was  in  the 
attacking  force  at  the  capture  of  Fort  Fisher,  Fort 
Johnson,  Fort  Anderson,  Fort  Sugar  Loaf,  and  at  the 
battles  of  Cape  Fear  River,  Faison's  Station,  and  wit- 
nessed the  surrender  of  Johnson's  army  to  Sherman, 
at  Durham,  N.  C,  in  April  1865.  He  was  mustered 
out  with  his  regiment  at  Morehead  City,  N.  C.,  in  Au- 
gust, 1865,  and  discharged  at  Camp  Chase,  near  Co- 
lumbus, O.,  in  September  of  the  same  year.  He 
matriculated  in  Runkle  College  in  the  autumn  of  1866 
and  graduated  with  honor  in  1869;  was  employed  by 
.the  Freedmen's  Bureau  in  1870,  in  charge  of  Ariel 
•  Academy,  at  Camp  Nelson,  Jessamine  County,  Ky. ; 
organized  the  Republican  party  in  that  county,  and 
with  Rev.  C.  O.  H.  Thomas,  then  pastor  in  that  coun- 
ty, forced  the  election  officers  to  permit  the  Negroes 
to  vote.  He  was  forced  to  go  armed  constantly,  to 
guard  against  the  Ku  Klux  Klan.  He  continued  in 
the  presidency  of  Ariel  Academy  for  six  years.  Then 
followed  several  years  as  a  teacher  and  preacher  at 
Lebanon  and  Franklin,  Ky.  In  1880  he  was  admitted 
at  Pine  Bluff,  Ark.,  to  the  Arkansas  Conference,  Bish- 
op Turner  presiding.  He  was  assigned  to  St.  John's 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Pine  Bluff.  He  subsequently  pas- 
tored  at  Greenville,  Miss.,  and  was  presiding  elder  of 
the  Grenada   (Miss.)    district.     He  has  pastored  Pul- 


MRS.  W.  H.  H.  BUTLER. 

aski,  Franklin  and  Fayette,  in  Tenn. ;  Newport,  R.  I. ; 
Bridge  Street  Church,  Brooklyn  (two  terms)  ;  Allen 
Chapel,  Phila. ;  Wilmington,  Del.;  Bethel,  Detroit, 
Mich.;  Richmond  and  Terre  Haute,  Ind.;  St.  Paul, 
Columbus,  Ohio ;  Brown  Chapel,  Pittsburgh,  and  St. 


54 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<s° 


Paul,  Washington,  Pa.  He  has  been  presiding  elder 
over  the  Greensboro  and  Morgantown  and  the  Wil- 
mington districts,  in  North  Carolina ;  the  Michigan 
conference ;  the  Harrisburg  district,  Philadelphia  con- 
ference ;  the  Greater  New  York  district  of  the  N.  Y. 
conference ;  the  East  Pittsburgh,  and  the  Washington 
districts  of  the  Pittsburgh  conference ;  has  been  a 
member  of  every  General  Conference  except  two,  since 
1880,  and  was  chairman  of  the  Episcopal  Committee 
in  1912  and  1916.  He  has  been  legal  adviser  to  bishops 
and  others  in  some  of  the  most  important  ecclesiasti- 
cal actions  of  the  church  for  the  last  twenty  years. 
He  is  the  author  of  "Ecclesiastical  Judicial  Practice 
in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,"  a  book  regarded  as  authority 
in  all  judicial  proceedings  in  our  Connection.  Brown 
and  Wilberforce  Universities  have  honored  him  with 
the  degrees  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He  is  now  serving 
as  presiding  elder  of  the  Washington  P.  E.  district, 
of  the  Pittsburgh  conference.  His  wife,  a  lady  of 
rare  charm,  was  Miss  Evangeline  R.  Brown,  the 
daughter  of  Willis  Brown,  of  Masseyville,  Ross  Coun- 
ty, Ohio,  who  was  regarded  in  his  lifetime  as  a  man 
of  wonderful  mental  endowment.  They  were  mar- 
ried at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  19,  1905. 

Butler,  James  William,  one  of  four  children  of 
Walter  and  Cynthia  (Wilson)  Butler,  was  born  Au- 
gust 17,  1885,  at  Kalamazoo,  Mich.  His  father  died 
when  he  was  two  years  old ;  received  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  that  city,  and  Parson's  Business 
College,  all  the  while*  supporting    himself;    was'con- 


MR.  J.  W.  BUTLER. 


verted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  January, 
1904;  served  as  steward,  class  leader,  Sunday  school 
teacher  and  superintendent  and  church  clerk.  He  was 
a  lay  alternate  in  1912,  and  a  delegate  to  the  Centen- 
nial Conference,  in  1916.  Mr.  Butler  is  chief  grinder  of 
knives  in  one  of  the  largest  manufacturing  companies 
in  his  city,  and  head  of  the  only  Negro  shoe  repairing 
business  in  Kalamazoo. 

Byas,  Dr.  A.  D.,  was  born  on  a  farm,  near  Kos- 
ciusko, Miss.,  May  9,  1871.  His  parents  being  persons 
of  thrift  and  economy,  in  spite  of  slavery,  made  great 
headway    in    accumulating    much    of    this    "world's 


goods."  His  literary  training  was  received  at  Rust 
University,  Holly  Springs,  Miss.,  and  he  studied  medi- 
cine in  Meharry  Medical  College,  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
graduating  with  honor  in  the  Class  of  1899.  He  is  one 
of  the  leading  physicians  of  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  has 
a  large  practice  in  and  out  of  the  city.  He  is  quiet  and 
unassuming,  yet  dignified  and  intelligent  in  bearing 
and  personality.  He  lives  in  one  of  the  most  elegant 
homes  in  the  city  of  Memphis.  His  splendid  wife, 
who  was  a  Miss  Lula  McPherson  before  marriage,  is 
a  lady  of  culture  and  refinement.  The  doctor  is  a 
loyal  member  and  honored  trustee  of  Avery  Chapel, 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Memphis,  Tenn.  He  was  a  delegate 
to  the  general  conference  in  Kansas  City  and  to  the 
Centennial  General  Conference,  May,  1916,  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Byrd,  Elijah,  was  born  April  2,  1849,  m  Wycomico 
county,  Md.,  near  Salisbury.  His  father  was  a  s-lave 
and  his  mother  was  a  free  woman,  and  therefore  it 
necessitated  her  to  work  very  hard  to  raise  her  four 
children.  His  mother  was  without  education,  but  his 
father  obtained  a  meagre  education  enough  to  give 
him  the  rudiments  of  an  education.  After  he  arrived 
to  seventeen  vears  of  age  he  came  North  and  attended 


REV.  ELIJAH  BYRD,  D.D. 

night  school.  He  studied  theology  first  under  Dr. 
(now  Bishop)  L.  J.  Coppin,  then  at  Miller's  Bible  Col- 
lege, Philadelphia,  191 1,  and  received  the  degree  from 
that  institution.  He  joined  the  Philadelphia  Annual 
Conference  at  Columbia,  Pa.,  May,  1887.  He  received 
no  work  this  year,  next  year  he  was  appointed  a  mis- 
sionary, and  organized  a  mission  at  Fernwood,  Pa., 
took  in  fifteen  members  and  had  a  Sunday  School  of 
thirty  pupils. 

May  22,  1889,  he  was  appointed  to  Camden,  Del. 
He  found  the  church  in  bad  condition  and  built  a  new 
one,  which  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  Lewis  Hood,  then 
Presiding  Elder  of  the  Wilmington  District.  May 
19,  1891,  he  was  appointed  to  Milford,  Del.  The  peo- 
ple scattered  on  account  a  $500  debt  made  against 
their  will.    Rev.  Byrd  paid  $420  of  this  that  year.   - 


55 


» 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


In  1892  he  was  appointed  to  Mt.  Friendship,  Del., 
which  owed  $913  on  the  church  and  $75  on  the  Blanco 
School  Home.  All  of  this  was  paid  off.  May  2-],  1895, 
he  was  appointed  to  Smyrna,  Del.  The  church  was  to 
be  sold  in  two  weeks,  but  he  paid  the  $300  and  saved 
the  church. 

May  18,  1896,  he  was  appointed  to  South  Chester, 
Pa.  There  was  a  good,  nice  church  but  with  heavy 
debt.  Two  weeks  after  he  was  appointed  to  this 
church  many  of  the  people  were  thrown  out  of 
work  on  account  of  hard  times,  but  Rev.  Byrd  paid 
$150  on  the  principal  and  $300  on  floating  debt  and 
kept  all  the  current  expenses  down. 

May  23,  1898,  he  was  appointed  to  Wayne,  Pa., 
and  found  an  indebtedness  of  $2000.  He  remained 
there  three  years,  paid  $1200  of  the  debt  and  all  cur- 
rent expenses.  May  19,  1901,  he  was  appointed  to 
Devon,  Pa.,  and  found  a  church  not  large  enough  to 
hold  the  people  so  it  was  necessary  to  tear  out  and  ex- 
tend the  building  and  make  it  large  enough  to  accom- 
modate the  people.  This  was  done  at  the  cost  of 
$1500,  and  all  of  this  was  paid  but  $252. 

May  27,  1903,  he  was  appointed  to  Reading,  Pa., 
which  was  in  debt  of  $500,  $125  coming  due  in  nine 
days,  and  with  less  than  thirty  members.  He  preach- 
ed at  two  of  the  parks  for  eight  and  ten  days  respec- 
tively, and  in  eighteen  days  raised  $210,  which  was 
placed  in  the  bank  to  the  credit  of  the  church  and  con- 
fidence was  restored.  May  20,  1907,  he  was  appointed 
to  Zion  Chapel,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  which  had  an  in- 
debtedness of  $2000  principal  and  $500  floating  debt 
and  building  too  small  to  hold  the  people.  He  enlarg- 
ed the  building  at  a  cost  of  $2500,  paying  $1000. 

June  17,  1912,  he  went  to  Morris  Brown,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.  The  attendance  was  small  and  the  debt 
large,  the  people  discouraged.  He  remained  there 
three  years.  May  24,  191 5,  he  went  to  West  Chester, 
Pa.,  and  June,  1916,  he  was  appointed  presiding  elder 
of  the  West  Philadelphia  district,  Philadelphia  Con- 
ference. 


REV.  WILLIAM  BYRD,  D.D.  ■ 

Byrd,  William,  was  born  in  Ross  county,  O.    He 
was  early  impressed  with  a  deep  sense  of  his  calling 


and  began  to  prepare  himself  for  the  work  of  a  gospel 
minister. 

In  the  year  1894  he  was  graduated  from  Wilber- 
force  University.  Then,  for  some  years  he  labored  in 
Ohio,  going  from  Ohio  into  Tennessee,  he  labored 
there  for  three  years  in  the  ministry.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  this  time  he  was  called  into  Georgia  and  there 
he  remained  for  seventeen  years,  six  of  which  were 
as  an  itinerant  minister  and  eleven  years  in  Morris 
Brown  College.  He  was  elected  Vice-President  of 
this  college  and  Professor  of  Exegetical  Theology. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the  General  Conference  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  of  1908  and  1912,  and  at  present 
a  member  of  the  Connectional  Board  of  the  A.  C.  E. 
League.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Centennial  General 
Conference. 

On  July  15,  1914,  he  was  elected  President  of 
Shorter  College,  and  took  charge  of  this  institution 
the  latter  part  of  the  same  month,  and  is  meeting  with 
success. 

Byrd,  William  Paul  Quinn,  the  son  of  Rev.  S.  W. 
and  Sarah  Ann  Byrd,  was  born  (??) 

His  father  was  an  A.  M.  E.  minister  for  41  years,  and 
his  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Rev.  Isaac  Dunica, 
who  assisted  Bishop  Quinn  in  crossing  the  Mississippi 
River  and  in  planting  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  St. 
Louis,  Mo.  W.  P.  O.  Byrd  attended  public  and  ele- 
mentary schools,  the  Centennial  High  School,  of 
Pueblo,  Colo.,  and  Wilberforce  University,  taking  the 
degree  of  B.D.  from  Payne  Seminary,  June,  1901,  be- 
ing valedictorian  of  his  class.     He  was  converted  May, 


rv  -a'uv 


REV.  W.  P.  O.  BYRD,  D.D. 

1896,  under  the  preaching  of  Mrs.  Lena  Mason,  at 
Shorter  Chapel,  Colorado,  his  father  being  the  pastor. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  P.  A.  Hubbard  the 
same  year ;  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Shaffer  at 
Pueblo,  September,  1901  ;  ordained  elder  at  Detroit, 
September,  1903.  by  Bishop  Grant.  He  has  held  the 
following  appointments:  Cripple  Creek,  Colo.,  1901 
(3  months)  ;  St.  Paul's  Church,  1901-2  (6  months), 
where  he  did  good  work,  and  transferred  to  Michigan, 
where  he  held  appointments  at  Whittaker  (6  months), 


56 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


3° 


Adrian,  one  year,  where  he  paid  the  church  out  of 
debt;  St.  Joe,  Mich.  (2  years)  ;  Bellaire,  O.  (10  days)  ; 
Lansing,  Mich.  (3  years),  where  he  remodeled  the 
church,  increased  the  membership  and  increased  all 
reports;  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.  d  year),  where  he  was 
successful;  Mound  Bayou,  Miss,  (appointed  in  1909 
by  Bishop  Lampton  while  he  was  at  Battle  Creek, 
Mich.),  where  he  paid  all  past  debts,  improved  the 
church  and  parsonage,  increased  all  connectional 
claims,  bringing  dollar  money  from  $121  to  $165,  and 
pastor's  salary  from  $300  to  $610;  increasing  Sunday 
school  from  30  to  150;  Clarksdale,  Miss.  (1  year)  and 


presiding  elder  of  the  Moorhead  district  since  1914. 
Rev.  Byrd  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  conference, 
1912  and  is  alternate  to  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence, 1916.  Morris  Brown  College  gave  him  D.D.  in 
1909.  In  Oct.,  1901,  he  was  married  to  Miss  E.  Y.  P. 
Jones,  daughter  of  Bishop  J.  H.  Jones.  They  have 
one  child,  1  year  old.  Mrs.  Byrd  has  been  active  in 
all  church  work,  and  is  now  president  of  the  North- 
west, Miss.,  Conference  branch  of  the  W.  H.  &  F. 
Society,  and  one  of  the  best  workers  in  the  state  of 
Mississippi. 


ALDWELL,  MR.  JAMES  WILSON, 
the  son  of  John  and  Mary  Ann  Cald- 
well, both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  December  8,  T872, 
at  Elizabeth  City,  N.  C,  one  of  nine 
children.  He  entered  school  in  1878 
and  attended  about  10  years,  gradu- 
ating from  the  Philadelphia  Gram- 
mar School  and  Temple  College.  He  was  converted 
in  February,  1888,  and  joined  Union  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Philadelphia,  the  same  year.  He  has  been  steward, 
trustee,  class  leader,  Sunday  school  teacher,  president 
of  Christian  Endeavor,  and  president  of  the  Literary 
Association. 

He  was  elected  delegate  to  the  general  conference 
of  1916.     He  married  Mrs.  Marie  Catherine  Caldwell, 


MR.  JAMES  W.  CALDWELL. 


of  Carlisle,  Pa.,  in  1902.  He  is  connected  with  the 
Standard  Sales  Co.,  and  has  charge  of  electrotype 
plates  in  Jno.  C.  Winston  Pub.  Co.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Protestant  Association,  O.  V.  Catto  Regiment 
of  the  Boys'  Brigade  and  the  National  Association 
for  the  Protection  of  Colored  People.  He  owns  a 
home. 


Caldwell,  Julian  C,  the  sixth  child  of  John  and 
Mary  Caldwell,  was  born  in  Chapel  Hill,  N.  C,  No- 
vember 1,  1870.  His  parents  moved  to  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  when  he  was  very  young,  where  he  received  his 
early  training  in  the  public  schools,  also  the  Manual 
Training  School  and  National  School  of  Elocution 
and  Oratory,  of  same  city. 

In  1891  he  entered  Wilberforce  University  and 
graduated  from  Payne  Theological  Seminary  in  1896. 
He  joined  the  Missouri  Conference  in  1896  under 
Bishop    Tanner.     He    filled    the    following    appoint- 


REV.  JULIAN  C.  CALDWELL. 

ments :     Jefferson  City,  Springfield,  Lexington,  Inde- 
pendence and  St.  Joseph,  all  in  Missouri. 

From  the  time  he  joined  the  church  at  the  age  of 
fifteen  he  became  intensely  interested  in  the  Sunday 
School  and  Christian  Endeavor  work.  He  was  made 
District  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday  Schools  of  the 
Lancaster  District,  Philadelphia  Conference,  when  he 
was  sixteen  years  of  age  and  was  licensed  to  preach 
when  he  was  seventeen.  Perhaps  his  greatest  power 
has  been  in  the  work  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  So- 
ciety. He  joined  the  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor 
of  Union  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1886,  and  in  1888  was  a 
member  of  the  Look  Out  Committee  of  the  Philadel- 
phia Union,  the  largest  city  Union  in  the  world.  In 
1891    he  became  one  of  the  Vice-Presidents   of  the 


57 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3° 


State  of  Ohio  Union,  and  in  1893  presided  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  International  C.  E.  Convention  in  Montreal, 
Canada,  the  first  Negro  to  be  honored  with  that  dis- 
tinction. It  was  through  his  efforts  that  Bishop  Ar- 
nett  and  Bishop  Alexander  Walters,  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Zion  Church,  were  elected  Trustees  of  the  United  So- 
ciety of  Christian  Endeavor. 

In  1908,  at  the  General  Conference  held  in  Nor- 
folk, Ya.,  he  was  elected  General  Secretary  of  the  Al- 
len Christian  Endeavor  League  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  the  voting  people's  department  of  the  church. 
When  elected,  the  department  was  only  in  name,  but 
by  his  strenuous  and  Herculean  efforts,  it  has  grown 
and  developed,  until  to-day  there  are  4215  Leagues 
with  a  membership  approximating  150,000. 

He  has  ably  represented  the  church  and  race  in 
both  International  and  World's  Christian  Endeavor 
Conventions. 

In  1900  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mattie 
M.  Bell,  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  a  graduate  of  Wilberforce 
University ;  and  like  most  men  who  have  done  some- 
thing worth  while,  he  has  been  nobly  assisted  by  this 
splendid  helpmeet,  who  side  by  side  with  him  has 
labored  faithfully  for  the  uplift  of  humanity,  in  the 
pastorate  or  as  Secretary  of  the  Allen  Christian  En- 
deavor League,  for  he  has  often  said,  speaking  of  his 
wife,  "I  am  the  talking  part  of  the  League  and  she  is 
the  business  part." 

Campbell,  Jabez  Pitt,  eighth  Bishop  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  was  born  in  Slaughter  Neck,  Sussex  County, 
Delaware,  February  5,  1815,  the  son  of  Anthony  and 
Catharine  Campbell,  both  of  whom  were  born  free,  as 
was  their  son.     His   father  was   a   regularly  licensed 


BISHOP  JABEZ  PITT  CAMPBELL. 

preacher  in  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  as  such  came  into 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  where  he  labored  for  about  ten 
years,  mostly  in  the  itinerant  service. 

He  ran  away  from  Delaware  at  an  early  age.  The 
circumstances  causing  the  same  are  thus  stated  in  his 
own  language.  "My  father  was  induced  to  give  me  as 
collateral  security  for  debt  to  one  of  his  creditors,  he 
being  finally  unable  to  pay  the  debt,  subjected  me  to 
the  danger  of  being  taken  for  the  debt.  This  could  be 
and  was  very  often  done  in  accordance  with  the  stat- 
utes of  Delaware.  I  ran  away  on  account  of  that 
liability,  and  came  to  the  State  of  Penna.     After  my 


arrival  in  the  latter  State,  I  was  sold  for  a  term  of 
years,  the  last  two  of  which  I  bought  from  my  master, 
after  serving  him  four  and  a  half  years.  At  eighteen 
years  of  age  I  became  my  own  master.  The  primary 
object  which  I  had  in  view  in  making  this  purchase 
was  an  insatiable  desire  for  a  good  education."  He 
was  a  constant  student,  rising  in  the  early  hours  of 
the  morning  before  the  duties  of  the  day  called  him 
elsewhere,  and  applying  himself  to  study.  This 
course  of  self-instruction  was  systematically  done  and 
continued  to -the  closing  days  of  his  life.  Many  of  the 
books  left  by  him  can  be  seen  to  contain  memoranda 
on  the  margins,  showing  his  close  application  to  study. 

Such  was  his  breadth  and  depth  in  the  study  of  the 
Scriptures  that  he  was  known  as  the  "theologian  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church"  during  his  day  and  generation. 

He  was  always  religiously  inclined  and  raised  in  a 
religious  atmosphere.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of 
ten  years  and  became  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
under  Rev.  James  Towson,  of  the  Lewistown  Circuit, 
Delaware ;  became  a  member  of  Bethel  Church,  Phil- 
adelphia, in  1833. 

The  following  in  chronological  order  are  the  leading 
events  in  his  ministerial  career  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church : 

September  10,  1S39,  licensed  to  preach  in  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  by  Rev.  N.  C.  W.  Cannon. 

April  5,  1841,  license  renewed  by  the  same  minister. 

June  20,  1 84 1,  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Morris 
Brown,  in  Providence,  R.  I. 

June  20,  1843,  ordained  Elder  by  Bishop  Morris 
Brown,  in  New  York  City. 

(October  23,  1844,  married  to  Stellar  Medley  in  New 
York  City  by  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Bishop). 

Appointments : 

June  20,  1843,  to  Albany  Station,  by  Bishop  M. 
Brown.  1847,  a  teacher  in  colored  school  of  Hudson, 
N.  Y.,  certified  by  J.  W.  Fairfield,  supt. 


MRS.  MARY  A.  CAMPBELL. 

The  records  show  that  at  this  period  in  the  life  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  he  labored  in  the  community 
of  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  teaching  and  preaching.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  copy  of  a  certificate  of  membership  in  the 
Wesleyan  Methodist  Connection,  where  he  labored  a 
short  while. 

"Hudson,  N.  Y„  May  13,   1847. 
To  all  whom  it  may  concern : 

This  certifies  that  the  bearer.  J.  P.  Campbell,  is  an  elder 
of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Connection  of  America  and  that 
he  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  W.  M.  Church  in  this 

BENJ.  WEBBER,    Minister  in  charge." 


58 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<s 


April  2,  1850 — Pastor  Second  Wesleyan  Church 
in  Albany — John  D.  Anthony,  Recording  Steward. 

June  18,  1850— To  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Buffalo,  N. 
Y.,  by  Bishop  Wm.  P.  Quinn. 

June  9,  1851—  To  Buffalo,  N.  Y,  by  Bishop  W.  P. 
Quinn. 

July  5,  1852— To  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  by  Bishop  W. 
Nazrey. 

June  15,  1853 — To  Flushing,  L.  I.  Circuit,  by  Bish- 
op W.  Nazrey. 

June  13,  1854  to  Union  Church,  Philadelphia,  by 
Bishop  W.  Nazrey. 

June  17,  1855— To  Union  Church,  Philadelphia,  by 
Bishop  W.  Nazrey. 

(June  14,  1855 — Married  to  Mary  Ann  Shire,  a 
widow.    They  remained  united  until  his  death.) 

June  15,  1854 — Appointed  the  general  book  stew- 
ard and  editor  of  the  Christian  Recorder  "in  accord- 
ance with  the  arrangements  of  the  Philadelphia  Annual 
Conference  of  1854,  the  Revs.  W.  T.  Cato  and  M,  M. 
Clark  having  resigned  their  offices." 

June  12,  i860 — Appointed  to  Trenton  Circuit  by 
Bishop  W.  P.  Quinn. 

May  29,  1861 — Appointed  to  Trenton  Circuit  by 
Bishop  W.  Nazrey. 

May  19,  1862 — Appointed  to  Bethel,  Philadelphia, 
by  Bishop  W.  Nazrey. 

May  19,  1863 — Appointed  to  Bethel,  Philadelphia, 
by  Bishop  W.  Nazrey. 

Oct.  26,  1863 — Appointed  to  Waters  Chapel  and 
Ebenezer  Station,  Baltimore,  by  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne. 

April  25,  1864 — Appointed  to  Ebenezer  Station  by 
Bishop  D.  A.  Payne. 

May,  1864 — Elected  the  eighth  bishop  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  at  Philadelphia. 

Campbell,  Mary  Ann,  wife  of  Bishop  Jabez  Pitt 
Campbell,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  January  10, 
1818,  daughter  of  George  and  Eliza  Akins.  She  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  the  city  and  for  a 
short  time  in  a  school  conducted  by  the  Society  of 
Friends.  In  1836  she  was  married  to  Joseph  Shire, 
and  to  them  were  born  four  children,  one  of  whom, 
Joseph  J.  Shire,  still  lives  in  Philadelphia.  Of  Bishop 
she  joined  Mother  Bethel,  Philadelphia.  Of  Bishop 
Allen  she  had  vivid  recollections.  Becoming  a  widow 
in  1849,  she  was  wedded  to  Rev.  Jabez  P.  Campbell 
in  1855.  In  1873  she  became  one  of  the  organizers  of 
Allen  Chapel.  In  1874,  when  the  Women's  Parent 
Mite  Missionary  Society  was  organized,  she  was  in- 
cluded among  the  promoters  of  the  same,  for  a  short 
time  was  president  and  for  a  decade  was  the  treasurer, 
age  compelling  her  to  resign.  She  was  a  life  member, 
with  her  husband,  of  the  board  of  managers  of  the 
Home  for  Aged  and  Infirm  Colored  Persons.  She  died 
in  Philadelphia  January,  1910,  aged  92  years. 

Canady,  H.  D.,  was  born  near  LaGrange,  Troup 
County,  Ga.,  April  19,  1859,  the  eldest  son  of  Phillip 
and  Maherva  Canady.  He  got  his  rudimentary  educa- 
tion in  the  rural  public  schools,  by  going  to  school  to 
any  who  came  to  his  community  and  styled  themselves 
teachers.  His  academic  and  college  training  was  in 
Clark  University  under  Dr.  W.  H.  Crogman.  He  was 
converted  and  joined  McGhee  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  Troup  County  near  Hogansville,  Ga. ;  was  bap- 
tized and  licensed  to  preach  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Wood.  He 
joined  the  conference  in  Augusta,  Ga.,  under  Bishop 


Dickerson.  He  studied  in  Meharry  Medical  School, 
Nashville,  more  for  the  knowledge  of  physical  science 
than  for  the  purpose  of  practicing  medicine.  He  also 
attended  Gammon  Theological  Seminary,  Atlanta  ;  was 
given  the  degree  of  D.D.  by  Turner  Theological  Sem- 
inary, Morris  Brown  College.  Dr.  Canady  married 
Miss  Nora  L.  Bryant,  who  also  was  a  student  at  Clark 
University.  They  have  reared  a  successful  family  of 
5  children — 3  sons  and  2  daughters :  H.  Canady,  Jr., 
M.D.,  who  is  a  successful  practicing  physician  in  At- 
lanta;  Joseph  R.  Canady;  J.  W.  Gay  Canady;  Hildonia 
P.  Canady,  who  is  principal  of  the  industrial  depart- 
ment of  Ingraham  Institute,  Sparta,  Ga.,  and  Mrs. 
Helen  G.  Penn,  wife  of  Rev.  I.  Garland  Penn,  Jr.,  of 
Chester,  Pa.  Rev,  Canady  has  made  a  successful  rec- 
ord as  a  pastor  and  presiding  elder.  Pastored  Payne 
Chapel,  Nashville,  Tenn. ;  Steward  Chapel,  Macon, 
Ga. ;  Allen  Temple,  Atlanta.-  He  freed  Steward  Chapel 
of  a  mortgage  debt  of  long  standing.  Allen  Temple 
was  also  left  free  of  debt.  Many  have  been  converted 
and  joined  the  church  under  his  preaching  and  min- 
istry. He  has  lived  for  many  years  in  Atlanta,  Ga., 
where  he  is  favorably  known.  He  is  at  present  the 
presiding  elder  of  the  Monticello  District  of  the  At- 
lanta conference. 

Capehart,  William  Henry,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Fayetteville  District  of  the  North  Carolina  Annual 
Conference,  was  born  in  Murfreesboro,  Hertford  Co., 
N.  C,  of  Mary  Ann  and  W.  Henry  Capehart.  His 
mother  was  a  strict  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
his  father  a  deacon  in  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church. 
His  mother  looked  carefully  after  young  William's 
religious  training.  Pie  was  educated  in  the  public 
school  in  Murfreesboro,  and  Shaw  University,  Ra- 
leigh, N.  C,  where  he  was  converted  on  his  return 
home,  joining  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  Rev.  Henry  Epps,  then  presiding  elder 
on  the  Weldon  District;  joined  the  North  Carolina 
Annual  Conference  November,  1883,  in  Durham,  N.  C, 
and  was  sent  for  3  years  to  St.  Paul  Station,  Chapel 
Hill,  N.  C,  where  quite  a  number  were  converted  and 
joined  the  church.  He  was  ordained  deacon  Novem- 
ber 29,  1886,  at  Company  Shops,  N.  C,  by  Bishop 
Turner  and  appointed  to  St.  James,  Kinston,  remain- 
ing 2  years,  remodeling  the  church  and  adding  quite 
a  number  of  members.  He  was  ordained  elder  No- 
vember, 1887,  by  Bishop  Campbell  and  has  since  held 
the  following  appointments :  Washington  Mission, 
where  he  found  only  17  names,  with  not  even  a  church 
building.  He  remained  here  for  three  years,  bought  a 
lot,  built  a  church  and  added  many  members ;  Mt.  Zion 
Church,  Wilmington,  N.  C,  two  years,  where  he  did 
good  work  and  added  quite  a  large  number  to  the 
church  ;  presiding  elder  of  the  Wilmington  district  five 
years  and  six  months  from  November,  1893,  during 
which  time  he  surpassed  for  finance,  conversions  and 
accessions  the  records  of  all  his  predecessors ;  pastor  of 
Mt.  Olive,  Wilmington,  one  year  and  six  months ;  St. 
Stephen,  Wilmington,  two  years,  where  at  a  spring 
revival  more  adults  were  converted  than  ever  before 
at  a  revival  conducted  exclusively  by  the  pastor,  and 
all  finances  were  increased ;  presiding  elder  of  the 
New  Bern  district,  two  years ;  presiding  elder  of  the 
Wilmington  district  the  second  time,  three  years,  and 
he  is  now  presiding  elder  of  the  Fayetteville  district. 
As  presiding  elder  his  district  Sabbath-school  conven- 
tion collected  and  donated  to  Kittrell  College  the  larg- 


59 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3° 


est  amount  of  any  S.  S.  convention  in  the  state  of 
North  Carolina.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to  all  general 
conferences  since  1896,  including  the  Centennial  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  1916.  May  25,  1892,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Laura  L.  Simonson,  of  Washington,  N. 
C.  They  have  three  children :  Dr.  Leroy  G.  T.,  and 
Misses  Helen  E.  and  Bessie  L.  Capehart. 

Carey,  Archibald  James,  the  son  of  Rev.  Jefferson 
and  Anna  B.  Carey,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  August  25,  1868,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  one 
of  three  children.  He  entered  school  when  four  years 
of  age.  He  has  attended  Atlanta  University,  Chicago 
Theological  Seminary  and  the  University  of  Chicago 
and  is  a  graduate  of  Chicago  Theological  Seminary, 
and  has  received  the  honorary  degrees  of  A.M.,  D.D. 
and  Ph.D.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the  church 
at  nine  vears  of  age.  He  held  nearly  every  office  in 
the  local  church;  was  licensed  to  preach   in   1888  at 


papers  and  has  been  in  great  demand  for  public  ad- 
dresses. He  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Northwest- 
ern Recorder  Publishing  House.  He  is  prominently 
connected  with  the  F.  and  A.  M.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F., 
K.  of  P.,  Foresters,  Elks  and  Tabors,  and  stands  high 
in  the  councils  of  the  Republican  party  of  his  city.  He 
was  chosen  by  the  International  Commission  to  de- 
liver the  oration  for  the  Negroes  on  the  occasion  of 
the  centennial  celebration  of  Perry's  victory  on  the 
Lakes.  All  states  participating  in  the  war  of  1812 
made  appropriations  and  were  represented  on  prog- 
ram. Other  speakers  were  Pres.  Wilson,  ex-Pres. 
Taft,  Dr.  McDonald,  of  Montreal,  and  Gov.  Cox,  of 
Ohio.  Dr.  Carey  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Dunn  as 
Commissioner  of  Half-Century  Negro  Freedom  cele- 
bration held  in  Chicago ;  appointed  by  Mayor  Harrison 
member  of  the  Chicago  Board  of  Moving  Picture  Cen- 
sors, and  appointed  by  Mayor  Thompson  Chief  Ex- 
aminer of  Law  Claims.  Pie  was  leader  of  his  delega- 
tion to  general  conferences  of  1904,  1908,  1912  and 
1916. 

Carolina,  W.  P.,  the  son  of  Rev.  F.  B.  Carolina, 
was  born  August  29,  1864,  at  Columbia,  S.  C.  Attend- 
ed the  public  schools  and  Allen  University.     Convert- 


REV.  A.  J.  CAREY,  D.D. 

Atlanta,  Ga.,  was  ordained  deacon  in  1889  at  Wash- 
ington, Ga.,  and  elder  in  1890  at  Monticello,  Ga.,  all  by 
Bishop  Gaines.  He  joined  the  North  Georgia  annual 
conference  in  1888  under  Bishop  Gaines  and  has  held 
the  following  appointments:  Bethel,  Athens,  Ga.,  1891- 
95;  Mt.  Zion,  Jacksonville,  1895-98;  Ouinn  Chapel, 
Chicago,  1898-1904;  Bethel,  Chicago,  1904-1909;  In- 
stitutional, Chicago,  1909  to  date.  He  built  Bethel, 
Athens,  Ga.,  at  a  cost  of  $2500  in  1892;  lifted  mort- 
gages on  Ouinn  Chapel  to  the  amount  of  $23,000  in 
1898-1904,  on  Bethel,  Chicago,  to  the  amount  of  $12,- 
500  in  1904-1909,  and  has  taken  about  5000  people  into 
the  church.  He  was  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ences of  1904,  1908,  1912,  1916.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  financial  board  from  1904  to  1912;  member  of  the 
Commission  on  Federation  of  Methodist  Churches, 
1915,  and  was  voted  for  for  financial  secretary  in  1912, 
and  for  bishop  in  1916.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Davis,  daughter  of  Hon.  Madison  Davis,  former  post- 
master of  Athens,  Ga.,  in  1890.  They  have  five  chil- 
dren :  Eloise,  22  years;  Annabel,  21  years;  Madison,  19 
years;  Dorothy,  10  years,  and  Archibald,  Jr.,  7  years. 
Eloise  and  Annabel  are  graduates  of  Chicago  Univer- 
sity and  have  degrees  of  A.B.  and  Ph.B.  respectively. 
Dr.  Carey  has  been  a  frequent  contributor  to  nevvs- 


REV.  W.  P.  CAROLINA,  D.D. 

ed  in  Brooklyn,  New  York,  January  26,  1886.  Licens- 
ed to  preach  in  Bridge  Street  Church,  Brooklyn,  Ma)', 
17,  1887,  Wm.  H.  Thomas,  Sr.,  pastor. 

Appointed  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  Hymansville 
Circuit,  Georgetown  District,  South  Carolina  Confer- 
ence, Dr.  N.  B.  Sterrett,  P.  E.,  to  fill  out  the  unexpired 
term  of  Rev.  Abner  Black,  deceased,  November,  1887. 

Pastored  Gourdine  Circuit,  Aiken  Station,  Beau- 
fort, during  the  cyclone  of  1893,  when  more  than  500 
were  destroyed.  He  is  author  of  "The  Cyclone,"  mu- 
sic to  which  was  arranged  by  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin.  He 
also  pastored  Bethel  Station,  Georgetown  ;  organized 
St.  Stephen's  Church  in  Georgetown ;  pastored  St. 
Luke  Station,  Charleston  ;  thence  to  St.  Stephen  at 
Georgetown ;  Pee  Dee  Circuit,  Orangeburg  Station ; 
Bethel  Station,  Columbia. 

After  twenty-three  years  of  pastoral  work  was  ap- 
pointed presiding  elder  of  the  Winnsboro  District,  Co- 


60 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


& 


lumbia  Conference.  At  present  he  is  presiding  elder 
of  the  Marion  District  and  President  of  Flegler  High 
School,  Northeast  Conference.  He  was  sixteen  years 
member  of  the.  Dollar  Money  Committee,  four  years 
a  trustee  of  Wilberforce  University,  twelve  years  trus- 
tee to  Allen  University.  The  degree  of  D.D.  confer- 
red by  Allen  University,  June,  1908. 

The  dollar  money  was  more  than  doubled  at  all 
points  he  pastored  except  three.  Many  men  among 
whom  were  drunkards  and  gamblers  were  brought  to 
Christ  under  his  administration. 

Carr,  Harry  Augusta,  son  of  Primus  and  Martha 
Carr,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
February  20,  1878,  at  Oakwood,  Texas,  one  of  sixteen 
children.  He  entered  school  when  ten  years  of  age, 
attending  the  public  schools  and  Paul  Quinn  College 
from  which  he  graduated  with  the  degree  B.D.  as  the 
valedictorian  of  his  class.  He  was  converted  August 
13,  1889,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1898  at  Bryan,  Texas,  by  Rev. 
G.  W.  Anderson ;  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1900 
at  Taylor,  Texas,  under  Bishop  Salter;  was  ordained 
deacon   in    1900  at   Belton,  Texas,   and   elder   1902  at 


REV.  H.  A.  CARR,  B.D. 

Austin,  Texas,  both  by  Bishop  Salter.  He  has  held 
the  following  appointments :  Edward  Chapel,  Waco, 
1900;  Harrison  Chapel,  Waco,  1903;  dean  of  Paul 
Quinn  College,  Waco,  1903;  Belton,  1904;  Corsicana, 
1909;  Bethel,  Dallas,  1914  to  date.  He  bought  Ed- 
wards Chapel,  Waco,  for  $900  in  1900;  rebuilt  Belton 
Church  for  $1100  in  1908;  built  church  at  Corsicana, 
$7500,  in  1911.  He  has  taken  947  people  into  the 
church,  baptized  324  and  married  117  couples.  He 
was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of  1908,  1912 
and  1916.  He  married  Mary  S.  Allen,  of  Waco,  Tex., 
November  26,  1903.  His  first  wife,  Clara  Shaw,  died 
in  1898.  By  his  first  wife  he  has  one  son,  William, 
age  19,  and  by  his  second  wife  he  has  two  children : 
Hattie,  age  10  years,  and  Lois,  age  3  years.  His  son 
William  is  a  senior  at  Wilberforce  University.  He 
has  made  the  following  addresses :  "Two  Knights  of 
Destiny,"  "Unfettered  Mechanism,"  "In  the  Begin- 
ning."    Pie  is  a  home  owner  and  is  connected  with 


the  F.  and  A.  M.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  and  K.  of  P.,  also 
with  the  Negro  Welfare  Board  and  Negro  Business 
Men's  League,  of  Dallas,  Texas. 


Carter,  Jesse  Benjamin,  one  of  eight  children  of 
Junius  and  Maria  Carter,  both  loyal  members  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  at  Midway,  Ala.,  February 
9,  1869,  started  to  school  at  Midway  in  1880,  finished 
grammar  school,  and  did  much  private  study;  received 
D.D.  from  Payne  University,  Selma,  Ala.,  was  con- 
verted August  8,  1892,  joined  A.  M.  E.  Church,  served 
as  steward,  class  leader,  exhorter,  Sunday  school 
teacher  and  superintendent,  chorister,  etc.,  was  licens- 
ed to  preach  at  Pratt  City,  Ala.,  December,  1892,  by 
Rev.  J.   S.   Shr.v/;  joined   annual   conference   at   Pratt 


REV.  J.  B.  CARTER,  D.D. 

City,  November,  1893,  under  Bishop  Grant;  was  or- 
dained deacon  at  Columbiana,  December  1,  1895,  by 
Bishop  Grant,  and  elder  December  5,  1898,  at  Hunts- 
ville  by  Bishop  Turner ;  has  held  the  following 
charges:  Jamison  circuit,  1895-6;  Calera  circuit,  1897- 
1898;  Hopewell  circuit,  1899;  Oakgrove  circuit,  1900; 
Blossburg,  1901-5;  Bethel,  Ensley,  1906-10;  Metropoli- 
tan, Mobile,  1911-13;  Bethel,  Ensley,  1914-16.  He  re- 
modeled the  church  at  Jamison  at  cost  of  $300 ;  at  Ca- 
lera, cost  $175:  at  Shelby,  Ala.,  cost  $400;  at  Hope- 
well, $200,  and  paid  full  amount;  also  paid  $10,000  on 
Metropolitan  church  at  Mobile,  and  $21,000  on  new 
church  at  Ensley ;  paid  mortgage  of  $600  at  Bloss- 
burg; was  delegate  to  general  conferences  of  1904, 
1908,  1912  and  1916;  statistician  for  North  Ala.  con- 
ference 7  years ;  trustee  of  Wilberforce  8  years,  and 
Payne  University  16  years;  author  of  "Methodistic 
Modes,"  is  past  master  of  Masons  and  past  chancellor 
of  Knights  of  Pythias.  His  wife  is  Mrs.  Cora  E. 
Carter,  of  Enon,  Ala.,  to  whom  he  was  married  Aug. 
2,  1894.  Their  children  are  Hattie  L.,  a  graduate  of 
Broad  Street  Academy,  Mobile,  Ala.,  and  a  teacher  in 
Birmingham  city  schools,  and  William  B.,  18  years 
old;  Festus  McNeal,  16  years  old.  Dr.  Carter  owns 
a  home  and  other  property  and  has  been  the  inspira- 
tion for  scores  of  his  people  to  secure  homes. 


61 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


Catto,  William  Thomas,  first  business  manager 
of  Christian  Recorder,  was  born  of  free  parents  in 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  about  1809,  and  removed 
with  his  family  to  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  1846.  He  was 
the  father  of  Prof.  O.  V.  Catto,  who  was  murdered  in 
Philadelphia  during  an  election  riot,  October  10,  1871. 
Almost  immediately  on  settling  at  Philadelphia,  Mr. 
\V.  T.  Catto  became  connected  with  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  and  because  of  his  attainments  was  named 
book  steward  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  This  he  held 
until  1852,  when  he  was  given  a  pastoral  charge  which 
was  not  to  his  liking,  and  he  resigned  from  the  church 
and  became  a  Presbyterian.  He  died  in  Philadelphia 
in  1869. 

Certain,  Rev.  W.  D.  was  born  in  Camden  County, 
South  Carolina,  in  the  early  sixties,  and  was  brought 
to  Florida  by  his  parents,  Edward  R.  and  Elizabeth 
Certain,  when  he  was  seven  months  old.  He  entered 
school  at  the  age  of  seven  and  received  his  literary 
training  in  Stanton  Normal  Institute,  Cookman  Insti- 
tute, and  Edward  Waters  College.  He  taught  school 
in  Duval,  Putnam  and  Volusia  counties  in  Florida. 
Later  he  studied  Greek,  Latin  and  Hebrew.     He  was 


was  appointed  to  East  Palatka  and  Federal  Point  Cir- 
cuit. After  serving  one  year  he  consented  to  trans- 
ler  to  Bethel  Station,  Shelbyville,  Kentucky,  on  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1895.  He  served  this  station  successfully 
for  two  year%  nearly  paying  a  large  debt.  Each  year 
the  revival  efforts  were  attended  with  many  conver- 
sions. He  also  served  as  secretary  twice  and  assistant 
secretary  once  of  the  West  Kentucky  Conference.  He 
was  appointed  to  St.  James  Chapel,  Louisville,  Ky., 
October,  1897,  by  Bishop  Salter,  paying  the  delin- 
quent monthly  dues  of  four  months  in  the  Building 
and  Loan  Association,  and  keeping  up  the  monthly 
obligations  during  the  time  of  the  two  appointments. 
He  entertained  the  West  Kentucky  Annual  Confer- 
ence, October,  1897.  In  February,  1898,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  East  Florida  conference,  to  St.  Paul 
Station,  St.  Augustine,  Fla.,  February  20,  1898.  There 
was  a  mortgage  of  $3000. 

He  paid  $500  in  ninety  days  and  had  a  successful 
revival  with  thirty-five  converts,  renovated  the  church 
and  repaired  the  roof.  When  he  reported  at  Lake  City, 
Fla.,  February,  1898,  he  was  elected  secretary  of  the 
conference  and  was  made  presiding  elder  of  Jackson- 
ville District  to  succeed  the  late  Dr.  S.  H.  Coleman, 


REV.  W.  D.  CERTAIN,  D.D. 

converted  in  1874,  during  the  pastorate  of  John  R. 
Scott,  Sr.,  at  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Jacksonville, 
Fla.  He  was  licensed  to  exhort  and  preach  by 
Rev.  P.  B.  Braddock  in  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Jacksonville,  Fla.,  May,  1888.  In  1882  he  married  Miss 
Alice  LaRoche,  of  Columbia,  S.  C,  on  February  13. 

Much  credit  is  due  to  his  faithful  companion  for 
his  attainment  in  the  ministry.  He  joined  the  East 
Florida  Conference  in  Gainesville,  Fla.,  February,  1890, 
under  Bishop  Arnctt,  and  was  appointed  to  Plant  City, 
Seffner  and  College  Hill,  by  Presiding  Elder  T.  W. 
Long,  at  the  District  Conference  of  which  he  was  sec- 
rctary-in-chief,  July,  1890.  February  24,  1891,  he  was 
ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Arnett  in  St.  Paul  Church, 
Jacksonville,  Fla.,  and  was  assigned  to  the  Pomna,  Sta- 
suma  Circuit,  which  embraced  five  points. 

He  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Ward,  at  Lake 
City,  Fla.,  in  Mt.  Pisgah  Church,  February,  1894,  and 


MRS.  MARY  ALICE  CERTAIN. 

who  was  killed  by  the  derailing  of  the  train,  Decem- 
ber 14,  1898.  He  served  this  district  for  four  years, 
making  increase  in  all  departments  of  the  church  work, 
many  churches  being  built  and  thousands  added  to  the 
membership.  lie  was  appointed  to  St.  Paul  Station 
1903  by  Bishop  J.  A.  Handy.  Served  for  three  years 
and  had  the  greate.-t  revival  in  the  history  of  the 
church,  during  July  and  August,  i<  03,  when  120  per- 
sons were  added  to  the  church.  This  membership  was 
increased  from  2co  to  400  in  three  years,  and  a  mort- 
gage of  $400,  with  interest,  was  paid  within  the  first 
thirteen  months.  The  church  was  renovated  and  the 
dollar  money  was  increased.  As  a  result  Dr.  Certain 
was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  Lake  City  District,  by 
Bishop  Tanner,  January,  1905. 

He  was  again  elected  secretary  of  this  Conference. 
He  served  this  district  with  credit  for  four  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  eleven  churches  were  built  and  hun- 
dreds of  souls  were  converted.    The  dollar  money  was 


62 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


-S 


greatly  increased  and  the  educational  funds  were  in- 
creased from  $150  to  $325.  The  Conference  Territory- 
was  divided  into  six  Presiding  Elders'  Districts  in 
1909,  and  he  was  appointed  to  the  Suwannee  District, 
which  district  he  served  for  two  years.  He  was  need- 
ed to  pay  a  debt  incurred  by  the  building  of  a  parson- 
age, and  he  was  assigned  to  St.  Paul  Station,  St.  Au- 
gustine, Fla.,  December,  191 1,  which  charge  he  had 
served  quite  thirteen  years  prior  to  this  appointment. 
He  labored  in  this  charge  successfully  for  two  years. 

In  the  revival  of  1912-13,  51  persons  were  convert- 
ed and  $1100  were  paid  on  the  parsonage,  which  was 
finished  and  furnished  at  a  cost  of  $300,  and  a  $200  or- 
gan installed,  and  all  general  claims  increased. 

He  was  appointed  to  the  Suwannee  District  the 
second  time  December,  1913,  by  Bishop  John  Hurst, 
and  was  heartily  received  by  the  district.  On  his  re- 
turn after  two  years'  absence  and  at  this  writing  is 
serving  his  second  year  of  the  new  term. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  following  General  Con- 
ferences, 1900,  1908,  1912.  He  has  been  a  Mason  for 
twenty-six  years,  320,  and  member  of  Fidelity  Podge, 
No.  251,  Jacksonville,  and  Assistant  Grand  Chaplain 
Odd  Fellows  for  thirty-four  years ;  also  a  member  of 
Amega  Podge,  No.  5442,  Jacksonville,  Fla. ;  District  De- 
partment Indiana  of  G.  S.  &  D.  of  S.  American  Wood- 
man, U.  B.  of  A.,  Order  of  Progressive,  Men  and  Wo- 
men Mosaic  Temple,  Director  of  Afro-American,  Pro- 
gressive Stock  Company,  St.  Augustine,  Florida,  and 
a  stockholder  and  member,  Jacksonville  Poan  and  In- 
dustrial Company  ;  Ex-trustee  Wilberforce  University  ; 
Trustee  Edward  Waters  College ;  Owner  of  several 
valuable  houses  in  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  and  is  a  delegate 
to  the  Centennial  General  Conference,  1916. 

Certain,  Mary  Alice,  wife  of  Rev.  W.  D.  Certain, 
was  born  in  Winsboro,  S.  C,  and  reared  in  Columbia, 
S.  C,  where  she  received  her  literary  training  during 
the  sixties  and  seventies.  Her  parents  were  Isaac  and 
China  Pa  Roche.  She  was  brought  to  Jacksonville, 
Fla.,  while  in  her  teens  by  her  mother.  She  was  con- 
verted at  sixteen  at  Gordon  Chapel,  Putnam  county, 
Fla.,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Major  Johnson,  while 
living  with  her  grandfather,  William  Gordon. 

She  began  work  as  a  public  school  teacher  in  1884 
and  has  taught  in  the  following  counties  in  the  State 
of  Florida:  Putnam,  Volusia,  Hamilton,  St.  John, 
Pafayette,  Suwaunee  and  Marion,  in  which  county  she 
is  now  engaged.  She  married  Rev.  W.  D.  Certain, 
February  13,  1882.  He  was  himself  a  public  school 
teacher. 

She  has  been  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
thirty-seven  years  and  has  been  active  as  a  church 
worker  in  the  Sunday  School  and  Missionary  Society. 
She  was  active  in  raising  the  first  large  sum  of  money 
for  missions  in  St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church,  St.  Augus- 
tine, Fla.,  during  the  pastorate  of  her  husband  in  1898. 
When  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Handy  accompanied  her  hus- 
band, Bishop  James  A.  Handy,  to  Florida  in  1900,  to 
take  charge  of  the  Eleventh  Episcopal  District,  she 
was  the  right  hand  supporter  of  Mrs.  Handy  in  the 
organizing  of  the  Women's  Mite  Missionary  Society, 
actingas  Secretary.  She  served  as  State  Secretary  of 
the  Mite  Missionary  Society  for  twelve  years,  during 
the  administrations  of  Bishops  Handy,  Tanner  and 
Salter.  She  was  elected  Conference  President  of  the 
East  Florida  Conference  Branch  of  the  Mite  Mission- 
ary Society,  served  three  years  and  declined  the  fourth 


nomination  in  favor  of  Mrs.  Eddie  Byrd,  the  present 
incumbent.  She  has  been  District  President  of  the 
Mite  Missionary  Society  of  the  Jacksonville  District, 
Pake  City  District  and  Suwaunee  District  for  twelve 
years,  traveling  and  working  among  the  sisters  and 
members  generally,  instructing  and  showing  the  neces- 
sity of  becoming  active  missionary  workers. 


Channell,  Squire,  J.,  was  born  on  a  sugar  planta- 
tion, near  Napoleonvil'e,  Pa.,  in  Assumption  Parish  on 
Bayou  Pafouche.  in  the  early  6o's,  the  second  son  of 


REV.  S.  J.  CHANNEPP,  D.D. 

Mr.  Solomon,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  Mrs.  Rosetta 
Channell,  a  native  of  Virginia. 

His  parents  were  founders  of  Nelson  Chapel  A. 


MRS.  P.  M.  CHANNEPP. 

M.  E.  Church  at  Napoleonville,  which  this  son  join- 
ed, at  the  age  of  ten  or  eleven  years.  When  but  a  boy 
he  felt  moved  to  preach  and  when  he  preached  his  first 
sermon  those  present  were  astonished,  some  of  them 


63 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


expressing  themselves  thus:  "That  boy  is  not  going 
to  stay  here.  Did  you  hear  how  he  quoted  the  Bible?" 
In   1890  he  entered  the  ministry. 

The  path  has  not  been  pleasant  all  of  the  way,  but 
he  has  succeeded  up  to  now.  Many  persons  have  been 
saved  by  the  gospel  of  Christ,  preached  by  him ;  many 
churches  and  parsonages  built  and  repaired,  and  many 
debts  paid,  and  his  life  has  been  an  example  wherever 
his  lot  was  cast.  He  has  edited  two  newspapers,  "The 
Louisiana  Horn"  and  the  "Louisiana  African  Meth- 
odist." 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Wilmington  and  Chicago 
General  Conferences  in  1896  and  1904,  respectively. 

Rev.  Channell  has  had  but  limited  school  advan- 
tages. 3  years  after  entering  the  ministry  he  attended 
New  Orleans  University,  but  stayed  only  a  short  while. 
He  has  been  a  hard  and  persistent  student,  doing 
most  of  his  study  under  private  teachers.  He  was 
given  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  by 
Paul  Quinn  College,  Waco,  Texas.  The  doctor  often 
commends  his  present  wife  for  much  of  his  success  in 
these  recent  years.  He  is  especially  careful  of  his  per- 
sonal character.  He  has  never  left  one  charge  owing 
twenty-six  cents.  He  neither  smokes  nor  chews  to- 
bacco and  is  a  total  abstainer. 

He  owns  several  properties  in  different  parts  of 
Louisiana  and  an  excellent  home  in  the  city  of  New 
Orleans. 


Chappelle,  William  David,  was  born  of  slave  par- 
ents, Henry  and  Patsy  Chappelle,  who  had  eleven  chil- 
dren, five  boys  and  six  girls.  William  David,  the  sec- 
ond child,  was  born  in  Fairfield  Co,  about  eleven  miles 
from  Winnsboro,  S.  C,  November  16,  1857.  He  be- 
gan   school    in    1869.      His    teachers     were    northern 


BISHOP  W.   D.  CHAPPELLE,  A.M.,  D.D,  LL.D. 


Channell,  Mrs.  Letitia  Mae,  was  born  in  Caddo 
Parish,  a  few  miles  south  of  Shreveport.  La.  She 
grew  up  on  the  farm  on  which  she  was  born.  She  learn- 
ed first  the  country  life,  the  growing  of  crops,  the 
planting  and  harvesting  of  corn  and  cotton,  etc. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen  the  godmother  took  Leti- 
tia to  live  with  her  in  the  city  of  Shreveport,  La.,  at 
which  place  she  entered  the  Peabody  School  and 
completed  the  grammar  grade.  After  teaching  two 
summers  in  the  public  school  work,  she  went  to  Mary 
Allen  Seminary,  at  Crocket,  Tex.,  where  she  finished 
the  normal  course.  She  then  taught  in  the  public 
school  of  Shreveport  about  four  sessions  and  was  very 
proficient  in  her  work.  In  1908  she  married  Rev.  S. 
J.  Channell,  D.D.,  one  of  Louisiana's  able  preachers. 

Since  then  she  has  taken  her  place  as  one  of  the 
mission  workers  of  the  State.  She  was  Vice-Presi- 
dent of  the  Women's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  of  the  Louisiana  Conference  for  several  years 
and  was  made  President  and  saw  the  mission  work 
double  if  not  triple.  She  was  president  three  years, 
then  she  was  made  state  president  and  is  holding  this 
office  at  this  writing. 

Mrs.  L.  M.  Channell  offered  New  Orleans  for  the 
Women's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Convention 
held  February  of  191 5,  which  was  the  greatest  of  all 
conventions  ever  held  by  the  race  in  the  bounds  of  the 
city.  The  convention  honored  Mrs.  Channell  by  elect- 
ing her  the  secretary  of  that  convention. 

She  was  converted  when  a  child  and  has  been  a 
member  of  the  African  Methodist  Church  from  her 
child  life  up  to  now.  She  has  composed  and  published 
a  number  of  beautiful  poems  and  is  called  by  some  of 
the  missionary  sisters,  "Our  Little  Poet."  She  has 
expressed  the  intention  of  publishing  a  book  of  poems 
at  some  time  in  the  future. 


women,  who  taught  him  the  rudiments,  and  thus  laid 
the  foundation  for  him  to  enter  the  Fairfield  Normal 
Institute.  The  principal  of  this  institute,  Rev.  Wil- 
lard  Richardson,  of  Delaware,  did  more  to  inspire 
William  D.  Chappelle  along  with  many  others  of  Fair- 


MRS.     W.  D.  CHAPPELLE. 

field  County,  to  higher  usefulness  than  any  other  man. 
From  Fairfield  Institute  have  come  such  other  men  as 
the  Rev.  George  Dillard,  Rev.  M.  G.  Johnson,  Rev. 
D.  W.  Frazier  and  Prof.  Kelly  Miller.  \V.  D.  Chap- 
pelle obtained  license  to  teach  in  the  public  schools  in 
1880,  and  was  elected  to  teach  five  miles  from  Winns- 


64 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


•a 


He  has  had  very  little  schooling,  but  studied  much  at 
home.  He  was  converted  February  23,  1882,  and 
joined  church,  and  has  served  as  steward  and  class 
leader.  He  was  lay  delegate  from  the  Cincinnati  Dis- 
trict to  the  Ohio  Annual  Conference  in  September, 
1915,  and  the  general  conference  of  1916.  He  married 
Maggie  A.  Boston,  of  Dover.  Ky.,  x\pril  18,  1894,  and 


boro  for  seven  months  through  the  winter  of  1880-81. 
After  being  converted  in  1875  he  was  called  to  preach ; 
in  November,  1881,  he  joined  the  Columbia  Annual 
Conference  and  was  given  a  mission  ( Pine  Grove)  in 
Lexington  County.  In  December,  1881,  along  with 
five  other  young  men  (D.  T.  MacDaniel,  A.  J.  Hunter, 
A.  J.  Jamison,  C.  C.  Dunlap  and  T.  A.  Saxon)  he  en- 
tered Allen  University,  and,  for  six  years,  struggled 
with  a  wife  and  one  child  to  support,  graduating  in 
1887  as  one  of  the  first  honor  students  of  his  class. 
Ten  years  after  his  graduation  he  was  called  to  the 
presidency  of  his  alma  mater  and  served  as  its  head 
two  years,  at  the  same  time  having  charge  of  one  of 
the  largest  presiding  elders'  districts  in  South  Caro- 
lina. He  served  as  professor  in  Allen  University  be- 
fore his  election  to  its  presidency,  was  secretary  of 
the  trustee  board,  a  pastor  eight  years,  presiding  elder 
eleven,  and  in  1900  was  elected  as  the  secretary-treas- 
urer of  the  Sunday  School  Union,  Nashville,  Tenn., 
and  for  8  years  edited  the  literature  of  the  Sunday 
schools  for  the  entire  connection.  Upon  taking  up  the 
work  at  the  department  he  found  it  in  debt  to  the 
amount  of  $6000,  with  no  machinery  nor  anything  else 
which  would  constitute  a  printing  plant  of  a  publish- 
ing house.  At  that  time  the  Sunday  school  literature 
was  printed  by  the  M.  E.  Church  South.  In  1908  he 
made  his  report  to  the  general  conference  at  Norfolk, 
Va. ;  he  reported  the  S.  S.  Union  out  of  debt  and  $1000 
with  which  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  new  building, 
and  a  printing  outfit  valued  at  $25,000.  In  1908  he  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  South  Carolina  and  was  in  the 
same  year  re-elected  to  the  presidency  of  Allen  Uni- 
versity, which  position  he  filled  until  1912,  when  he 
was  elected  to  the  bishopric  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.  W. 
D.  Chappelle  was  poor  for  when  he  left  Winnsboro  in 
1881  he  had  $50  with  which  to  enter  school.  Being 
determined  and  persistent  in  the  acquiring  of  an  edu- 
cation, Bishop  Dickerson  took  hold  of  him  and  as- 
sisted him,  giving  him  a  room,  furnishing  fuel  and 
allowing  him  to  use  his  horse  to  drive  to  his  work  in 
the  country  every  Sunday,  a  distance  of  eight  miles. 
Through  all  these  years  of  struggle  he  never  faltered, 
and  today  Bishop  William  D.  Chappelle  is  comfortably 
situated  in  the  eastern  part  of  Columbia,  S.  C.  He  is 
paying  tax  on  more  than  $25,000  worth  of  property. 
To  him  have  been  born  five  children,  two  girls,  Lula 
K.  and  Clotelle  D.,  and  three  sons,  William  D.,  Tr., 
LeRoy  P.  and  Henry  Talmage.  The  first  three  named 
children  are  now  married.  W.  D.  Chappelle,  Jr.,  is  a 
practicing  physician  and  has  a  splendid  infirmary, 
making  good  progress  in  his  chosen  profession.  Thus 
it  will  be  seen  that  the  life  of  Bishop  W.  D.  Chappelle 
will  serve  as  an  inspiration  to  other  young  men  who 
are  seeking  to  be  useful  in  their  day  and  generation. 
He  was  married  twice,  first  to  Miss  Eliza  Ayers  (who 
died  May  17,  1S99)  and  with  whom  he  lived  for  nearly 
25  years.  To  them  were  born  the  first  three  children 
mentioned  in  this  sketch.  He  was  next  married  to 
Miss  Rosina  Palmer,  of  Columbia,  S.  C,  and  to  them 
were  born  the  two  boys  last  named.  He  boasts  of  the 
fact  that  he  was  blessed  with  two  good  wives,  both  of 
whom  rendered  great  assistance  in  his  rise  to  promi- 
nence in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

REV.  R.  M.  CHEEKS,  D.D.   (Deceased). 
Chrystal,  Charles  S.,  son  of  Alexander  and  Louisa 
Chrystal,  both  members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  was       Christian  Recorder,  was  born  in  Amelia  County,  Vir- 
born  in  1861  at  Mt.  tarmel,  Ky.,  one  of  four  children.      ginia,  December  28,  1859,  and  jreared  near  Wytheville, 

5  .        65 


MR.  CHARLES  S.  CHRYSTAL. 

has  three  children :  Edward,  Verna  and  Bertha.  He 
has  served  as  manager  of  the  "Union,"  a  weekly  paper 
of  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  is  a  Republican,  owns  a  home 
and  considerable  other  property ;  is  treasurer  of  the 
official  board  of  Allen  Temple ;  is  associated  with  Old 
Folks'  Home  at  Richmond,  Va. ;  Orphan  Asylum  of 
Cincinnati,  and  N.  A.  A.  of  C.  P. 

Cheeks,    Robert    M.,    former   editor   of   Southern 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Virginia.  He  was  converted  at  an  early  age  and  en- 
tered the  Virginia  Conference  in  1877.  He  studied  at 
Howard  University,  Washington,  D.  C,  and  gradu- 
ated from  the  theological  department.  He  served  the 
following  churches:  Badensburg,  Md. ;  Chelsea,  Mass.; 
Selma,  Ala. ;  Greensboro,  Ala. ;  Montgomery,  Ala. ; 
Atlanta,  Ga.  He  was  presiding  elder  Rome  District, 
North  Georgia  Conference.  He  was  elected  editor  of 
Southern  Christian  Recorder  in  1896  and  re-elected  in 
1900.  He  died  during  session  of  the  general  confer- 
ence at  Columbus,  Ohio,  May  19,  1900.  His  widow, 
Mrs.  Mattie  Cheeks,  now  resides  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

Chestnut,  Rev.  James  Horace,  son  of  Henry  and 
Elizabeth  Johnson,  both  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church,  was  born  July  24,  1873,  at  Faison,  N.  C.  He 
was  one  of  fourteen  children.  He  entered  school  1886. 
He  received  his  education  at  the  State  College  and 
Claflin  University,  from  which  he  graduated.  He  was 
converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1890;  was 
licensed  to  preach,  1900,  at  Orangeburg,  S.  C,  by 
Rev.  S.  F.  Flegler.     He  joined  the  annual  conference 


REV.  J.  H.  CHESTNUT. 

1901  at  Manning,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines. 
He  was  ordained  deacon  1903  at  Florence,  S.  C,  by 
Bishop  Gaines  and  ordained  elder  1905  at  Summer- 
ville,  S.  C,  by  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin.  He  has  held  the 
following  appointments :  Blackville  and  Williston 
Mission,  1905;  Francis  Brown  Station,  1906-07;  Barn- 
well Circuit,  1908;  Holly  City  Circuit,  1909-12;  St. 
Paul  Circuit,  1913 ;  Somerville,  1914-15;  Bethel 
Station,  1916.  He  erected  a  church  at  Blackville,  $200 
in  1905,  completed  two  churches  at  Holly  Hill  Ct., 
$575  in  1909,  paid  a  debt  of  $175  on  St.  Paul  Ct.  in 
1913,  improved  Somerville  $375  in  1914.  He  lifted  a 
mortgage  of  $125  at  Harleyville  in  1913. 

He  has  taken  269  people  into  the  church,  bap- 
tized 190  and  married  45.  He  married  Mrs.  Mabel 
Chestnut,  of  Orangeburg,  S.  C,  December  20,  1906. 
They  had  five  children,  John,  James,  Augustus,  Alon- 
zo  and  Harold.  He  is  connected  with  the  F.  and  A. 
M.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F,  K.  of  P. 


Clark,  Molliston  Madison,  first  editor  of  Christian 
Recorder,  1852-4,  was  born  of  mixed  parentage  in 
Delaware  in  1807,  and  died  while  in  charge  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church  at  Alton,  111.,  about  1872.  He  graduated 
from  Jefferson  College,  Canonsburg,  Pa.,  in  October, 
1835,  and  was  one  of  the  first  college  graduates  in  the 
A.  M.  E.  ministry.  In  1852  he  was  elected  editor  of 
the  Christian  Recorder,  but  resigned  in  1854  after 
having  gotten  out  fifteen  issues.  He  was  an  eloquent 
preacher  and  able  as  a  scholar. 

Clark,  Thomas  Garriett,  son  of  Harry  and  Flora 
Clark,  was  born  in  Wrilson  county,  near  the  town  of 
Wilson,  N.  C,  July  10,  1876,  on  the  homestead  place. 
There  were  nine  children.  Here  he  grew  up  on  the 
farm  and  attended  the  country  and  also  public  school. 
He  entered  Lincoln  University,  Pa.,  at  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  was  converted  May  22,  1899,  and  con- 
nected with  the  Presbyterian  Church ;  entered  the 
Divinity    School,    Howard    University,    Fall    of    1902, 


REV.  THOMAS  GARRIETT  CLARK. 

graduating  from  the  Classical  Department  May,  1905. 

He  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1906,  and  was 
licensed  in  February,  at  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Sixth 
and  Lombard  Streets,  Philadelphia,  where  he  labored 
till  the  year  1908,  when  he  received  his  commission  to 
the  African  field  under  Bishop  William  H.  Heard, 
D.D.,  December  5.  He  was  ordained  Deacon  at  the 
Philadelphia  Annual  Conference,  June  14,  1908,  at 
Carlisle,  Pa.,  by  Bishop  Gaines,  and  was  also  trans- 
ferred to  the  Liberian  Annual  Conference,  West  Coast 
Africa,  June  15. 

He  sailed  for  Africa  with  Bishop  Heard  and  other 
missionaries  December  5.  He  preached  his  first  ser- 
mon in  Africa  January  1,  1909,  Rom.  12:  1.  Met  first 
Annual  Conference  January  2y.  He  was  ordained 
Elder  January  31  and  appointed  to  the  Eliza  Turner 
Memorial  Church,  Monrovia.  He  was  reappointed 
January  26,  1910,  and  made  Principal  of  the  Mission 
School.  The  students  enrolled  numbered  one  hundred 
and  thirty. 

He  raised  and  contributed  October  10  the  first 
one  hundred  dollars  to  the  "Building  Fund"  for  re- 


66 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


building  the  church  at  this  charge.  He  was  appointed 
to  the  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Lower  Buchanan, 
Grand  Bassa,  March  20,  191 1,  and  established  a  mis- 
sion station  among  the  Kroo  Tribe  at  Kroo  Town, 
November  26.  He  baptized  seventy-six  persons  while 
in  Africa. 

He  was  appointed  General  Missionary  at  the  An- 
nual Conference  held  at  Monrovia,  March  15,  1912, 
and  returned  to  the  United  States  with  a  native  boy, 
"Uleh,"  from  the  mission  station,  for  the  purpose  of 
educating  him  to  return  and  teach  among  his  tribe. 
He  arrived  in  America  April  10  and  was  married  to 
Miss  Sarah  B.  Wainwright  April  21. 

July  1,  1912,  he  was  appointed  to  Victor's  Chapel 
A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Mont  Clair,  N.  J.  He  pastored  St. 
John's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Catskill,  N.  Y.,  May  26,  1913, 
to  May  31,  1914.  Rev.  Clark  has  written  a  work  en- 
titled "Liberia,  the  African  Republic,"  setting  forth 
the  colonization  and  steady  development  and  appall- 
ing conditions.  He  shows  how  non-recognition  by 
foreign  power  forces  decided  action  on  the  part  of 
the  colonist  and  retards  the  formation  of  a  Govern- 
ment modeled  after  that  of  the  United  States. 

He  was  pastor  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Elmira, 
N.  Y.,  May  31,  1914,  to  May  31,  1915,  and  compiled  a 
pamphlet  on  the  fifty-first  celebration  of  the  Emanci- 
pation Proclamation  held  in  this  charge.  He  was  ap- 
pointed pastor  at  Middletown,  N.  Y.,  May  31,  191 5. 

Clemens,  William  Edward,  was  born  in  Long, 
Darke  County,  O.,  October  15,  1865.  On  account 
of  superior  scholastic  and  social  privileges  the  family 
moved  to  Toledo.  O.,  in  1882,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. He  entered  the  Toledo  grammar  school,  was 
promoted  to  the  high  school,  but  was  compelled  to 
leave  a  year  before  graduation  on  account  of  ill  health. 
After  a  term  at  the  Ohio  Business  University  he  en- 


MR.  W.  E.  CLEMENS. 

tered  the  employ  of  J.  J.  Freeman,  leading  jeweler,  and 
was  a  valuable  and  trusted  employee  for  fifteen  years, 
re. signing  his  position  in  September,  1902,  to  enter  the 
county  treasurer's  office,  where  he  made  an  enviable 
record  for  trustworthiness  and  ability.  Mr.  Clemens 
made  a  profession  of  Christ  February  14,  1889,  during 


the  great  revival  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  O.  P. 
Ross,  and  joined  Warren  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  has 
been  a  zealous  worker  ever  since.  He  has  served  for 
many  years  as  trustee,  steward  and  class  leader  and 
is  now  the  efficient  secretary  of  the  trustee  board  and 
church  clerk.  He  is  also  now  serving  his  twenty-eighth 
consecutive  year  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school,  which  is  thoroughly  organized  and  one  of  the 
best  managed  of  the  country.  He  is  a  trustee  of  Wil- 
berforce  University  and  was  elected  lay  delegate  to  the 
general  conferences  of  1904  and  1908.  In  addition  to 
his  regular  work,  Church  and  Sunday  school  duties, 
he  has  been  actively  engaged  along  many  other  lines 
for  the  betterment  of  his  people;  is  prominent  in  Ma- 
sonic circles.  He  was  initiated  in  Amazon  Lodge, 
No.  4,  F.  and  A.  M.,  December  7,  1887,  passed  Febru- 
ary 28,  1888,  and  raised  March  6,  1888,  and  has  been 
prominent  ever  since.  He  has  filled  nearly  every 
office  in  the  local  bodies'  with  credit  and  for  five  years 
served  as  master,  during  which  time  the  lodge  enjoyed 
unprecedented  prosperity.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
Maunell  Chapter,  No.  6,  R.  A.  M.,  St.  John's  Com- 
mandery,  No.  5,  K.  T.,  St.  Mathew's  Consistory,  A. 
A.  S.  R.  of  Masonry,  and  Mecca  Temple,  Nobles  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine.  From  1898  to  1901  he  was  deputy 
grand  master.  In  August,  1902,  when  the  grand  lodge 
convened  in  Toledo,  he  was  chosen  grand  master  with- 
out opposition,  being  the  fifteenth  grand  master  and 
youngest  mason  elevated  to  the  position.  For  seven 
consecutive  years  he  served  without  opposition,  dur- 
ing which  time  the  grand  lodge  enjoyed  great  pros- 
perity. Mr.  Clemens  has  a  pleasant  and  congenial 
wife,  two  bright  young  boys  and  a  charming  daugh- 
ter, a  graduate  of  the  Toledo  High  School.  His  fam- 
ily home  at  672  Woodland  avenue  is  delightfully  cozy 
and  a  generous  hospitality  graciously  dispensed. 


Coffee,  Rev.  T.  W.,  the  eldest  of  nine  children, 
was  born  in  1854.  His  mother,  Mrs.  Ann  Coffee,  was 
a  slave  and  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Church.  Be- 
fore he  was  a  year  old  he  was  taken  from  his  mother 
and  given  to  another  woman  to  be  cared  for  and  his 
mother  was  given  a  white  child  to  nurse  who  was  a 
few  months  younger  than  he.  Between  six  and  seven 
years  of  age  he  was  taken  to  the  house  to  attend  his 
mistress'  children.  Because  of  cruel  treatment  he  ran 
away  at  nine  years  and  attempted  to  go  off  with  the 
Union  army,  but  his  master  begged  the  captain  to  let 
him  take  him  back,  promising  to  treat  him  kindly, 
which  he  says  his  master  did  till  the  Yankees  were  far 
away,  when  he  punished  him  severely.  A  year  later, 
however,  he  escaped.  At  sixteen  years  old  he  began 
going  to  night  school,  in  Lauderdale  County,  but  at- 
tended only  a  short  while.  At  twenty  he  could  not 
read  and  write ;  but  he  later  attended  school  in  Ala- 
bama and  LeMoyne  Institute,  Memphis,  Tenn.  He 
was  converted  at  the  age  of  sixteen  and  he  joined 
Avery  Chapel  under  Rev.  Hamilton  in  1872  or  1873. 
He  was  licensed  in  1876  to  exhort;  1877  he  was  as- 
signed to  Decatur  Mission,  Decatur,  Ala.  The  mission 
had  six  members  and  he  served  them  six  months  and 
received  $12  for  his  services.  He  joined  the  annual 
conference  at  Opelika  in  1877  under  Bishop  Campbell 
and  was  ordained  deacon  the  same  time.  In  1880  he 
was  ordained  elder  at  Greensboro,  Ala.,  by  Bishop 
Wayman.  He  never  had  local  preacher's  license. 
He  was  sent  to  Columbiana  in  -the  North  Ala.  confer- 


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ence,  pastored  here  two  years,  having  more  than  ioo 
converts  and  accessions.  He  next  went  to  Center- 
ville  one  year,  received  into  church  116.  He  was  sent 
next  to  Montevallo,  one  year,  1880-1881.  Next  he  was 
sent  to  Huntsville  for  one  year.  In  1882  the  confer- 
ence met  at  Selma,  and  Elder  Coffee  was  put  in  charge 
of  Brown's  Chapel,  Selma,  where  he  had  many  con- 
verts, and  raised  the  dollar  money  from  $100.50  to 
$165.  After  two  years  he  was  sent  to  Birmingham, 
where  he  secured  a  lot  for  $800,  and  erected  a  two- 
story  edifice  costipg  $8000,  and  added  more  than  100 
persons  to  the  church.  Bethel,  Mobile ;  St.  Luke,  Eu- 
faula ;  and  Tuscumbia  were  pastored  with  success, 
many  souls  being  added  to  each  church.  In  1891  he 
was  appointed  by  Bishop  Gaines  presiding  elder  over 
the  Florence  district  and  served  two  years,  when 
Bishop  Grant  appointed  him  presiding  elder  of  the 
Birmingham  district,  which  he  served  three  years  and 
enjoyed  the  highest  confidence  of  the  bishop,  making 
increases  along  all  lines.  In  1896  Bishop  Turner  trans- 
ferred him  to  the  Alabama  conference  and  he  presided 
acceptably  over  the  Montgomery  district  for  three 
years.  He  served  as  pastor  one  year  at  Eufaula,  with 
increased  reports  and  gave  them  the  best  parsonage 
in  that  part  of  the  State ;  was  sent  from  there  to  Troy 
for  one  year  and  thence  to  Prattville  for  two  years ; 
again  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  Florence  dis- 
trict North  Alabama,  serving  the  same  successfully 
four  years.  Next  he  served  four  years  six  months  as 
presiding  elder  of  the  South  Birmingham  district  with 
greater  success  along  all  lines  than  upon  any  district 
on  which  he  ever  served.  After  the  death  of  presiding 
elder  G.  W.  Todd  he  was  appointed  to  the  Greensboro 
(Ala.)  district  which  he  is  now  serving.  He  has  been 
pastor  18  years  and  presiding  elder  20  years.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  general  conferences  of  1896,  1900  and 
1912.  He  married  Miss  Carrie  R.  McGowan,  of  Flor- 
ence, Ala.,  in  March.  1880,  and  they  have  had  four 
children,  one  deceased,  and  three  who  are  graduates 
of  the  A.  &  M.  College,  Normal,  Ala. 

Coker,  Daniel,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  Baltimore  County,  Md.,  1780. 
His  mother  was  a  white  woman  and  his  father  her 
slave.  His  full  white  brother  took  the  greatest  in- 
terest in  him  and,  to  screen  him  as  much  as  possible 
from  the  effect  of  color  prejudice,  carried  him  to  the 
North  and  secured  for  him  a  complete  education.  By 
reason  of  being  born  under  the  circumstances  narrated 
above,  he  was  credited  as  the  child  of  a  mulatto  wom- 
an on  the  adjoining  plantation  and  had  subsequentlv 
to  be  registered  as  free  to  secure  such  a  state.  To 
accomplish  this,  four  men  of  color  induced  John  Nee- 
dles, a  famous  Quaker  abolitionist  of  Maryland,  to  buy 
him  and  later  grant  him  emancipation.  The  four  men 
of  color  who  furnished  the  money  necessary  to  secure 
his  freedom  were  Charles  Hackett,  N.  GilHard,  Wm. 
Watts  and  George  Murray  (the  last  named  being  the 
father  of  Daniel  Murray,  compiler  of  "Murray's  En- 
cyclopedia of  the  Colored  Race").  The  men  wished 
him  to  teach  school  in  Baltimore  and  when  the  whole 
was  arranged,  Daniel  Coker  opened  about  1807  the 
first  school  for  colored  children  in  Baltimore  taught 
by  a  colored  teacher.  The  Rev.  William  Douglass, 
author  of  the  "Annals  of  St.  Thomas  Church,  Phila- 
delphia," was  one  of  Coker's  pupils.  Daniel  Coker 
was  one  of  the  leaders  in  the  Baltimore  African  Church 
and  with  others  represented  that  church  at  Philadel- 

68 


phia,  April,  1816,  when  the  African  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  was  organized.  He  was  elected  the  first 
bishop,  but  next  day  resigned  and  was  never  ordained, 
Richard  Allen  being  elected  in  his  stead.  In  181 7  he 
seems  to  have  left  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  in  1821  he 
joined  the  first  party  that  went  to  Liberia.  Ten  days 
after  the  ship  Elizabeth  left  New  York,  Daniel  Coker 
called  the  86  colonists  together  and  formed  on  ship- 
board a  religious  society  according  to  the  discipline 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Soon  after  ar- 
riving in  Liberia,  Daniel  Coker  and  numerous  follow- 
ing went  to  Freetown,  Sierra  Leone,  and  there  later 
built  a  church,  where  he  died  in  1846,  leaving  a  family 
of  considerable  size,  some  of  whom  Bishop  Turner 
met  during  an  episcopal  visit  there. 

Cole,  C.  P.,  was  born  March  20,  1871,  at  Aiken, 
S.  C.    He  is  the  son  of  John  and  Nancy  Cole.    He  was 


REV.  C.  P.  COLE,  D.D. 


MRS.  C.  P.  COLE. 


<& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


S 


baptized  by  the  late  Bishop  Salter,  then  pastor  of 
Cumberland  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Aiken.  He  received 
his  earl}-  training  at  the  Schofield  N.  and  I.  School,  of 
Aiken,  and  took  his  college  and  seminar)-  course  at 
Lincoln  University.  He  won  the  Junior  medal  in 
oratory  in  1894,  and  graduated  from  the  college  de- 
partment in  1895  and  was  the  valedictorian  of  his  class, 
receiving  the  degree  of  B.A.  Graduated  from  the 
seminary  in  1898  and  received  the  degree  of  MA.  In 
1906  he  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Wilberforce 
University.  In  1914  he  received  the  degree  of  D.D. 
from  Lincoln  University. 

He  was  ordained  to  the  deaconate  and  the  elder- 
ship by  the  late  Bishop  Grant.  He  served  as  pastor 
of  the  following  charges :  Lynn,  Springfield,  Nor- 
walk,  Greenwich,  Providence,  New  Bedford  and 
Bridge  Street  Church,  Brooklyn,  where  he  now  is.  In 
1901  he  married  Miss  Brittemore  A.  Tobias,  a  teacher 
in  the  public  schools  of  New  York  City,  and  from  this 
union  one  son,  Canfield  Butler,  was  born. 

Collier,  John  William  Porter,  the  third  child  of  M. 
H.  and  Louisa  Thompson  Collier,  was  born  in  Marion, 
S.  C,  June  12,  1883. 

His  first  teaching  was  received  from  his  parents ; 
later  he  attended  the  Flegler  High  School,  where  he 
studied  until  1900,  when  he  left  the  graduating  class 
and  began  teaching,  in  order  to  sustain  his  sister  in 
college. 

During  vacation  he  worked  as  a  saw-miller,  hod- 
carrier  and  gardener.  He  studied  at  night  and  taught 
others  without  charge.  Saturday,  April  6,  1901,  he  was 
converted  in  a  revival  conducted  by  Rev.  F.  R.  McCay, 


REV.  JOHN  WILLIAM  PORTER  COLLIER,  B.D. 

the  pastor.  Easter  Sunday,  April  7,  1901,  he  joined  the 
church  and  was  soon  made  a  class  leader.  Rev.  C.  J. 
Hamilton,  D.D.,  March  6,  1903,  licensed  him  to  preach. 

Collier  entered  Allen  University,  Columbia,  S.  C, 
October  1904,  with  one  dollar  and  fifty-seven  cents, 
and  went  many  days  until  five  o'clock  without  food. 

In  June,  1906,  he  graduated  with  honors  from  Al- 
len University,  receiving  the  degree  of  L.I.,  and  in  the 
fall  of  the  same  year  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop 


Coppin  at  Lancaster,  S.  C,  and  appointed  to  Camden 
Mission. 

He  married  Miss  Ella  N.  Laboo,  of  Bishopville, 
S.  C,  his  classmate,  June  1-2,  1907. 

Bishop  Coppin  ordained  him  an  elder  at  Manning, 
S.  C,  December  7,  1907,  and  appointed  him  to  St.  Phil- 
ip Station,  Eastover,  S.  C,  where  he  served  two  years. 
Health  failing,  he  was  appointed  to  Wheeler  Hill  Sta- 
tion, Columbia,  S.  C,  by  Bishop  Lee.  Here  his  wife,  a 
real  help-mate,  died. 

He  was  appointed  to  Brown  Chapel  Circuit,  1910. 
In  191 1  he  graduated  from  Allen  with  the  degree  of 
B.D.,  and  was  reappointed  to  Brown  Chapel  whence 
he  transferred,  January,  1912,  to  the  New  Jersey  Con- 
ference. Upon  his  arrival  he  was  sent  to  Atlantic 
Highlands,  N.  J.,  by  Dr.  A.  L.  Murray,  P.  E. 

He  married  Miss  Annie  M  Poole,  of  Greenwood, 
S.  C,  June  5,  1912,  who  is  now  sharing  his  joys  and 
sorrows. 

Rev.  Collier  delivered  the  annual  sermon  to  the 
New  Jersey  Conference  and  was  sent  to  the  Mt.  Zion 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  his  present  pastorate, 
the  same  year.  He  is  now  studying  at  the  Theological 
Seminary  of  New  Brunswick. 


Conner,  Bishop  James  Mayer,  son  of  William  and 
Marie  Conner,  was  born  in  Winston  county,  Miss.,  in 
1863  of  slave  parents.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the 
A  M.  E.  Church  in  1881,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  by 
Rev.  J.  W.  Washington,  P.  E.  of  the  West  Point  dis- 
trict, North  Miss.  Conference,  in  1882.  He  entered  the 
ministry  and  was  sent  to  Aberdeen  Mission  in  1883, 
where  he  bought  and  built  a  new  church.  In  1884  he 
was  ordained  a  deacon  and  elder  by  Bishop  T.  M.  D. 
Wrard,  D.  D.  After  serving  at  Okolona,  Stormsville, 
he  was  sent  by  Bishop  Ward  to  Arkansas  and  station- 
ed at  Forrest  City,  Ark.,  to  build  a  church.  This  done, 
in  1886,  he  was  sent  to  Osceola,  Ark.,  to  build  a  church, 
and  then  at  Newport,  Ark.,  to  build  a  new  church.  At 
all  these  places  he  gave  the  connection  good  churches 
and  added  many  new  members  to  the  church  and  car- 
ried up  excellent  conference  reports,  excelling  all  pre- 
vious reports.  He  served  four  years  as  P.  E.  of  the 
Forrest  City  (Ark.)  district,  three  years  on  the  Vicks- 
burg  (Miss.)  district,  two  years  on  the  Jonesboro 
(Ark.)  district  and  two  years  on  the  Little  Rock 
(Ark.)  district.  He  spent  two  years  at  Hot  Springs, 
Ark.,  as  pastor,  six  years  at  Bethel,  Little  Rock,  Ark., 
and  four  years  at  Fort  Smith,  Ark.  He  bought  the 
ground  and  built  the  parsonage  at  Little  Rock,  Ark., 
paid  the  church  out  of  debt  at  Hot  Springs  and  almost 
doubled  the  conference  dollar  money  at  these  places, 
also  the   membership. 

His  early  education  was  obtained  in  the  public 
schools  fo  his  native  State  and  Alabama,  where  he 
spent  the  early  part  of  his  life.  In  1891  was  graduat- 
ed from  the  National  University,  of  Chicago,  with  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Sacred  Theology ;  from  the 
American  Institute  of  Sacred  Literature,  University 
of  Chicago,  in  1897,  and  Shorter  College,  with  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Divinity  in  1905.  He  was  presi- 
dent of  the  executive  board,  president  of  the  Alumni 
Association  of  Shorter  College.  Morris  Brown  Col- 
lege, Atlanta,  Ga.,  conferred  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  upon  him,  and  Paul  Quinn  College,  Waco, 
Tex.,  gave  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy. 

Bishop  Conner  is  an  author  of  several  books,  among 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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them  being  "The  Outlines  of  Christian  Theology,"  "Doc- 
trines of  Christ"  and  "Elements  of  Success." 

For  many  years,  in  connection  with  his  church  work, 
he  published  the  Little  Rock  Reporter,  Arkansas  States- 
man and  Conner's  Magazine.  For  seven  years  he  was 
at  the  head  of  the  Business  Men's  League  of  Arkansas. 

The  following  are  his  appointments  in  chronological 


BISHOP  J.  M.  CONNER. 

order:  Aberdeen.  Miss.,  1883;  Okalona,  Miss.,.  1884; 
Stormsville,  Miss.,  188s;  Osceola,  Ark.,  1887;  Newport, 
Ark.,  1888-1889;  Forest  City,  1886. 

Was  Presiding  Flder  of  Forest  City  District  1893; 
Little  Rock,  1896-97;  Vicksburg  District,  1897-1901  ; 
Little  Rock,  Ark.,  1901-1905;  Jonesboro  District,  1908- 
1910;  Little  Rock  District,  1910-12.  Was  elected  Bishop 
in  1912.     Built  churches  at  Aberdeen,  Miss.,   1883,  at  a 


MRS.  JAMES  M.  CONNER 

cost  of  $800;  Stormsville,  Miss.,  1885,  at  a  cost  of  $600; 
Forest  City,  Ark.,  1886,  at  $3000;  Newport,  Ark.,  1888, 
at  $5000;  Osceola,  Ark.,  1887,  at  $2000. 

Lifted  mortgages  at  Mot  Springs  in  1895  to  the 
amount  of  $1400;  Little  Rock  in  1897  to  the  amount  of 
$1200. 


Ffas  taken  five  or  six  thousand  people  into  the 
church  and  baptized  about   1800  persons. 

Was  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  in  1896  at 
Wilmington,  N.  C,  and  to  all  others  since  then.  Was 
member  of  the  Financial  Board  for  eight  years,  1904 
to  1912. 

Married  Miss  Glovenia  L.  Stewart,  of  Kentucky, 
in  1886.     Parents  of  five  children. 

Bishop  Conner  has  made  many  addresses.  He  has 
been  associated  with  the  Progressive  Party,  and  is  owner 
of  a  home  and  other  valuable  real  estate.  He  served  as 
Bishop  of  the  Eighth  Episcopal  District,  including  the 
States  of  Mississippi  and  Louisiana,  during  the  quadren- 
nium  1912-1916,  presiding  over  five  conferences  in  Mis- 
sissippi and  two  in  Louisiana,  and  created  a  new  one  in 
Mississippi — the  Northwest  Mississippi  Annual  Confer- 
ence.    He  is  now  bishop  of  Arkansas  and  Oklahoma. 

Cook,  Rev.  W.  D.,  the  son  of  William  B.  and  Fan- 
nie G.  Cook,  both  of  whom  were  African  Methodists, 
was  born  February  17,  i860,  at  Warrenton,  N.  C.  He 
was  one  of  eight  children.  Began  school  in  1871  and  at- 
tended 12  years  in  all,  attending  principally  public  school, 
Johnson  High,  Shaw  University  and  Howard  University. 


REV.  WILLIAM  D.  COOK. 

Received  a  diploma  from  Howard  University  and  degree 
of  D.D.  from  Wilberforce.  Converted  in  1877  and  joined 
Oak  Chapel  the  same  year ;  was  steward,  trustee,  class 
leader,  local  preacher,  usher  and  Sunday  School  teacher. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  1877  at  Warrenton,  N.  C,  by 
Rev.  G.  D.  Jimmerson ;  ordained  deacon  1879  at  New- 
bern,  N.  C,  by  Bishop  Brown ;  ordained  elder  at  Wilm- 
ington, N.  C,  by  Bishop  Payne. 

Joined  Annual  Conference  in  1878  at  Hillsboro,  N. 
C,  under  Bishop  Brown.  Held  following  appointments: 
P'ine  Grove  Circuit,  N.  C. ;  Fayetteville  Mission,  N.  C. ; 
P.  Street  Mission,  Georgetown,  D.  C. ;  Durham  Station, 
N.  C. ;  Kinston  Station,  N.  C. ;  St.  John's,  Norfolk,  Va. ; 
Wilmington,  Del. ;  Bethel,  Phila. ;  Frankford,  Pa. ;  Bridge 
St.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  Atlantic  City,  N.  J. ;  St.  Paul,  St. 
Louis,  Mo.;  Quinn  Chapel,  Chicago;  presiding  elder 
of  Chicago  District,  and  now  pastor  of  Bethel  Church, 
Chicago. 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


Built  the  following  churches :  Pine  Hill  Church,  at 
Pine  Hill,  N.  C,  1879,  at  a  cost  of  $500;  Lincolnville 
Church  at  Wake  City,  N.  C,  1880  at  a  cost  of  $700;  com- 
pleted A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Durham,  N.  C,  in  1884;  St. 
John's  Church  at  Norfolk,  Ya.,.  at  a  cost  of  $48,000  in 
1888,  left  a  debt  of  only  $18,000  and  took  in  11 14  mem- 
bers. Lifted  mortgages  on  Bethel  Church,  Wilmington, 
Del.,  in  1892,  to  the  amount  of  $3800,  and  Bridge  St., 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  1899,  t0  tne  amount  of  $5000.  He 
greatly  reduced  the  debt  on  Mother  Bethel,  Philadelphia, 
and  Bethel,  New  York,  taking  in  405  members  in  the 
three  years  at  that  charge. 

Dr.  Cook  has  taken  seven  thousand  people  into  the 
church,  baptized  one  thousand  and  married  nine  hundred. 
Delegate  to  General  Conference  in  1884,  1896,  1900,  1908. 
Has  been  a  member  of  Church  Extension  Board  and  Al- 
len Endeavor.  He  is  life  member  of  Trustee  Board  of 
Wilberforce  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  Federal  Council 
of  Churches  of  Christ  that  met  in  Philadelphia  in  1908. 

Married  Bertha  Brooks  Cook,  of  Harrisburg,  Pa., 
in  1886.  Two  daughters,  Edna  H.  and  Frances  E.,  are 
graduates  of  Howard  University  and  Chicago  Musical 
College,  respectively. 

He  owns  his  home  in  Chicago.  During  his^ career 
he  has  raised  more  than  $95,000  dollar  money,  paid  over 
$50,000  on  mortgages,  raised  over  $25,000  connectional 
claims,  had  over  2500  conversions  and  7000  accessions. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Centennial  General  Conference, 
being  the  first  alternate  elected  by  the  Chicago  Confer- 
ence and  taking  the  place  of  Rev.  T.  A.  Smythe,  deceased. 

Cooper,  Allen  R.,  was  born  in  Quincy,  Fla.,  Sep- 
tember 6,  1857,  the  child  of  faithful  members  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Henry  and  Charity  Cooper.  He  at- 
tended the  schools  of  his  native  State  for  nine  years; 


REV.  ALLEN  R.  COOPER,  D.D. 

he  was  in  the  class  of  the  late  Bishop  M.  M.  Moore 
and  after  preparing  himself  to  teach  was  elected  to 
teach  in  the  school  that  he  attended. 

Converted  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  T.  G.  Steward  he  united  with  the 
church ;  and  filled  the  following  offices :  Steward, 
Sunday  School  Superintendent,  Assistant  Class  Lead- 


er and  Secretary  of  the  church.  For  fourteen  years  he 
taught  school  in  Florida  and  Georgia.  After  moving 
from  Florida  to  Georgia  he  was  elected  Principal  of 
the  Intermediate  Department  of  the  Public  Schools  of 
the  city  of  Americus,  Ga.,  where  he  taught  for  six 
years.  Uniting  with  Campbell  Chapel  Church,  of 
Americus  during  the  pastorate  of  the  late  William 
Bradwell,  he  organized  the  largest  Sunday  School  in 
the  city  and  was  its  Superintendent  for  a  number  of 
years.  Received  license  as  a  local  preacher  during  the 
pastorate  of  the  late  William  C.  Banton,  D.D.,  Rev.  S. 
B.  Jones  being  Presiding  Elder  and  one  of  the  oldest 
at  that  time  in  Georgia. 

He  joined  the  Macon  (Ga.)  Conference  at  Barnes- 
ville,  the  late  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines  presiding.  At  this 
Conference  he  was  appointed  to  Mahala  Chapel  Mis- 
sion, on  the  Americus  District,  where  he  beautified 
the  church  and  added  a  great  number  of  members  to 
the  same.  His  second  appointment  was  at  Ellaville 
Circuit,  same  district,  where  he  beautified  two 
churches  and  added  a  great  number  of  members ;  after 
remaining  on  this  circuit  for  two  years  he  was  sent  to 
Columbus  and  stationed  at  St.  Mark's  Station ;  here 
he  completed  a  splendid  structure  erected  by  Rev.  M. 
R.  Wilson.  When  the  latter  saw  it  after  its  comple- 
tion as  he  looked  at  these  words  written  in  gold  in  the 
trio  windows  in  front  of  the  building:  "Erected  by 
Rev.  M.  R.  Wilson  completed  by  Rev.  A.  R.  Cooper," 
tears  filled  his  eyes  as  he  said,  "Thank  God  I  have 
found  one  Xegro  preacher  willing  to  give  his  brother 
preacher  credit  for  his  work.''  This  is  a  splendid 
church  and  stands  to-day  a  credit  to  the  Connection. 
Here  Rev.  Cooper  added  over  300  to  the  church.  His 
next  appointment  was  Griffin,  in  the  Atlanta  Confer- 
ence, following  the  late  Dr.  I-;.  W.  Lee.  He  remained 
in  this  charge  two  years.  He  was  next  sent  to  Mill- 
edgeville,  in  the  Macon  Conference,  where  he  erected 
that  beautiful  structure,  starting  with  about  forty-five 
members  and  in  three  years  increasing  the  member- 
ship to  over  300.  While  at  Milledgeville  he  suffered 
the  loss  of  his  wife,  Mrs.  J.  0.  A.  Cooper,  who  had 
been  his  helpful  companion  for  eighteen  vears. 

The  members  petitioned  the  Conference  for  his 
return  but  by  his  request  of  the  late  Bishop  H.  M. 
Turner  he  was  given  a  small  district,  viz. :  The  "Fort 
Valley,''  with  only  nine  appointments.  He  remained 
four  years,  the  limit  at  that  time ;  leaving  the  district 
with  twenty-two  appointments.  He  next  went  to 
Macon  and  was  stationed  at  Turner  Chapel.  Remain- 
ing two  years  he  paid  off  all  of  the  debts  and  increased 
the  membership  greatly.  From  thence  was  sent  to 
Augusta,  Ga.,  Bethel  Church,  where  a  debt  was  hang- 
ing over  the  church  and  creditors  calling  for  their 
money.  In  two  years  he  had  them  satisfied  that  the 
church  would  pay  them ;  the  lost  confidence  was  re- 
established, and  everything  was  moving  on  smoothly 
when  a  telegram  called  him  to  report  in  New  York, 
and  at  the  adjournment  of  the  Conference  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  take  the  pastoral  charge  of  Bridge  Street 
Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  This  church  has  a  wonder- 
ful history  ;  during  the  days  of  the  abolitionist  it  was 
one  of  the  stations  of  the  "underground  railroad"  and 
from  it  colored  persons  were  carried  to  Canada.  He 
was  the  first  pastor  in  the  history  of  this  church  to  re- 
main four  years.  He  received  into  the  church  1092 
members,  and  raised  $48,784.54  in  all  departments, 
paid  the  immediate  church  entirely  out  of  debt,  and 
made   thousands  of  dollars'   worth  of  improvements. 


71 


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«3 


His  next  appointment,  the  Albany  District,  of  the 
New  York  Conference,  includes  all  of  the  northwest- 
ern part  of  the  State,  starting  in  New  York  City,  the 
circumference  being  about  2500  miles ;  at  present  this 
is  his  fifth  year ;  he  is  the  first  Presiding  Elder  to  re- 
main on  the  district  five  years.  The  degree  of  D.D. 
was  conferred  upon  him  by  Morris  Brown  University 
for  a  thesis,  "The  Divinity  of  Christ  and  How  Demon- 
strated." 

Cooper,  Henry  Harrison,  the  seventh  child  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  Cooper,  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.;  educated  in  the  Quaker  schools  of  Philadelphia, 
studied  theology  and  the  classics  under  Rev.  Thomas 
H.  Amos,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Bishop  L.  J. 
Coppin  and  Bishop  W.  R.  Nicholson,  of  the  Reformed 
Episcopal  Church ;  taught  school  in  Sussex  and  Kent 
County,  Delaware,  for  over  five  years.  Studied  the 
printing  art  at  the  Industrial  School  of  the  Institute 
for  Colored  Youths,  and  founded  and  established  the 


Other  points  served  by  Rev.  Cooper  were  Bristol, 
two  years ;  Norristown,  Pa.,  two  years ;  La  Mott,  Pa., 
three  years;  Zion,  Philadelphia,  three  years;  West 
Chester,  Pa.,  two  years.  In  1910  he  was  appointed 
presiding  elder  of  the  Philadelphia  district.  In  1912 
he _  was  appointed  pastor  of  Union  Church,  Philadel- 
phia, which  appointment  he  has  held  successfully  for 
four  years.  He  represented  the  Philadelphia  confer- 
ence in  the  general  conference  at  Norfolk  in  1908,  and 
also  at  Kansas  City  in  1912. 

He  was  twice  married,  first  to  Miss  Mary  P. 
Gibbs,  who  died  a  year  after  marriage  ;  next,  in  1890, 
to  his  present  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  M.  Cooper.  They  have 
seven  children. 

Cooper,  Mrs.  Mary  M.  Bolton,  was  born  in  Media, 
Penna.,  March  28th,  1870.  Her  father  was  a  member 
of  the  Philadelphia  Conference  and  her  mother  was  a 
teacher  in  the  Delaware  county  schools.  Mary  began 
school  in  Media  at  the  age  of  six.     Later  she  attended 


REV.  HEXRY  HARRISON  COOPER. 

printing  firm  of  Cooper,  Parker  and  Purnell,  Phila- 
delphia. He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  1886.  He  was  licensed  to  exhort  July  31, 
1890,  and  to  preach  November  25,  1890,  bv  Rev.  C.  T. 
Shaffer,  in  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia.  In 
May,  1891,  was  admitted  on  trial  in  the  Philadelphia 
Annual  Conference,  and  assigned  to  Horntown  Circuit, 
remaining  one  year;  was  in  1892  assigned  to  Holmes- 
burg  Circuit,  embracing  Ashtonville  and  Tioga.  In 
1893  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Tanner,  at  Cham- 
bersburg,  Pa.,  and  re-appointed  to  Holmesburg,  with 
Conshohocken  attached.  Next  year  was  transferred 
by  and  at  the  request  of  Bishop  Tanner  to  Bermuda, 
and  stationed  at  Crawl.  The  membership  was  in- 
creased to  135.  He  returned  to  America  owing  to  the 
health  of  his  wife  and  in  June,  1896,  was  again  ap- 
pointed to  Conshohocken,  remaining  one  year.  In 
May,  1897,  at  West  Chester  was  elected  recording  sec- 
retary of  conference  and  appointed  to  Norwood  Cir- 
cuit. In  1898  at  Columbia,  Pa.,  was  elected  chief  sec- 
retary of  the  mother  conference,  which  position  he 
retained  for  ten  years. 


MRS.  MARY  M.  BOLTON  COOPER 

the  Bee  Hive  school  and  the  Institute  for  Colored  Youths, 
from  which  she  graduated  in  1889,  and  began  teaching 
in  Frankford,  Delaware,  where  she  was  successful  and 
much  loved  by  her  pupils.  In  1896  she  entered  an  in- 
dustrial school  in  Philadelphia,  completing  a  course  in 
millinery  in  1898. 

At  the  age  of  12  she  became  a  Christian  and  joined 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Devon,  Penna.,  where  her  father 
was  the  pastor.  At  his  death  she  joined  Bethel,  Phila- 
delphia. She  was  united  in  marriage  to  Rev.  H.  H. 
Cooper  and  they  have  four  boys  and  three  girls.  As  a 
minister's  wife  she  was  ever  ready  to  assist  in  all  the  de- 
partments of  the  church,  and  proved  a  faithful  and  will- 
ing worker  in  whatever  field  to  which  her  husband  was 
assigned.  In  1895  she  became  a  member  of  the  Parent 
Mite  Missionary  Society  and  the  following  year  was 
elected  a  delegate  by  the  Bermuda  Mite  Missionary  So- 
ciety to  the  convention  at  Bethel,  Philadelphia ;  she  was 
one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Philadelphia  Conference 
Branch ;  also  one  of  its  first  officers  From  this  body 
she  was  elected  five  consecutive  times  as  assistant  secre- 
tary, four  times  chief  secretary,  four  times  as  the  presi^ 


72 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


■3° 


dent  and  filled  out  a  half  term  as  special  fund  treasurer. 
She  was  elected  and  attended  the  following  biennial  and 
quadrennial  conventions  of  the  parent  body :  At  Balti- 
more, Md. ;  Cleveland,  Ohio ;  Chicago,  111. ;  Atlantic  City, 
N.  J.,  and  Detroit,  Mich.  She  organized  Mite  Mission- 
ary Societies  at  Norwood,  Conshohocken,  Norristown, 
Bristol,  La  Mott,  Penna.,  and  Crawl,  Bermuda;  also 
junior  choirs  in  several  places.  The  cradle  roll  was  man- 
aged and  successfully  carried  on  in  this  same  church  by 
Mrs.  Cooper  bringing  to  the  regular  Sunday  school  treas- 
ury as  high  as  $18  and  over  in  one  year.  In  Union  church, 
where  her  husband  now  pastors,  she  organized  a  junior 
choir  of  40  members,  managed  the  cradle  roll  of  the  Sun- 
day school,  taught  the  little  mothers'  class  for  the  Child's 
Federation,  was  principal  of  the  Vacation  Bible  School 
No.  93,  and  other  religious  and  charitable  work.  She 
has  taken  the  advanced  course  in  Sunday  school  work, 
written  several  poems  and  songs,  and  been  generally  act- 
ive in  social  and  church  work. 

Cooper,  John  Wesley,  the  son  of  Henry  and  Char- 
lotte Cooper,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
Born  in  Burlington,  N.  J.,  1840.  Was  one  of  six  chil- 
dren. Entered  school  when  about  ten  years  of  age 
and  had  about  ten  years  schooling.  Attended  a  coun- 
try school  near  his  home  for  over  two  years.  Convert- 
ed in  1858  and  joined  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year. 


REV.  JOHN  WESLEY  COOPER,  D.D. 

Has  held  almost  every  office  in  the  church.  Licensed 
to  preach  at  Otterville,  Canada,  about  1864  by  Rev. 
George  R.  Blount.  Ordained  Deacon  1868  at  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  by  Bishop  Wayman.  Ordained  Elder  at 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  1870,  by  Bishop  Campbell.  Joined 
the  Annual  Conference  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  under 
Bishop  A.  W.  Wayman. 

Held  the  following  appointments :  Oswego,  N. 
Y.,  1867-8;  Freehold,  1869;  Buffalo,  1871  ;  Melrose, 
1873;  Coxsackie,  1875;  Albany,  1878;  Coxsackie,  1879; 
Camden,  N.  J.,  1880-2;  Salem,  N.  J.,  1882;  Princeton, 
Bridgeport,  New  Brunswick,  Cape  May,  Trenton, 
Plainfield,  Atlantic  Highlands,  South  Camden,  Morris- 
town,  Woodbury,  Rahway,  Fair  Haven,  Riverton,  and 
then  to  Presiding  Elder.     Has  been  elected  twice  to 


the  General  Conference.  Married  Alvana  Cooper,  of 
North  Carolina,  in  1858,  and  married  again  in  1912  to 
Emma  Evans. 

He  is  the  father  of  six  children.  His  sons,  Wil- 
liam and  Robert,  are  graduates  of  Lincoln  University, 
and  Annie  M.,  a  graduate  of  Institute  for  Colored 
Youths.  William  W.  is  City  Councilman  of  Cam- 
bridgeport,  Mass.  Mary  M.  is  Vice-President  of  the 
Missionary  Society,  and  Anna  M.  is  a  public  school 
teacher. 

Corde,  A.  J.,  was  born  of  poor  parents,  Frank  and 
Rebecca  Corde,  August  1,  i860,  in  Winnsboro,  S.  C, 
where  his  boyhood  days  were  spent.  He  attended  the 
public  school  and  afterward  went  to  the  Fairfield  Nor- 
mal Institute  and  finished  the  normal  course.  He 
then  attended  the  State  Normal  School  in  Columbia, 
S.  C,  preparing  to  enter  South  Carolina  College.     He 


REV.  A.  J.  CORDE,  D.D. 

passed  the  examination  to  enter  college.  At  this  time 
there  was  no  difference  with  reference  to  races,  but 
after  General  Hampton  was  elected  Governor  the 
doors  were  barred  against  colored  people.  While  in 
the  employ  of  a  German  he  learned  German  and  was 
proficient  in  the  German  language,  so  that  he  was  of- 
ten called  as  an  interpreter.  He  taught  school  for 
twelve  years  in  Fairfield  county,  being  the  youngest 
teacher   in   the   State   of   South   Carolina. 

He  was  converted  when  a  boy.  He  was  called  to 
the  ministry  in  1880  and  licensed  by  Rev.  David  Pick- 
ett, Presiding  Elder  of  the  Columbia  District.  He 
was  admitted  into  the  Columbia  Annual  Conference 
December,  1883.  He  pastored  the  following  places: 
Blythewood  Circuit,  Bethlehem  Circuit,  Pleasant 
Grove  Circuit  and  Union  Circuit.  He  was  transferred 
to  the  North  Carolina  Conference  in  1903  and  sent  to 
the  Nashville  Circuit.  He  built  the  church  in  Nash- 
ville, which  the  storm  had  blown  down.  He  organ- 
ized the  church  in  Rocky  Mount,  N.  C.  It  was  or- 
ganized in  the  schoolhouse  in  the  part  of  town  that  was 
called  Raleigh  then.  He  pastored  the  following  places 
in  North  Carolina :  Goldsboro  Circuit,  Bishop  W.  J. 
Gaines  appointed  him  pastor  of  Kittrell  College  to  fol- 


73 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


■8 


low  Dr.  Brockett  who  was  transferred  to  Atlanta,  Ga. ; 
Milton  Circuit,  Pleasant  Circuit,  Riedsville  Station, 
Liberty  Circuit,  Hickory  Station,  Efland  Circuit.  He 
organized  a  church  in  Efland  without  a  member, 
preaching  for  a  week  under  a  brush  arbor.  Next  he 
went  to  Chapel  Hill,  the  Athens  of  North  Carolina, 
next  to  Gailford  College,  then  to  Hillsboro,  N.  C.  He 
appeared  before  the  Board  of  Education  there  and 
made  speeches  in  behalf  of  a  building  for  his  people 
and  by  his  push  and  energy  the  people  have  a  $2000 
building.  He  is  known  as  the  chief  promoter  of  Hills- 
boro. He  raised  $300  for  the  people  to  put  in  the 
benches,  blackboard,  charts  and  globe  in  the  school- 
house. 

Rev.  Corde  married  Miss  Fannie  Williams.  They 
lived  seventeen  years  together.  She  was  a  faithful 
wife.  She  died  May  2^,  1902,  leaving  him  with  five 
children  to  care  for.  This  road  was  rough  so  he  went 
into  the  merchandise  business  and  kept  a  wholesale 
woodyard,  shipping  wood  to  Joplin,  N.  C.  He  later 
took  a  theological  course  in  Morris  Brown  University. 
He  married  the  second  time  to  Miss  S.  A.  Patterson, 
of  Rock  Creek,  X.  C.  He  was  honored  with  the  de- 
gree of  Doctor  of  Divinity  by  Kittrell  College.  While 
D.  H.  Johnson  was  President  of  Allen  University  the 
Faculty  recommended  that  he  receive  the  degree  of 
D.D. 


BISHOP  LEVI  JENKINS  COPPIN,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

Coppin,  Bishop  Levi  Jenkins,  30th  bishop  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  whose  parents,  John  and  Jane  Coppin, 
were  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
jn  Fredericktown,  Md.,  December  24,  1848,  one  of  eight 


children.  He  entered  school  in  1865  and  attended  in  all 
five  terms.  He  improved  by  private  study  and  later  at- 
tended the  P.  E.  Divinity  School,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  from 
which  he  received  a  certificate  of  graduation.  He  receiv- 
ed the  degrees  D.D.  and  LL.D.  from  Wilberforee  Uni. 
He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
1865.  He  has  held  nearly  every  office  in  the  church 
from  sexton  to  bishop.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
Wilmington,  Del.,  in  1876  by  Rev.  John  F.  Thomas,  was 
ordained  deacon  in  1879  at  Reading,  Pa.,  by  Bishop 
Payne,  and  he  was  ordained  elder  in  1880  by  Bishop  J. 
M.  Brown  at  Norristown,  Pa.;  joined  Phila.  annual 
conference  in  1877  under  Bishop  Payne,  and  has  served 
the  following  charges :  Philadelphia  City  Mission,  Mor- 
ris Brown  Mission,  Phila. ;  Allen  and  Bethel,  of  Phila. ; 


AIRS.  L.  J.  COPPIN 

Bethel,  Baltimore,  Md.  He  purchased  Trinity  church, 
Baltimore,  Md..  at  a  cost  of  $22,000;  purchased  Morris 
Brown,  Phila.,  at  a  cost  of  $7000;  repaired  Allen  church 
at  a  cost  of  $3500,  and  paid  mortgage  on  Bethel,  Phila., 
to  the  amount  of  $1500.  He  has  brought  many  into  the 
church.  He  has  been  a  member  of  every  general  con- 
ference since  1880.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  the  Sunday  school  Union,  1884-88;  president  of  the 
Educational  Board,  1908-12;  president  of  the  Church 
Extension  Board,  1912  to  date.  He  was  fraternal  dele- 
gate to  the  M.  E.  Church  in  1900,  member  of  two  ecu- 
menical conferences,  member  of  Commission  on  Fed- 
eration with  A.  M.  E.  Z.  and  C.  M.  E.  and  M.  E.  church- 
es, 1907  and  191 1  ;  was  editor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Review, 
1888-96;  elected  bishop  in  1900.  He  has  contributed  to 
the  New  York  Independent  and  A.  M.  E.  Review.    He 


74 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


has  written  several  books  and  pamphlets  among  which 
are:  "In  Memoriam,"  "Relation  of  Baptized  Children 
to  the  Church,"  "The  Key  to  Scriptural  Interpretation," 
"Observation  of  Men  and  Things  in  South  Africa,"  and 
"Fifty-two  Sermon  Syllabi,"  which  have  been  well  re- 
ceived. He  has  written  several  hymns  found  in  our 
hymnal.  He  is  one  of  the  directors  of  the  People's 
Bank  in  Philadelphia.  He  is  also  a  Mason.  He 
has  held  the  offices  of  worshipful  master,  deputy 
grand  master,  district  deputy  grand  master  for  south. 
He  is  a  Republican  and  attended  the  Cincinnati  conven- 
tion that  nominated  Rutherford  B.  Hayes.  He  is  a  prop- 
erty owner  and  pays  taxes  in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania, 
Maryland,  South  Carolina,  Alabama  and  California.  He 
is  actively  associated  with  Home  for  Aged  and  Infirm 
Colored  Persons ;  Douglass  Memorial  Hospital 
and  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  all  of  Philadelphia.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  American  Academy  of  Political  and  So- 
cial Science :  Society  for  the  Advancement  of  Colored 
People.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Fanny  M.  Jackson, 
of  Philadelphia,  then  and  for  more  than  twenty  years 
thereafter  principal  of  the  Institute  for  Colored  Youths, 
in  1880.  She  died  January,  1913,  and  in  July,  1914, 
Bishop  Coppin  was  married  to  Miss  Evelyn  Melissa 
Thompson,  M.D.,  a  graduate  of  Allen  University  and 
The  Women's  Medical  College  of  Philadelphia.  To  them 
has  been  born  one  daughter,  Theodocia  Coppin. 

Corr,  Joseph  M.,  book  steward  of  A.  M.  E.  Church 
1832  to  1835,  was  born  of  free  mixed  parentage  in 
Baltimore,  Md..  in  1806  and  received  a  fair  education. 
In  1826  he  was  made  secretary  of  the  Baltimore  An- 
nual Conference  and  held  the  same  for  two  years.  In 
1826  he  was  secretary  of  the  general  conference  at 
Philadelphia.  In  1832  he  was  elected  steward  of  the 
Book  Concern,  and  during  his  incumbency  issued  the 
second  discipline  in  1834,  and  in  1835  the  second  hym- 
nal of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  died  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  October  t8,  1835. 

Cox,  W.  H.,  was  born  at  Marion,  Ala.,  October 
1,  1870,  and  was  brought  to  Edwards,  Miss.,  in  1878, 


W.  H.  COX. 

when  his  parents  adopted  Mississippi  as  their  home. 
While  his  education  was  never  completed,  he  attended 


the  public  schools  of  Edwards  and  later  polished  up 
at  the  S.  C.  Institute,  near  his  home.  He  was  raised 
in  the  church,  taking  the  traits  of  his  mother,  who  is 
a  very  pious  woman,  with  a  life  overflowing  with 
Christian  virtues.  He  took  on  the  whole  armor  in 
1895  under  that  prince  of  pastors,  Rev.  M.  E.  Davis, 
D.D.,  at  Friar  Point,  Miss.,  and  has  since  been  very 
active  in  all  parts  of  church  work,  and  is  now  one  of 
the  foremost  Allen  C.  E.  League  workers  of  the  lay- 
men of  the  A.  M.  E.  Connection.  He  represented  the 
North  Mississippi  Conference  at  the  General  Confer- 
ence of  1908,  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  being  a  colleague  of  Hon. 
Charles  Banks  and  again  in  1916,  being  so  honored  for 
Philadelphia. 

He  has  played  a  considerable  part  in  the  business 
enterprises  of  his  town,  two  living  organizations  bear- 
ing record  to  his  business  sagacity.  He  is  also  active 
along  fraternal  lines,  leading  all  organizations  of  which 
he  is  a  member.  He  carries  his  religion  into  his  busi- 
ness and  his  business  into  his  religion.  He  has  served 
the  United  States  Government  at  Washington  with 
credit  to  himself  and  race.  For  the  twenty  years  he 
has  lived  at  Friar  Point,  Miss.,  no  shadow  of  suspicion 
has  hung  over  him  or  his  management  of  affairs. 

Craw,  Rev.  J.  Logan,  was  born  in  Navasota,  Tex., 
November  21,  1874.  With  his  parents  he  left  the  State 
of  Texas  when  scarcely  5  years  of  age  and  located  in 
Parsons,  Labette  County,  Kansas.  Here  he  received  a 
high  school  education  and  graduated  as  valedictorian  of 
his  class  from  Hobson  Normal  Institute  May  24,  1894. 

In  September,  1895,  he  was  elected  as  a  teacher  in 
the  McKinley  School  in  his  home  town  and  for  seven 
consecutive  years  held  this  position  of  honor  and  trust. 
In  May,  1902,  against  the  will  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion, Prof.  Craw  resigned  as  teacher  to  accept  the  higher 
calling  of  the  ministry,  having  been  thoroughly  converted 
in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Parsons,  Kansas,  with  the 
Rev.  J.  R.  Ransom  as  his  pastor  at  the  age  of  19  years. 
Some  three  years  were  devoted  to  preparation  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry  and  under  Bishop  Grant  at  Omaha, 
Neb.,  September,  1904,  he  was  admitted  on  trial  to  the 
Kansas  Annual  Conference.  In  September,  1906,  at  the 
Kansas  Annual  Conference  at  Hutchinson,  Rev.  Craw 
was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Grant  and  began  his  first 
active  work  in  the  pastorate,  being  assigned  to  the  Olathe 
Circuit,  Topeka  District,  Kansas  Conference. 

On  October  3,  1909,  Rev.  Craw  was  ordained  elder 
by  Bishops  Grant  and  Lee  at  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Leavenworth,  Kansas.  On  July  1,  191 1,  Rev.  Craw  was 
married  to  Miss  Lillian  Jeltz,  one  of  Topeka,  Kansas's, 
most  successful  teachers  and  a  consecrated  Christian 
lady. 

After  having  pastored  very  successfully  two  years 
in  Emporia,  the  seat  of  Kansas  State  Normal  School,  and 
two  years  in  Lawrence,  the  seat  of  Kansas  State  Uni- 
versity School,  Rev.  Craw  was  transferred  by  Bishop  H. 
B.  Parks,  presiding  bishop  of  the  Fifth  Episcopal  Dis- 
trict, in  October,  191 1,  from  the  Kansas  Conference  to 
the  Puget  Sound  Conference  and  stationed  at  Bethel  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  Portland,  Oregon.  Here  Rev.  Craw,  aided 
by  his  brilliant  wife  and  loyal  members,  paid  to  the 
Church  Extension  Society  in  October,  191 3,  the  largest 
amount  ever  paid  at  any  one  time  in  cash,  viz.,  $2085,  a 
loan  which  had  been  standing  for  sixteen  years.  The 
membership  was  tripled  during  the  three  years  of  Rev. 
Craw's  pastorate  and  one  of  the  most  modern  and  beauti- 
ful churches  in  the  Pacific  Northwest  nearly  completed. 


75 


s 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


a 


Rev.  and  Mrs.  Craw  are  now  at  Los  Angeles,  where 
Rev.  Craw  is  pastor. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence and  leader  of  the  Puget  Sound  Conference. 


REV.  J.  LOGAX  CRAW. 

Mrs.  Craw  is  an  ideal  minister's  wife  and  has  been 
president  of  the  Puget  Sound  Conference  Branch  W.  M. 
M.  Society.  Mrs.  Craw  is  a  graduate  of  the  Topeka, 
Kansas,  High  School  and  a  graduate  of  Mrs.  C.  F.  Men- 


MRS.  J.  LOGAX  CRAW. 

ninger's  Bible  School  of  Topeka.  Mrs.  Craw  is  said  to 
have  organized  the  first  colored  Bible  class  in  Kansas, 
and  is  an  enthusiastic  Bible  teacher  wherever  her  lot  is 
cast.  For  seven  years  she  was  a  teacher  in  the  Wash- 
ington School,  of  Topeka,  Kansas. 


Crayton,  F.  C,  was  born  in  Stewart  county,  Ga., 
i860  or  1861,  the  son  of  Archie  and  Louise  Crayton, 
both  members  of  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Was  one  of  nine 
children.  Began  attending  school  in  1869  and  receiv- 
ed eight  years'  schooling  in  all.  Spent  more  than  two 
years  in  the  common  schools  of  Georgia,  mostly  Flor- 
ence, Ga.     Converted  in    1885  and  joined  A.   M.   E. 


Church  same  year.  Has  held  several  offices  in  the 
church  such  as  Steward,  Trustee,  Class  Leader,  local 
preacher,  Sunday  School  teacher  and  chorister.  Li- 
censed to  preach  in  1885  in  Stewart  county  by  Rev.  S. 
B.  Jones.  Ordained  Deacon  by  Bishop  Gaines  at  Mill- 
edgeville,  in  1889.  Ordained  Elder  at  Macon,  Ga.,  in 
1891,  by  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines.  Joined  Annual  Confer- 
ence in  1887  at  Talbotton,  Ga.,  under  Bishop  R.  R. 
Disney.  Held  the  following  appointments :  Preston 
Mission    and     Orgelthorpe     Circuit,     1888;    Mahaley 


REV.  FREDERICK  CHRISPIX  CRAYTON,  D.D. 

Chapel  Circuit,  1889-91;  Mt.  Carmel  Circuit,  1892; 
Tabernacle  Circuit,  1893-94;  Buena  Vista  Station, 
1895-98;  Smithville  Station,  1899;  Ellaville  Circuit, 
1900-01  ;  Albany  Station,  1902-03 ;  Sparta  Station, 
1904-06;  Milledgeville  Station,  1907-08;  Warrenton 
Station,  1909-10;  Xorwood,  191 1;  St.  Paul  Station, 
East  Macon,  Ga.,  1912-13. 

Rebuilt  and  remodeled  church  at  Mahaley  Chapel 
Circuit.  Completed  parsonage  and  church  at  Buena 
Vista,  Ga.  At  Sparta,  Ga.,  he  built  parsonage.  Built 
church  at  Warrenton  Station.  At  Mt.  Carmel  he  paid 
off  heavy  debt.  At  Ellaville  he  lifted  mortgage  of 
several  hundred  dollars.  Paid  mortgage  debt  at  Mill- 
edgeville. Cancelled  large  mortgage  at  St.  Paul,  East 
Macon,  Ga.,  and  built  splendid  parsonage. 

Dr.  Crayton  has  taken  between  1200  and  1500 
people  into  the  church,  baptized  hundreds  and  mar- 
ried eighty.  Received  degree  D.D.  from  Morris  Brown 
College.  Dr.  Crayton  is  a  Trustee  of  Morris  Brown 
College  and  Recording  Secretary  of  Macon  (Ga.)  Con- 
ference. Married  Emma  Crayton,  1882,  of  Alabama. 
Owns  a  home  in  Milledegeville. 


Crews,  Phillip  Caswell,  one  of  fifteen  children 
of  Jacob  and  Joanna  Crews,  both  members  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  June  4,  1850,  in  Howard 
County,  Missouri.  He  first  went  to  school  in  1867, 
but  made  most  advancement  by  means  of  private 
study  and  under  good  tutors.  He  was  converted  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1866,  and  served  as 
steward,  trustee,  class  leader,  Sunday  school  teacher 
and  superintendent,  exhorter  and  local  preacher;  was 


76 


B 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Hubbard  in  1871,  at 
Chillicothe,  Missouri ;  joined  the  annual  conference 
at  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  September,  1874,  under 
Bishop  Wayman,  who  ordained  him  deacon  in  1875, 
at  Glasgow,  Missouri;  was  ordained  elder  in  1879  at 
Springfield,  Missouri,  by  Bishop  Shorter,  and  has 
held  the  following  appointments,  all  in  Missouri : 
Heidelburg,  1875-6;  La  Grange,  1877;  Kirkwood, 
1878-9;  Moberly,  1880-2;  Gallatin,  1883-5;  Paris,  1886- 
8;  Bowling  Green,  1889;  Palmyra,  1890-3;  Clarksville, 
1894;  Glasgow,  1895-6;  St.  Charles,  1897-1900;  Louisi- 
ana,  1 901 ;   Columbia,    1902-6;   Macon,   1907-11;  Rich- 


REV.  P.  C.  CREWS. 

mond,  1912;  presiding  elder,  1912  to  date.  In  1883 
he  built  a  church  at  Trenton  at  a  cost  of  $800,  and 
paid  mortgages  at  Moberly,  Palmyra,  Glasgow  and 
Columbia.  In  1892  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  general 
conference  and  has  been  trustee,  of  Wilberforce  and 
Western  Universities.  He  is  a  Mason  and  a  home 
owner.  He  was  twice  married ;  first  to  Miss  Julia 
Nelson,  of  Lafayette  County,  Missouri,  June  29,  1871  ; 
their  children  are  Ida  B.,  Nettie  Z.,  William  E.  and 
Caswell  W.  Prof.  Caswell  Crews  graduated  from 
Wilberforce  and  taught  in  Allen  University;  is  now 
teaching  in  St.  Paul  School,  Virginia.  Rev.  Crews 
was  married  to  his  present  wife,  who  was  Mrs.  S.  E. 
Martin,  a  school  teacher,  November  18,  1896. 

Curry,  Rev.  John  Wesley,  was  born  at  Monticello, 
Ark.  His  opportunities  for  attending  the  public  schools 
were  very  limited.  His  parents  were  blessed  with  sixteen 
children.  Regardless  of  conditions,  he  kept  striving  to 
make  himself  a  strong  man.  At  21  years  of  age  he  en- 
tered the  Monticello  Seminary,  Dr.  C.  S.  Mebane,  prin- 
cipal. In  four  years  he  finished  the  teacher's  course.  He 
spent  some  time  as  teacher,  business  man,  agent  and  in 
the  fraternity  world.  He  entered  Shorter  College,  N. 
Little  Rock,  during  the  presidency  of  Dr.  T.  H.  Jackson, 
spending  five  years  in  literary  and  classical  courses.  He 
visited  the  World's  Fair  Exposition,  St.  Louis,  1904.  He 
entered  the  Theological  Department  of  Shorter  College, 
1908,  tutored  under  Dr.  T.  H.  Jackson,  dean,  and  Dr.  A. 
H.  Hill,  president.  He  was  graduated  May,  191 1,  with 
the  degree  of  B.D.  He  served  two  years  as  Deputy  G. 
Worthy  Counsellor,  two  years  as  Grand  Lecturer  of  the 
Courts  of  Calanthe  under  Sir  J.  T.  T.  Warren,  G.  W.  C. 


He  made  the  annual  visits  one  year  for  the  G.  W.  C.  He 
traversed  the  state  from  Texarkana  to  Memphis  and  from 
Sterlin  to  Fort  Smith,  Ark.,  visiting  and  instituting  courts. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  at  Maryanna,  Drew  Coun- 
ty, Ark.,  under  Rev.  J.  D.  Dennis,  P.  E-,  then  of  the 
Monticello  District.  As  pastor,  he  has  served  Lee's 
Chapel  Mission,  Clio  Circuit,  South  Pine  Bluff,  Fordyce 
Station  and  entertained  the  Annual  Conference,  191 1.  By 
request  he  was  transferred  from  Fordyce  Station,  West 
Arkansas  Conference,  to  Northeast  Oklahoma  Conference 


REV.  J.  W.   CURRY, 
and  stationed  at  Rentiesville  Circuit  November,  1912. 

He  married  Miss  C.  A.  Lytch,  daughter  of  Mr.  A.  D. 
and  Mrs.  Amanda  Lytch,  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  November 
28,  191 1.  Mrs.  Curry  is  talented  in  music,  a  graduate  of 
the  Pittsburgh  High  School  and  a  college  graduate  of 
Bennett  College,  N.  C,  with  the  degree  of  A.B. 

Rev.  Curry  was  called  to  take  charge  at  Eufaula  in 
May,  1912.  He  attended  the  General  Conference,  Kan- 
sas City,  1912.  The  same  year  the  Annual  Conference 
met  in  Muskogee  and  he  was  reassigned  to  Eufaula  by 
Bishop  W.  D.  Chappelle.  At  the  P.  E.  Council  held  at 
Tulsa,  April,  1914,  he  was  assigned  to  Muskogee  Sta- 
tion. At  the  Annual  Conference  at  Red  Bird,  1914,  he 
was  reassigned  to  Muskogee.  On  October  10,  1914,  his 
aged  father,  one  of  the  faithful  pioneer  preachers,  died. 

Curtis,  Rev.  J.  B.,  was  born  December  13,  1871,  12 
miles  north  of  Natchez,  Miss.,  attended  the  school  of 
that  immediate  vicinity  for  eleven  years,  beginning  at  the 
age  of  seven  years,  then  studied  privately  under  special 
instructors,  and  later  attended  Leland  University,  New 
Orleans,  La.  He  has  served  entirely  within  the  State  of 
Mississippi — at  Hesterville  (Miss.)  circuit  (2  years), 
Yazoo  City  circuit  (2  years),  where  he  had  a  large  re- 
vival; Flora  circuit  (1  year),  Sweet  Home  Circuit,  where 
he  repaired  the  church  and  added  50  converts ;  Hill's 
chapel  circuit,  Sidon  and  Acona  circuit,  his  present 
charge.  In  all  these  places  revivals  have  resulted  in  large 
additions  to  the  church,  spiritual  improvement  of  the  peo- 
ple and  financial  increases.  Rev.  Curtis'  wife  was  for- 
merly Miss  Ordel  Banks.  The  degree  of  D.D.  was  con- 
ferred upon  him  by  Campbell  College.  He  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916 
by  East  Mississippi  annual  Conference. 


/7 


B 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


Paschallville,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


AKER,  REV.  PARIS,  joined  the  Phil- 
adelphia Conference  at  Wilmington, 
Delaware,  in  the  year  of  1892.  He 
has  been  a  successful  minister  for 
twenty-four  years.  Dr.  Daker  preach- 
ed the  99th  annual  sermon  from  the 
book  of  Hebrews  12:  14.  He  is  now 
pastor  of  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church, 


REV.  PARIS  DAKER,  D.D. 


Daniels,  Isaac  N.,  was  born  January  3rd,  1857,  in 
Madison  County,  Huntsville,  Ala. ;  went  to  school  two 
years  in  Gurleysville,  Ala. :  five  years  and  six  months 
in  Avery,  Ala.     He  graduated  from  no  school ;  came  to 


REV.  I.  N.  DANIELS. 

the  State  of  Kansas  in  1879,  and  thence  to  Iowa  in  1880. 
He  was  converted  January  23rd,  1882,  and  joined  the 
M.  E.  Church.  In  1885  he  joined  the  African  M.  E. 
Church  under  Rev.  Timothy  Reeves  in  Oskaloosa,  la. 
He  says  he  has  been  absent  only  one  Sabbath  from  church 


in  the  past  33  years.    He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1888 
by  Rev.  J.  W.  Malone,  P.  E. 

He  joined  the  Iowa  Annual  Conference  in  1889,  un- 
der Bishop  John  M.  Brown.  The  first  three  years  of  his 
ministry  he  built  and  paid  for  the  church  building  at 
Clarinda,  Iowa.  In  1895  he  bought  our  church  property 
in  Aurora,  111.,  and  paid  for  the  same  except  $250.  In 
1897  he  was  at  St.  Peter's  Mission,  Chicago.  Here  he 
found  17  members.  During  five  years  he  took  into  our 
church  over  500  people.  The  first  four  years  they  wor- 
shipped in  a  store  room,  but  saved  $1,000  and  made  a 
first  payment  on  a  $9,500  church  property  in  North  Chi- 
cago. The  church  was  incorporated  and  named  Wayman 
Chapel.  After  five  years'  labor  with  this  church  he  left 
175  members  and  a  congregation  of  500.  In  September, 
1902,  he  was  sent  to  Evanston,  111.,  where  our  church 
had  been  for  more  than  30  years  without  owning  a  per- 
manent church  home.  Here  he  bought  for  the  church 
its  first  real  estate,  which  consisted  of  a  fine  parsonage 
with  two  lots,  at  the  cost  of  $6,300,  which  he  paid  within 
three  years  and  six  months,  and  increased  the  member- 
ship from  130  to  240.  From  Evanston  he  was  sent  to 
St.  Stephen's  Church,  Chicago,  III,  in  1907.  Here  he 
served  one  year  with  success.  After  preaching  10  years 
in  Chicago  and  vicinity,  he  was  returned  to  Aurora,  111., 
in  1908.  In  September,  1910,  he  was  stationed  at  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  where  he  served  for  two  years.  He  re- 
ceived into  the  church  203  persons  and  paid  some  debts. 
And  in  1912  he  was  appointed  Presiding  Elder  of  the 
Keokuk  District  of  the  Chicago  Conference,  which  posi- 
tion he  still  holds.  He  is  happily  married  and  since  1905 
has  owned  a  beautiful  home  in  Evanston,  111. 

David,  George  Franklin,  the  son  of  Baldwin  and 
Hannah  David,  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
March  14,  1862,  in  Harrison  County,  Ky.  His  parents 
had  12  children.    He  entered  school  in  1870  and  received 


^1 

K«^'**J| 

\       e^  . '  |H 

* 

REV.  GEORGE  FRANKLIN  DAVID,  D.D. 

about  three  and  one-half  years'  schooling.  He  attended 
later  in  life  Payne  Theological  Seminary  and  graduated 
from  the  same  in  1902;  also  received  the  degree  of  D.D. 
from  Wilberforce  University  in  1911.  He  took  private 
lessons  from  a  Presbyterian  minister,  but  most  of  his 
education  he  acquired  by  reading.     He  was  converted 


78 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3 


December  29,  1881,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the 
same  year.  He  has  held  many  offices  in  the  church.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  February  6,  1886,  at  Covington, 
Ky.,  by  Bishop  Wayman.  He  was  ordained  deacon  Sep- 
tember 12,  1887,  at  Harrodsburg,  Ky.,  by  Bishop  H.  M. 
Turner,  and  ordained  elder  in  1889  at  Covington,  Ky., 
by  Bishop  Wayman.  He  joined  the  Annual  Conference 
in  1886  at  Ashland,  Ky.,  under  Bishop  Turner.  He  has 
held  the  following  appointments:  Leesburg  Circuit,  1886- 
88;  Wilmore,  Ky.,  1888-92;  Cattlesburg,  Ky.,  1892-95; 
Midway,  Ky.,  1895-98;  Somerset,  Ky.,  1898-99;  Mt.  Ver- 
non, Columbus,  O.,  1900-01  ;  Second  Church,  Columbus, 
O.,  1901-02;  Frankfort,  Ky.,  1902-04;  Presiding  Elder, 
1904-16. 

He  built  churches  at  Hickman,  Ky.,  in  1890,  at  a 
cost  of  $800;  at  Sulphur  Wells,  Ky.,  in  1891,  at  a  cost 
of  $400;  at  Leesburg,  Ky.,  in  1887,  at  a  cost  of  $300.  He 
lifted,  a  mortgage  at  Frankfort,  Ky.,  in  1903  to  the 
amount  of  $1400.  He  has  taken  3,635  members  into 
the  church,  baptized  2,750  people  and  married  708  peo- 
ple. 

Rev.  David  has  been  Presiding  Elder  for  twelve 
years,  trustee  and  member  of  the  Executive  Board  of 
Wilberforce  University,  trustee  of  Wayman  Institute, 
and  treasurer  for  eight  years. 

He  married  Mrs.  Rhoda  David,  of  Cynthiana,  Ky., 
March  19,  1885.  They  have  two  children :  Charles  W.  A. 
David,  aged  28,  who  received  the  A.B.  degree,  Magna 
Cum  Laude,  from  Wilberforce  University,  and  the  Ph.B. 
from  the  University  of  Chicago ;  and  George  F.  David, 
aged  24,  who  received  B.S.  as  an  honor  graduate  from 
Wilberforce  and  the  Ph.B.  from  the  University  of  Chi- 
cago. 

The  subject  of  the  sketch  is  a  member  of  the  F.  & 
A.  M.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  and  United  Brothers  of  Friend- 
ship. He  has  held  important  offices  in  each.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican and  has  attended  the  State  Conventions.  He  is 
a  property  owner  to  the  amount  of  $10,000.  He  was 
appointed  a  member  of  the  committee  on  "Church  and 
Country  Life"  of  the  Federal  Council  of  Churches  of 
Christ  by  the  Bishops'  Council  of  February,  191 5.  He 
has  also  been  associated  with  N.  A.  A.  C.  P.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  1912,  and  an  alter- 
nate to  the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916. 

Davidson,  Henry  Damon,  was  born  on  the  David- 
son plantation,  three  miles  below  the  town  of  Centre ville, 
Ala.,  December  16,  1869.  His  parents,  Damon  and  Ada- 
line  Davidson,  were  pious  people  and  well  beloved  by 
white  and  black  for  miles  around.  When  Henry  was  a 
baby  the  late  Captain  Samuel  W.  Davidson,  the  former 
master,  said  to  Henry's  father:  "Damon,  you  ought  to 
take  care  of,  raise  and  educate  that  boy ;  a  dollar  in  his 
head  will  be  worth  ten  dollars  in  his  pocket." 

When  Henry  was  five  years  old  his  parents  moved 
across  the  Cahawba  River  nearer  the  town  of  Centreville, 
where  he  helped  his  father  on  the  farm  and  attended 
the  three  months  public  schools  in  Centreville  whenever 
he  could  be  spared  from  the  farm  until  the  year  1888, 
when  he  entered  Selma  University.  After  his  first  term 
at  Selma  he  went  back  home,  took  the  State  examination 
for  teacher's  license,  passed,  and  taught  the  same  school 
he  had  attended  the  year  before.  The  next  year  he 
entered  the  A.  M.  E.  School  at  Selma,  Ala.,  Payne  Uni- 
versity, which  had  just  thrown  open  her  doors.  His  par- 
ents being  too  poor  to  help  him,  he  had  to  teach  in  the 
rural  schools  a  part  of  the  year,  go  to  school  a  part  and 
farm  the  other  part.    However,  by  studying  hard  at  night 


when  out  of  school,  he  managed  to  complete  the  course 
at  Payne  with  the  first  class,  May  18,  1893. 

Our  subject  was  elected  when  only  17  years  old  as 
Superintendent  of  Mt.  Sinai  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  School, 
and  has  held  that  position  for  nearly  30  years,  "without 
having  been  absent  on  an  average  of  three  Sundays  a 
year  all  of  these  years,"  he  says. 

Mr.  Davidson  married  Miss  Lula  J.  Davis,  a  grad- 
uate of  Tuskegee,  in  February,  1899.  She  died  June  21, 
1908. 

He  founded  Centreville  Industrial  Institute,  of 
which  he  is  principal,  in   1900.     He  married  his  present 


PROF.  HENRY  D.  DAVIDSON. 

wife,  who  was  Mrs.  Lizzie  Campbell  McClellan,  the 
widow  of  Mr.  J.  F.  McClellan,  and  also  a  graduate  of 
the  Tuskegee  Institute. 

Mr.  Davidson  was  a  delegate  to  the  National  Repub- 
lican Convention  which  nominated  McKinley  and  Roose- 
velt at  Philadelphia  in  1900.  He  was  elected  lay  delegate 
to  the  General  Conferences  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
which  met  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1900 ;  Norfolk,  Va.,  in 
1908;  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in  1912,  and  in  Philadelphia  in 
1916.  He  holds  the  office  of  Sunday  School  Superintend- 
ent, steward  and  trustee  in  the  church  today.  He  is  giv- 
ing his  life  for  his  Maker,  church  and  race. 

Davis,  Mrs.  L.  A.,  is  president  of  the;  W.  H.  & 
F.  Society  of  the  Alabama  Conference.  From  girl- 
hood she  seemed  adapted  to  missionary  work.  She 
began  in  Brown  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Selma, 
Ala.,  when  a  mere  girl,  as  a  Sunday  school  teacher, 
and  taught  up  to  the  present  time ;  served  as  Secre- 
tary of  the  Mite  Missionary  Society,  and  is  the  local 
secretary  of  the  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society,  having  served  fifteen  years ;  served 
eight  years  as  President  of  the  Selma  District.  As 
Conference  Branch  President  she  has  served  eleven 
years,  during  which  time  she  has  raised  more  than 
$6,000,  having  served  under  Bishops  Coppin,  Parks 
and  Jones.  She  has  cared  for  and  educated  three 
girls.  With  a  heart  full  of  sympathy  for  poor  un- 
fortunate boys,  she  has  taken  several  into  her  home, 
cared  for  them.     Mrs.  Davis'  efforts  secured  the  re- 


79 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


& 


lease  of  a  little  boy  who  was  guilty  of  murder,  from 
prison,  and  had  him  sent  to  the  Mt.  Meigs  Reforma- 
tory to  be  trained.  Mrs.  Davis  is  chairman  of  the 
Dallas  County  prison  work,  and  for  seventeen  years 


MRS.  L.  A.  DAVIS. 

has  held  service  every  Sunday  afternoon  with  the 
prisoners  in  the  county  jail.  Her  work  done  in  the 
slums  and  the  rescuing  of  girls  from  houses  of  ill- 
fame  stands  out  distinctly.  She  is  highly  respected 
and  greatly  loved. 

Davis,  Rev.  Marion  E.,  was  born  in  Ebenezer, 
Mississippi,  January  19,  1864.'  He  was  put  into  the  pub- 
lic school  at  the  age  of  five,  and  all  of  his  early  years 
were  spent  in  hard  study.  He  was  also  trained  in  the 
home  by  a  loving  mother  to  do  anything  that  a  girl  could 
do.     In  18S0  he  taught  school  in  his  home  county.     In 


REV.  M.  E.  DAVIS,  D.D. 

September,  1881,  he  entered  the  Central  Tennessee  Col- 
lege, now  Walden  University,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  No- 
vember 1 8th  of  the  same  year  he  was  converted.  During 
the   five  years  attending  Walden  University   he   taught 


school  in  Mississippi  and  Tennessee  during  his  vacation. 
In  February,  1887,  he  was  licensed  to  exhort,  later  to 
preach,  and  in  November,  1887,  joined  the  Mississippi 
Annual  Conference  in  Yazoo  City  under  Bishop  Ward, 
at  the  same  time  he  was  teaching  public  school  at  his  na- 
tive home.  September  4th,- 1888,  he  entered  Wilberforce 
University,  Ohio,  to  further  his  literary  course  and  take  a 
course  in  theology.  May  of  1890  Bishop  Payne  requested 
him  to  take  charge  of  the  Second  Church  in  Springfield, 
Ohio,  for  the  vacation.  The  church  so  prospered  under 
his  administration  during  the  vacation  that  Bishop  Payne 
appointed  him  as  pastor  in  connection  with  his  school 
work  at  Wilberforce,  saying  to  him :  "I  have  been  pray- 
ing for  twelve  years  for  God  to  give  me  a  man  to  build 
up  that  church,  and  it  seems  now  that  God  has  answered 
my  prayer  in  the  person  of  yourself."  It  was  then  that 
Brother  Davis  agreed  to  shoulder  the  responsibility  of 
pastoring  the  church  and  carrying  on  his  school  work, 
and  here  he  continued  until  September,  1894,  after  he 
had  graduated  from  Payne  Theological  Seminary  in  June 
of  the  same  year.  During  this  time  he  was  ordained 
deacon  by  Bishop  Lee  in  June,  1892,  and  on  September 
20,  1894,  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Arnett,  at  Steub- 
enville,  Ohio.  Then  he  returned  to  his  home  conference, 
the  North  Mississippi  Conference,  and  was  on  Decem- 
ber 8,  1894,  appointed  pastor  of  Friars'  Point,  Miss.,  and 
president  of  Stringer  Academy.     Here  he  spent  five  suc- 


MRS.  M.  F.  DAVIS. 

cessful  years  in  building  up  the  church  and  Academy.  In 
November,  1900,  he  was  appointed  to  Port  ( iibson  in  the 
Mississippi  Conference,  where  a  beautiful  new  church 
had  just  been  completed.  Here  five  years  were  spent 
handling  successfully  the  congregation  and  the  big  debt 
on  the  church. 

In  December,  1905,  he  was  appointed  pastor  of  the 
Natchez  Station.  He  tooK  hold  of  this  historical  church 
and  went  to  work  in  earnest,  paid  off  some  of  the  long- 
standing debt,  cleared  the  church  property  of  all  debt, 
increased  the  dollar  money  more  than  $150,  improved  all 
other  interests  of  the  church,  renovated  the  church  and 
parsonage  at  a  cost  of  more  than  $3,000,  paying  cash  for 
everything  as  the  improvement  went  on,  and  closed  up 
five  years  there  with  a  glorious  success,  and  just  eight 


80 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


weeks  before  his  conference  Bishop  Coppin  requested 
him  to  accept  Emmanuel,  Portsmouth,  Va.,  to  succeed 
the  late  Dr.  L.  H.  Reynolds.  Here  he  spent  five  very 
successful  years  ;  in  one  great  revival  more  than  500 
persons  were  converted ;  the  church  was  cleared  of 
debt,  renovated  and  new  furniture  installed  at  a  cost 
of  $2500;  a  valuable  piece  of  property  adjoining-  the 
church  property  was  bought  and  the  Church  Extension 
paid  in  full.  In  Portsmouth  he  organized  and  man- 
aged a  campaign  to  raise  $5000  to  save  the  Old  Folks' 
Home  that  was  purchased  seven  years  previous  to  his 
coming  to  the  state.  He  has  been  pastor  at  Bethel 
Church,  Third  Street,  Richmond,  Va.,  since  April,  1916. 

Davis,  Rev.  William  H.,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Philadelphia  District,  Philadelphia  Conference,  was  born 
in  Augusta  County,  Ya.,  near  Staunton,  April  23,  1843. 
He  was  converted  at  Mother  Bethel,  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
and  subsequently  joined  Union  A.  M.  E.  Church,  16th 
Street  and  Fairmount  Avenue,  Philadelphia.  Here  he 
remained  for  a  period  of  six  years  and  was  licensed  both 
as  exhorter  and  local  preacher. 

In  1 87 1  he  was  used  as  a  supply  at  Germantown  and 
the  same  year  at  Carlisle,  Pa.,  was  received  into  the  itin- 
erancy by  Bishop  J.  A.  Shorter.  Fie  was  present  at  the 
conference  when  the  Philadelphia  Conference  was  divid- 
ed and  the  N.  J.  Conference  was  organized.  He  has  serv- 
ed the  following  appointments :  Phoenixville  Circuit, 
Dover,  where  he  built  a  church ;  South  Chester,  Bristol, 
Chambersburg,  Reading,  Frederica,  Del. ;  Mount  Olive, 
Philadelphia,  where  he  served  five'  years ;  Presiding  El- 
der of  the  Wilmington  District  for  5  years ;  Mt.  Pisgah, 
West  Philadelphia,  four  years ;  Media  three  years ;  Bryn 
Mawr,  Pa.,  five  years ;  Presiding  Elder  of  the  West  Phil- 
adelphia District  over  three  years,  and  is  at  present  Pre- 
siding Elder  of  the  Philadelphia  District,  serving  his 
fourth  year.  He  was  a  member  of  the  general  confer- 
ence of  1912. 

Davis,  Rev.  William  Oscar,  son  of  Rev.  William  H. 
and  Fannie  Davis,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 


REV.  W.  O.  DAVIS. 

was  born  December  28,  1870,  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  one 
of  four  children.    He  attended  school  in  all  twenty  years, 


chiefly  at  Bristol,  Pa.;  Fredericks,  Dela.,  and  Chambers- 
burg, Pa.  He  graduated  from  the  Institute  for  Colored 
Youths,  Philadelphia;  Payne  Theological  Seminary  and 
Drew  Theological  Seminary,  receiving  the  degree  B.D. 
from  Payne  and  Drew  and  D.D.  from  Payne  in  1909. 
He  was  converted  in  1892  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  the  same  year.  He  has  served  as  class  leader, 
steward,  trustee,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  superintend- 
ent, organist,  etc.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1893  at 
Philadelphia  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Brock ;  was  ordained  deacon 
1899  by  Bishop  Grant,  and  ordained  elder  1901  at  Harris- 
burg,  Pa.,  by  Bishop  Derrick.  He  joined  the  annual  con- 
ference in  1900  at  Dover,  Dela.,  under  Bishop  Grant, 
and  has  held  the  following  appointments:  La  Mott, 
1900-1902;  Madison,  N.  J.,  1902-04;  Salem,  N.  J.,  1904- 
06;  Newark,  N.  J.,  1006-08;  Camden,  N.  J.,  1908-09; 
Hamilton,  Bermuda,  1909-12;  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  1912- 
13;  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  1913-16.  He  has  baptized  425 
and  married  87.  He  married  Eliza  Victoria  Davis,  of 
Antigua,  B.  W.  I.,  October  16,  1902.  They  had  two 
children,  Lillian  Victoria,  11  years,  and  Helen  Marie,  de- 
ceased, February  28,  1910.  Fie  has  contributed  to  the 
Christian  Recorder.  He  is  connected  with  the  F.  and  A. 
M.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  K.  of  P.  and  I.  B.  P.  O.  of  E.  W. 

Dean,  Cornelius  James,  the  son  of  John  T.  and 
Hannah  Ann  Barrett,  both  members  of  the  B.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  October,  1863,  at  Chatham,  Ontario, 
one  of  fourteen  children.  He  entered  school  when  very 
young  and  received  about  ten  years'  schooling.  He  re- 
ceived his  theological  training  from  Morris  Brown  Col- 
lege, was  converted  in  1884,  and  joined  the  B.  M.  E. 
Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  every  office  in  the 
church  from  sexton  to  Presiding  Elder  save  exhorter; 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1895  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  by  Rev. 
J.  M.  Henderson,  joined  the  Michigan  Annual  Confer- 
ence in  1900  at  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. ;  ordained  deacon 
in  1901  by  Bishop  Grant  at  South  Bend,  Ind. ;  ordained 
elder  by  Bishop  Grant  in  1903  at  Detroit. 

Rev.  Dean  has  held  the  following  appointments : 
Adrian,  Mich.,  1899 ;  Pontiac,  Mich.,  1902 ;  Jackson, 
Mich.,  1906;  Benton  Harbor,  Mich.,  191 1,  and  Presiding 
Elder  of  South  Bend  District,  191 3.  He  built  a  new 
church  at  Pontiac,  Mich.,  at  a  cost  of  $1356.50;  parson- 
age at  Jackson,  Mich.,  at  a  cost  of  $2450;  enlarged  and 
remodeled  church  at  Benton  Harbor  at  a  cost  of  $1226; 
repaired  church  at  Adrian,  Mich.,  at  cost  of  $350 ;  has 
taken  361  people  in  church,  baptized  86  and  married  102. 

He  is  a  trustee  of  Wilberforce  University.  He  mar- 
ried Mary  A.  Whaley,  of  North  Buxton,  Ont,  in  1883. 
They  have  three  children :  Mrs.  Edith  P.  Tyler,  Mrs. 
Mabel  Thomas,  both  ministers'  wives,  and  James  A. 
Dean,  who  is  now  a  student  in  dentistry  in  the  University 
of  Michigan.  All  are  graduates  of  high  schools.  Mrs. 
Thomas  is  a  music  teacher.  Mrs.  Tyler  is  a  graduate  of 
Claryes  Business  College. 

Dean,  Henderson,  was  born  in  Jefferson  County, 
Miss.,  1865.  He  was  one  of  thirteen  children,  the  son 
of  George  and  Lucy  Dean,  both  members  of  the  Baptist 
Church.  He  entered  school  in  1875  and  attended  about 
three  years.  He  spent  over  two  years  in  the  Port  Gibson 
public  schools.  He  was  converted  in  1886  and  joined  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  at  the  same  time.  He  has  held  the  fol- 
lowing offices  in  the  church';  Trustee,  Steward,  Class 
Leader,  Exhorter,  Local  Preacher  and  Sunday  School 
Teacher.    He  wag  licensed  tg  ;preach  in  1892  at  Chotard, 


81 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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Miss.,  by  E.  R.  Carter.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1896 
at  Columbus,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick.  He  was 
ordained  elder  in  1899  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  by  Bishop 
Derrick.  He  joined  the  Annual  Conference  in  1894  at 
Durant,  Miss.,  under  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner.  He  has 
held  the  following  appointments:  Mayersville,  1895-97; 
Brunswick,  1898;  Leota  Circuit,  1899;  Anguilla  Circuit, 


REV.  HENDERSON  DEAN. 

1900-01  ;  Rolling  Fork,  1902;  Lintonia,  1903-04;  Lexing- 
ton Circuit,  1905;  Campbellsville  Circuit,  1906  to  1909; 
Benton  Circuit,  1910;  Evans  Circuit,  1911-12;  Sidon  Cir- 
cuit, 1913;  appointed  P.  E.  in  1914. 

He  built  a  church  at  Mayersville  at  a  cost  of  $550  in 
1896  and  a  parsonage  at  Brunswick  at  a  cost  of  $300  in 
1893;  also  a  parsonage  at  Lintonia  at  a  cost  of  $400  in 
1903.  He  lifted  a  mortgage  at  Holly  Bluff  to  the  amount 
of  $350  in  1907.  He  has  taken  about  850  persons  into 
the  church,  baptized  about  600  and  married  about  87. 

He  has  been  delegate  to  the  General  Conferences  of 
1004,  1912  and  1916.  His  wife  is  Mrs.  Nannie  Dean,  of 
Marietta,  Ga.  He  was  director  of  an  insurance  and  a 
member  of  the  F.  and  A.  M.     He  owns  a  home. 

Deas,  Dohn  Carlos,  son  of  William  and  Mary 
Deas,  was  born  October  23,  1875,  at  Kershaw  county,  S. 
C,  one  of  thirteen  children.  He  entered  school  at  the 
age  of  seven  and  attended  in  all  about  twenty  years.  He 
graduated  from  Claflin  University.  He  received  a  di- 
ploma in  1908  from  Allen  University  in  Theology  and 
the  degree  D.D.  from  Allen  in  1912.  He  took  a  corre- 
spondence course  in  theology  from  Morris  Brown  Uni- 
versity. He  was  converted  in  1893  and  joined  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  in  1895.  He  has  held  several  offices  in  the 
church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1895  at  Orange- 
burg, S.  C,  by  Rev.  W.  D.  Chappelle.  He  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1897  at  Lancaster,  S.  C,  by  Bishop  Arnett, 
and  ordained  elder  in  1899  at  Darlington,  S.  C,  by  Bish- 
op Grant.  He  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1897  at 
Darlington,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  Arnett,  and  has  held 
the!  following  appointments:  Parlorsville  circuit,  St. 
Stephen's  mission,  Couterboro  station,  Wedgefield  and 
St.  Luke  circuit,  Darlington  station,  Mt.  Olive,  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, Marion  station,  appointed  presiding  elder  of  Marion 


district  at  Florence,  S.  C,  in  1915.  He  built  St.  Steph- 
en church  near  St.  Matthews,  S.  C,  at  a  cost  of  $400  in 
1899.  He  lifted  mortgages  on  Bethel  and  Orange  Hill 
churches  at  Wedgefield  in  1902  and  on  Bethel,  Darling- 
ton, S.  C,  at  a  cost  of  $200  in  1005.  He  has  taken  950 
into  the  church,  baptized  200  and  married  50.  He  was 
elected  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of  1912  and 
1916.  He  was  recording  secretary  of  the  N.  E.  S.  C.  con- 
ference for  4  years,  chief  secretary  for  6  years,  trus- 
tee of  Allen  University  for  ten  years,  and  a  member  of 
the  Executive  Board  for  three  years.  He  married  Mary 
King,  of  Spartansburg,  in  1895  and  had  two  children, 
Mattie  and  Dohn  Carlos,  Jr.  In  1904  he  married  Ellen 
F.  Johnson,  of  Newberry,  S.  C.  He  is  connected  with 
the  Good  Samaritan  and  K.  of  P.  He  has  held  the  office 
of  deputy  in  the  Good  Samaritan.  He  owns  a  home  in 
Sumter,  S.  C. 

DeLaine,  Henry  Charles,  son  of  Charles  and  Car- 
oline DeLaine,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  August  4,  1859,  at!  Manning,  S.  C,  one  of 
thirteen  children;  began  attending  school  in  1870  and 
spent  over  nine  years  in  the  county  schools.  He  was 
converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1876  and 
has  held  nearly  every  office  in  the  church.  He  was  li- 
censed to  preach  in  1880  at  Manning  by  Rev.  William 
M.  Thomas ;  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1889  at 
Columbia,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  Arnett;  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1890  at  Manning  by  Bishop  Arnett,  and 
elder  in  1897  at  Manning  by  Bishop  Salter.  He  has 
held  the  following  appointments :   Manning,   1887-91 ; 


REV.  H.  C.  DeLAINE. 

Salem  Ct.,  1891-2;  Friendship,  1892;  Mt.  Sinai.  1892- 
96;  Mt.  Pleasant,  1896-99;  Statesburg  Sta.,  1899-1904; 
Liberty  Hill  Sta.,  1904-09;  P.  E.,  1909-13;  St.  James 
Cir.,  1913-15;  Liberty  Hill,  1916.  He  built  the  fol- 
lowing churches:  one  at  Manning  at  a  cost  of  $300  in 
1889;  DeLaine  Chapel,  Manning,  $350  in  1890;  Friend- 
ship, Silver,  $250,  in  1892;  Mt.  Sinai  at  Shiloh,  $500,  in 
1893:  Oak  GroVe,  Lake  City,  $440,  in  1895.  He  has 
lifted  mortgages  on  the  following  churches:  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, Elliott,  S.  C,  $75  in  1897;  Magnolia,  Lynchburg, 
S.  C.,  $150  in  1898;  William  Chapel,  Statesburg,  $100 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


in  igoo;  Ebenezer,  Shiloh,  S.  C,  $100  in  1895.  He  has 
taken  over  1200  people  into  the  church,  baptized  500 
people  and  married  about  200.  He  was  a  delegate  to 
the  general  conferences  of  1912  and  1916;  he  was  a 
member  of  the  A.  C.  E.  League  Board,  1912.  He  mar- 
ried Lisbia  DeLaine.  of  Manning,  S.  C,  December  24, 
1885.  They  have  fifteen  children:  H.  C.  DeLaine,  Jr., 
29  years ;  R.  C.  DeLaine,  27  years ;  Arlean,  25  years ; 
Rowena,  23  years ;  Leo,  20  years ;  Moses,  18  years ; 
Carrie,  16  years;  Joseph,  14  years;  Lewis,  13  years; 
Mary  and  Martha,  11  years;  Maggie,  10  years;  Allen, 
7  years;  Sarah,  31  years;  Peter.  Mrs.  Sarah  Coe  is  a 
graduate  of  Allen  University,  also  Carrie  and  Rowena 
Two  of  them  are  teachers.  He  has  contributed  to  the 
Samaritan  Herald.  He  is  connected  with  the  G.  U.  O. 
of  O.  F.,  Household  of  Ruth,  K.  of  P.  and  Samaritans, 
and  has  held  prominent  offices  in  each  of  them ;  is  a 
Republican  and  has  attended  the  state  conventions. 
He  holds  a  good  reputation  in  his  community  and 
owns  real  estate. 

Derrick,  Bishop  William  B.,  23rd  bishop  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in  Antiqua,  of  the  West 
Indies,  on  July  27,  1843.  His  father,  Thomas  J.  Der- 
rick, was  said  to  be  a  planter  of  some  means  in  Antiqua. 
In  1867  he  entered  the  itinerant  ministry ;  the  next  year 
he  was  ordained  deacon,  and  in  1870  he  was  ordained 
elder  at  Norfolk,  Ya.,  by  Bishop  Wayman.    In  1888  he 


BISHOP  W.  B.  DERRICK,  DD. 

was  elected  missionary  secretary  and  established  the  of- 
fice in  Bible  House,  New  York,  giving  it  general  pres- 
tige. In  1896  he  was  elected  bishop  at  Wilmington  and 
served  in  that  capacity  for  nearly  17  years,  serving  as 
bishop  of  the  eighth,  first,  third  and  fifteenth  Episcopal 
districts.  He  was  three  times  married;  first  to  Miss 
Mary  E.  White,  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  who  lived  but 
a  short  time ;  next  to  Mrs.  Lillian  M.  Derrick,  who 
died  in  1907  and  to  whom  he  was  married  more  than 
twenty-five  years,  and  last  to  Mrs.  Clara  E.  Hen- 
derson Jones,  to  whom  he  was  married  in  1909,  and  who 
survives  him.  He  was  educated  in  private  schools  in  his 
native  land  and  excelled  in  oratory.  He  was  apprentic- 
ed as  a  blacksmith,  but  took  to  sea  soon  after  completing 
his  trade.  He  came  to  the  United  States  during  the  Civil 
War  and  enlisted  in  the  United  States  navy  and  served 
on  the  U.  S.  flagship  Minnesota,  and  was  in  the  famous 


oattle  between  the  Monitor  and  the  Merrimac.  In  later 
years  he  frequently  referred  to  his  service  under  two 
flags — the  British  and  the  United  States.  He  was  con- 
verted in  St.  John  church,  Norfolk,  Va.,  in  1864  and  join- 
ed the  church  the  same  year,  being  licensed  to  preach  by 
Rev.  John  M.  Brown,  then  pastor  at  Norfolk.  He  served 
as  pastor  of  Mt.  Pisgah  in  District  of  Columbia.  He  was 
transferred  to  Virginia  in  1869,  elected  assistant  secre- 
tary of  the  Virginia  Conference.  In  1870  he  was  elected 
temporary  secretary  and  appointed  pastor  of  Staunton, 
Ya.,  presiding  elder  of  the  Staunton  district.  He  was  elect- 
ed secretary  in  1872  and  served  until  1879.  In  1872  he  was 
elected  delegate  to  the  General  Conference,  and  was  a 
member  of  every  general  conference  from  that  time  till  his 
death.  In  1875  he  was  pastor  at  Richmond,  Va. ;  in  1877 
presiding  elder  of  Richmond  District ;  in  1879  he  trans- 
ferred to  New  York.  After  his  transfer  to  New  York 
Dr.  Derrick  became  a  powerful  factor  in  politics.  His 
gift  of  oratory  made  him  always  in  demand  as  a  cam- 
paign orator.  And  believing  that  the  rights  of  the  race 
were  being  protected  by  the  Republican  party  he  threw 
his  whole  soul  into  the  success  of  the  Republican  party. 
He  died  in  April,  1913,  at  Flushing,  N.  Y. 

Dickerson,  John  H.,  was  born  in  Madison,  Fla., 
one  of  four  children ;  entered  school  in   1872  and  at- 
tended about  ten  years  in  all.     He  attended  Cookman 
Institute    and    Edward    AVaters     College,    graduating 
from  the  latter.    He  has  received  degrees  from  Wilber- 
force  and  Edward  Waters  College.    Converted  in  1882, 
he  joined  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  has  held  almost  every 
office  in  the  church.     He  was  licensed  to  preach  at 
Ocala,  Fla.,  in  1886,  by  Rev.  J.  R.  Robinson;  ordained 
deacon  in  1887  at  Palatka.  Fla.,  by  Bishop  Payne;  or- 
dained elder  1890  at  Gainesville,  Fla.,  bv  Bishop  Ar- 
nett ;  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1886  at  Fernan- 
dina,  Fla.,  under  Bishop  Payne,  and  has  held  the  fol- 
lowing  appointments    in    Florida:    San    Mateo,    1886; 
East   Palatka,    1887;  Jacksonville,    1888;   Green   Cove 
Springs,   1889;   Jacksonville,    1890;   Hawthorne,    1891 ; 
Starke,  1891  ;  Ocala.  1892:  Tampa,  1803  ;  Palatka,  1894; 
Citra,   1895;  elected  to   Payne  Theol.   Institute   1896; 
appointed   presiding  elder   1899 ;  built   Pavne   Chapel,  ■ 
East  Palatka,  at  a  cost  of  $1500  in  18S7:  Mt.  Moriah, 
Jacksonville,   at   a   cost  of  $2000  in    1888;   Mt.    Zion, 
Ocala,  at  a  cost  of  $3000  in   1892:  rebuilt  church  at 
Hawthorne  at  a  cost  of  $500  in  1890,  and  Starke  at  a 
cost  of  $500  in  1891 ;  bought  a  church  site  at  Tampa 
in  1893  at  a  cost  of  $10,000;  elected  delegate  to  general 
conferences  of  1892,   1896,   1900,   1904,  1908,   1912  and 
1916.     He  was  a  member  of  the  Educational  Board  in 
1908-12,  and  of  the  Church  Extension  Board  in  1904-8. 
Married   Fannie   Sims,   of   Newberry,    S.    C.   in    1883. 
Thev  have  one  daughter.  Miss  Minnie  L.  Dickerson, 
who' is  a  graduate.     He  is  a  thirty-third  degree  Mason 
and  has  been  grand  master  of  the  Freemasons  of  Flor- 
ida for  the  last  seventeen  years.     Dr.  Dickerson  isa 
Republican.     He  attended  the  national  conventions  in 
iqoS  and  1912.    He  owns  valuable  property  and  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  substantial  men  of  the  race.     He  i« 
president   of   the    Florida    Bovs'    Home    for    Colored 
Youth  and  president  of  the  Negro  Business  League. 
Under  his  direction  has  been  bvtilt  in  Jacksonville  the 
finest  Masonic  temple  owned  bv   the  race,  the  cost  of 
which  is  said  to  be  more  than  $250,000. 

Dickerson,  William  Fisher,  thirteenth  bishop  of  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  wag  horn  in  Woodbury,  N.  J.,  January 


83 


s 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


o 


15,  1844,  the  son  of  Rev.  Henry  and  Sophia  Dickerson, 
both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  received  a 
common  school  education  in  his  native  town.  He  was 
converted  and  received  into  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  New 
York  in  1861.  He  entered  Lincoln  University  and  grad- 
uated ;  was  licensed  to  preach  while  at  Lincoln  by  Rev. 
H.  J.  Rhodes  at  Oxford,  Pennsylvania,  and  joined  the 
New  York  Annual  Conference  in  1870.  He  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1868  and  elder  in  1871.     He  received  the  de- 


BISHOP  WM.  FISHER  DICKERSON. 

gree  of  D.D.  from  Wilberforce  University ;  was  fraternal 
delegate  of  the  general  conference  of  1876  to  the  M.  E. 
general  conference  in  Baltimore.  While  he  was  pastor 
of  Bethel,  Sullivan  Street,  New  York,  in  1880,  he  was 
elected  bishop  and  assigned  to  South  Carolina  and  Geor- 
gia and  during  his  administration  the  foundations  were 
laid  for  both  Allen  and  Morris  Brown  Universities.  He 
was  secretary  of  the  Council  of  Bishops.  He  died  Decem- 
ber 20,  1884,  and  was  buried  at  Woodbury,  N.  J. 

Dixon,  Marcellus  Richardson,  the  seventh  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Matilda  Dixon,  was  born  in  Natchez, 
Mississippi,  December  14.  1872.  His  mother  and  grand- 
mother were  charter  members  of  Zion  Chapel  A.  M.  E. 
Church  of  Natchez.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
and  Natchez  College;  was  converted  and  joined  Zion 
Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1897  under  the  pastorate 
of  Dr.  O.  P.  Ross  and  the  revival  meeting  of  Rev. 
R.  A.  Adams.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  J. 
G.  Thompson.  In  the  fall  of  1897  he  matriculated  at 
Morris  Brown  College,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  finished  his 
theological  course  in  1902.  He  joined  the  North  Ga. 
conference  November,  1890;  was  ordained  a  deacon 
by  Bishop  Turner  at  Newnan,  Ga.,  November,  1901  ; 
was  transferred  to  the  Central  Mississippi  conference 
in  1902  and  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Tyree,  and  re- 
ceived his  first  appointment  December  14,  1902.  He 
has  served  the  following  appointments :  Columbus, 
Miss.,  1  year;  St.  John,  West  Point,  Miss..  1903-4;  St. 
Peter's,  Port  Gibson,  Miss.,  1904-09;  Brookhavcn, 
Miss.,  1909-10;  presiding  elder  of  the  Summit  district, 
Miss,  conference,  3  months  in  1910-11.  In  191 1  Bishop 
Turner  transferred  him  to  the  Louisiana  conference 
and  appointed  him  to  historic  St.  James,  New  Orleans, 
La„  where  he  served  successfully  five  years  and  at  the 
1916  session  of  the  Louisiana  conference  Bishop  Con- 
nor transferred  him  to  the  North  Mississippi  confer- 


ence and  appointed  him  to  St.  Matthew's  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Greenville,  Miss.,  where  he  is  now  serving. 
He  has  served  as  trustee  of  Campbell  College,  Jackson, 
Miss.,  and  of  Lampton  College,  Alexandria,  La.  He 
was  treasurer  of  the  Louisiana  conference  and  for  four 
years  led  the  Louisiana  conference  in  all  reports.  On 
April  20,  1904,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Katie  Stevens, 
of  Natchez,  Miss.    Four  sons  were  born  to  their  union 


REV.  M.  R.  DINON,  B.D.,  D.D. 

and  give  great  promise  of  usefulnesss.  In  191 1  Camp- 
bell College,  Jackson,  Miss.,  conferred  on  him  the  de- 
gree of  D.D.  He  served  four  years  in  the  Southern 
Christian  Recorder  office  under  Editor  R;  M.  Cheeks 
and  G.  E.  Taylor  and  later  seven  years  as  editor  and 
manager  of  the  "New  Light,"  the  Masonic  paper  of 
Mississippi.  He  was  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ences of  1912  and  1916. 

Drummond,  Rev.  William  Solomon,  was  born  in 
Wattsville,  Va.,  November  2,  1867,  the  son  of  William 
Thomas  and  Caroline  Drummond,  farmers. 

He  attended  public  school  at  his  birthplace  during 
his  boyhood  days  a  few  months  each  year,  from  the 
age  of  eight  to  sixteen.  Then  he  was  hired  out  on  the 
farm.  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  went  to  Lewes,  Del., 
where  he  worked  for  a  large  firm.  At  the  age  of  twen- 
ty he  came  to  Philadelphia,  May  5,  1887.  The  follow- 
ing Autumn  he  joined  Mt.  Pisgah  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
under  Rev.  J.  B.  Stansberry,  and  filled  the  following 
offices: 

President  of  the  literary  association,  class  leader, 
trustee  and  local  preacher. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  at  the  District  Confer- 
ence at  Concordville  in  1808.  In  1894,  at  the  age  of 
28,  he  married  Henrietta  Tull,  of  Pocomoke  City,  Md. 
To  this  union  there  are  5  children,  four  girls  and  one 
boy.  In  1899  ne  joined  the  Philadelphia  Conference 
under  Bishop  Grant.  He  served  the  following  appoint- 
ments : 

Pottsville,  Penna.,  1899-1900;  Disney  Chapel  in 
Philadelphia,  1900-1902,  during  which  time  he  was  a 
private  student  under  Dr.  Solomon  Porter  Hood;  Em- 
manuel, 24th  &  York  Sts.,  Philadelphia,  1902-1907,  dur- 


84 


IB- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<S 


ing  which  time  he  attended  Muller  College  for  two 
years.  The  Lord  wonderfully  blessed  his  work  in  this 
charge,  the  membership  increasing  from  30  to  165  ;  Mt. 
Zion,  Columbia,  Pa.,  1907-1909,  where  he  paid  off  the 


REV.  WILLIAM  S.  DRUMMOND. 

last  dollar  on  mortgage  and  beautified  the  church  and 
increased  the  membership ;  Bethel,  York,  Pa.,  1909- 
191 1,  where  he  had  the  church  beautifully  decorated 
and  paid  considerable  on  mortgage ;  St.  John's  A.  M. 


MRS.   VV.   S.   DRUMMOND 

E.  Church,  Wayne,  Pa.,  May,  191 1,  Nov.,  1913,  where 
he  was  wonderfully  blessed,  and  more  than  doubled 
the  membership  and  beautified  the  church  property, 
which  cost  more  than  $450  and  paid  the  same ;  since 


November,  1913,  he  has  pastored  Murphy  Church, 
Chester,  with  very  great  success.  Conversions  during 
his  pastorate  have  been  231,  while  he  has  taken  615 
members  into  the  church. 

He  was  ordained  deacon  at  Bethel  Church,  Wil- 
mington, Del.,  in  1902  by  Bishop  Coppin,  and  ordained 
elder  at  Mt.  Pisgah  in  1904  by  Bishop  Arnett. 

Dukes,  John  Walter,  was  born  September  8,  1855, 
at  Waccahoota,  Marion  Co.,  Fla.,  the  son  of  Floyd  and 
Sophia  Dukes,  and  slave  of  Wm.  Price.  He  was  con- 
verted in  May,  1867,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
June,  1 87 1,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Limas  An- 
drews, and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Williston, 
Fla.,  now  known  as  Grant  Chapel.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  in  1880  by  Rev.  M.  J.  Johnson  and  joined 
the  East  Florida  conference,  February,  1883,  under 
Bishop  Wayman  and  was  appointed  to  Micanopy  Mis- 
sion, which  he  pastored  4  years ;  ordained  deacon  in 
1885  and  elder  in  1887,  both  by  Bishop  Payne ;  appoint- 
ed to  the  Citra  circuit  in  1887  and  remained  4  years, 
and  organized  the  great  Turner  City  camp  meeting 
and  succeeded  in  getting  special  recognition  from  the 
railroad.  In  1890  he  was  appointed  to  Mt.  Zion 
Church,  Ocala,  had  a  great  revival,  more  than  250  per- 
sons being  converted,  and  dollar  money  increased  from 
$112  to  $176.50.  In  1891  he  raised  the  largest  amount 
of  money  ever  raised  in  one  rally  in  Ocala,  $832,  and 
began  building  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church.  In  1892  he 
was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  Tampa  district 
in  the  newly  made  South  Florida  conference  by  Bishop 
Arnett.  After  4  years,  1892-1896,  he  served  the  Gai- 
nesville district  2  years  (1896-1898)  ;  Sanford  district, 
2  years  ( 1898-1900),  and  in  1900  was  appointed  pastor 
of  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Ocala,  Fla.  Since  then 
he  has  served  as  follows:  1901-2,  DeLand  Station; 
1902-3,  Eatonville  Station  ;  1903-6,  presiding  elder  of 
the  St.  Petersburg  district,  Central  Florida  confer- 
ence; 1906-9,  pastor  of  Mt.  Tabor  Station;  1909-10, 
Crystal  River:  1910-11,  High  Springs  Station;  1911- 
12,  St.  Paul  Station,  Leesburg ;  1912-13,  Apopka  Sta- 
tion; 1913-16,  Clearwater  Station,  where  he  has  built 
one  of  the  best  A.  M.  E.  churches  in  Florida.  He  was 
elected  to  the  general  conferences  of  1896,  1900,  1904, 
1908,  1912  and  1916,  and  was  chairman  of  the  Florida 
delegation  in  1912.  He  was  married  in  1876  and  is  the 
father  of  three  children,  two  of  whom  lived  to  be  of 
age ;  his  son  was  a  physician  and  died  in  1910  at  the 
age  of  23'  a°d  his  daughter  died  1903  at  the  age  of 
24.  Rev.  Dukes  has  accumulated  some  valuable  prop- 
erty in  Ocala,  Tampa  and  Clearwater  with  a  rental 
income  of  $110  per  lOnth.  He  was  state  superin- 
tendent of  the  A.  C.  E.  League  from  1908  to  1912  and 
was  reappointed  in  1916.  He  made  Florida  the  ban- 
ner state  in  Christian  Endeavor  work.  While  he  was 
presiding  elder  of  the  Tampa  district  he  organized  the 
Ward  camp  meeting  ground  in  1894  at  Lakeland,  Fla., 
and  the  railroad  gave  another  large  tract  of  land  and 
built  a  large  pavilion  and  a  church  house  for  the  min- 
isters, and  for  a  long  time  this  ground  was  used  by 
the  church. 


_      It7 


85 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


DWARDS,  PHILIP  H.,  the  president 
of  the  Bethel  Church  Corp.,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  was  converted  and  re- 
ceived into  the  church  during  the 
time  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin  was  pas- 
tor of  Bethel  Church,  the  fourth 
Sunday  in  March,  1896,  and  he  has 
been  an  active  member  of  the 
church  since  that  time.  He  was  elected  a  trustee  in  April, 
1904,  and  served  six  years  until  April,  1910.  On  April 
8th,  1912,  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Corporation  of 
Bethel  A.  M.  E.  church,  defeating  Mr.  John  R.  Powell, 
who  had  led  the  Corporation  for  about  sixteen  years. 
Under  his  administration  the  church  has  had  unusual 
financial  success.  From  April  14th,  191 2,  to  the  present 
date,  the  trustee  department  has  collected  in  money  from 
all  sources  about  $19,000,  and  spent  about  $17,700.  On 
entering  into  office  the  trustee  department  owed  current 
expenses  of  $1000,  and  the  bonded  indebtedness  was  $16,- 
997.  There  was  a  mortgage  of  $1500  which  had  been 
held  against  the  church  for  26  years.  The  current  indebt- 
edness and  the  $1500  mortgage  have  been  paid  in  full, 
and  the  bonded  indebtedness  reduced  from  $16,997  to 
$11,997.  Where  the  old  frame  buildings  stood,  next  to 
the  church,  there  have  been  built  two  modern  houses  of 
twelve  rooms  each,  at  a  cost  of  $16,000.  and  the  church 
has  been  renovated  at  a  cost  of  $.'500.  The  church  also 
owns  the  ground  and  properties  from  535  Lombard  street 
to  the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Addison  streets.  Col.  Edwards 
is  not  only  useful  in  church  circles,  but  he  is  popular  in 
fraternal  affairs. 


REV.  WILLIAM  EDWARDS. 

Edwards,  Rev.  William,  was  born  in  Brooklyn, 
Xew  York,  September  14,  1868.  His  father  was  Grif- 
fin Edwards,  of  Virginia,  and  his  mother  was  Martha 
Edwards,  of  Brooklyn.  Rev.  Edwards  received  his 
literary  education  in  the  grammar  and  high  schools 
of  Brooklvn,  where  he  also  received  a  business  course, 
and  his  theological  training  at  Lincoln  University, 
Pennsylvania,  which  he  attended  in  1894-96.  He  has 
served  as  Sunday  school  teacher  and  organist ;  also  been 
engaged  in  several  law  offices  as  clerk  and  stenograph- 


er. He  has  served  several  sessions  as  stenographer 
of  the  Xew  York  Conference.  In  his  home  town  he  is 
highly  respected  and  was  secretary  for  the  Committee 
on  Incorporation  of  the  village,  and  in  1910  was  a  cen- 
sus enumerator.  He  was  one  of  the  first  colored  per- 
sons to  purchase  and  own  a  home  in  Mineola,  L.  I.  His 
wife,  Mrs.  Man-  S.  Edwards,  was  born  in  Keyesville, 
Va.,  in  1869,  and  is  a  trained  nurse  and  graduate  of 
Dixie  Hospital,  Hampton,  \7a.  She  is  president  of 
the  New  York  Conference  Branch  Women's  Mite  Mis- 
sionary Society  and  is  an  energetic  Christian  work- 
er. Her  mother,  Mrs.  Emeline  Bailey,  now  deceased, 
was  a  member  of  the  Old  Third  Street  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Richmond,  Ya.,  under  the  pastorate  of  Bishop 
Wm.  B.  Derrick. 

Rev.  Edwards  has  served  the  following  charges  in 
the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church:  Salem,  Ros- 
lyn ;  Bethel,  Freeport :  Mt.  Zion,  Westbury ;  Allen, 
Xorthport ;  Bishop's  Chapel  and  Bethel  Chapel,  New 
York  City,  and  Douglaston,  Long  Island,  where  he  is 
now  pastor.  He  built  a  neat  little  church  at  North- 
port,  Long  Island,  and  designed  and  built  one  of  the 
prettiest  edifices  for  worship  in  Freeport,  Long  Island, 
within  the  short  space  of  three  years.  He  is  a  church 
organizer  and  has  also  been  successful  in  raising  funds 
and  paying  off  church  debts.  He  is  a  member  of  sev- 
eral secret  organizations,  namely,  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O. 
F.,  and  F.  &.  A.  M.,  and  is  identified  with  every  good 
cause  for  the  advancement  and  progress  of  the  church 
or  race  in  his  community'. 

Edwards,  Watson  Henry,  presiding  elder  of  Sena- 
tobia  District,  X.  E.  Mississippi  Conference,  is  the  son 
of  John  and  Rachel  Edwards,  both  of  whom  were  de- 
vout members  of  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  born  on 
a  farm  eight  miles  from  the  Mississippi  River,  east  of 
Egypt  Ridge,  in  Boliver  County,  Mississippi,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1865.  His  parents  and  his  pastor,  Rev.  Lott 
Stirling  and  a  white  lady,  named  Mrs.  Johnson,  were 
his  early  teachers. 

He  attended  Southland  College,  Helena,  Arkansas, 
one  year;  Roger  Williams  University,  Nashville,  Ten- 
nessee, one  year,  and  three  years  in  Fisk  University, 
which  he  was  forced  to  leave  in  March,  1888,  on  ac- 
count of  the  death  of  his  father,  which  threw  the  re- 
sponsibility of  the  family  support  largely  upon  him. 
But  he  never  stopped  studying.  He  received  the  de- 
gree of  D.D.  from  Campbell  College,  Jackson,  Miss. 

He  was  converted  in  1878  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  the  same  year. 

Licensed  to  preach  in  1880  by  Rev.  Albert  Jack- 
son, of  the  Greenville  District.  He  joined  the  annual 
conference  in  1890  at  Senatobia,  Mississippi,  when 
Bishop  Disney  presided,  was  ordained  deacon  at  Green- 
ville, Miss.,  by  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner,  in  1891,  and  elder 
in  1893,  at  Yazoo  City,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  Arnett. 

Served  the  following  places  : 

Sherwood  Mission,  1890;  Glen  Allen  Circuit,  1891 ; 
Chotard,  1892;  Hollandale.  1893;  Vicksburg  and  Co- 
ahoma, 1894-5;  Stovall  Circuit,  1896-7;  Arkabutta, 
1898;  Senatobia,  1899;  Harrison,  1900;  Tucahoma, 
1901  ;  Leland,  1902-3;  Anguilla,  1904;  Columbus,  1005; 
Coldwater,  1906;  Grenada,  1907-8;  presiding  elder  of 
Hollv  Springs  District,  1909:  Water  Valley  District, 
1910-11;  Senatobia  District,  1912-16.  He  built  Phil- 
lips Church  at  Holly  Springs,  1910;  cost,  $850;  Ed- 
wards' Chapel  at  McMoore,  1896;  cost,  $500;  St.  James 
at  Duncan,  1898,  cost,  $725;  St.  James  at  Leland,  1904, 

86 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


cost,  $2500;  Payne  Chapel  at  Bent  Oak,  1905,  cost 
$550;  Hines'  Chapel  near  Leland,  1904,  cost,  $450  and 
paid  the  mortgage  on  Powell  Chapel  at  Grenada,  1908, 
to  the  amount  of  $405. 

Rev.  F.dwards  has  received  about  1000  people  into 
the  church,  baptized  about  500  and  married  150.  He 
was  delegate  to  General  Conferences  in  1904,  1908  and 
1912,  and  was  unanimously  elected  the  leader  of  his 
delegation  for  1916;  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
the  Western  Recorder,  1912-1916;  a  trustee  of  Camp- 
bell College  and  Wilberforce  University;  treasurer  of 
Northeast  Mississippi  Conference  and  its  acknowledg- 
ed leader,  and  member  of  the  Financial  Board,  reprer 
senting  the  8th  district. 

Ellis,  George  W.,  spent  six  years  in  the  college 
and  law  departments  of  the  University  of  Kansas,  then 
specialized  in  the  study  of  the  social  sciences,  gradu- 


of  the  noted  book,  "The  Position  of  Africa."  Subse- 
quently, he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  following 
learned  societies :  African  Society  for  the  Study  of  Na- 
tive Institutions,  London  ;  American  Sociological  So- 
ciety ;  American  Political  Science  Association ;  Amer- 
ican Academy  of  Social  and  Political  Science ;  Amer- 
ican Society  of  International  Law  ;  honorary  member 
of  the  Luther  Burbank  Society,  and  decorated  Knight 
Commander  of  the  Order  of  African  Redemption.  He 
is  now  one  of  the  contributing  editors  of  the  Journal 
of  Race  Development  of  Clark  University  at  Worces- 
ter, Mass.,  and  the  Editor  of  Who's  Who  of  the  Color- 
ed Race. 

It  might  be  added  that  Mr.  Ellis  has,  perhaps,  the 
largest  and  most  representative  single  ethnological  Af- 
rican collection  now  in  the  National  Museum  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  He  has  made  a  number  of  addresses  in 
different  portions  of  the  United  States  and  elsewhere 
upon  African  and  Negro  questions  and  was  a  member 
of  the  African  Conference  at  Clark  University,  Wor- 
cester, Mass.,  in  1910. 

He  is  author  of  the  new  book,  entitled,  "Negro 
Culture  in  West  Africa."  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
General  Conference  of  19 12,  representing  Liberia  and 
is  a  member  of  the  Centennial  General  Conference.  He 
has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Financial  Board  since 
1912. 


Embry,  James  C,  25th  bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E.. 
Church,  was  born  in  Knox  County,  Ind.,  November 
2,  1834.  His  parents  were  Baptists.  He  entered  school 
when  quite  young  and  received  a  good  common  school 
education,  and  taught  school  prior  to  1858.  He  was 
converted  in  1855  in  Galena,  111.,  and  was  licensed  to 
preach  in  1856  by  Rev.  F.  Meyers  in  Galena.  He 
joined  the  annual  conference  in  August,  1864,  under 
Bishop  Ouinn.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1866  and 
ordained  elder  in   1870.     He  held  many  appointments 


HON.  GEORGE  W.  ELLIS,  F.R.G.S. 

ating  from  Gunton's  Institute  of  Economics  and  So- 
ciology. He  was  appointed  clerk  in  the  Interior  De- 
partment at  Washington  and  later  as  secretary  of  the 
American  Legation  to  the  Republic  of  Liberia,  where 
he  served  for  more  than  8  years.  While  in  West  Afri- 
ca he  took  up  the  study  of  African  native  institutions 
and  subsequently  contributed  articles  upon  African 
problems  and  subjects  to  the  Bureau  of  Education, 
Washington,  D.  C. ;  The  Independent  at  New  York 
City ;  Journal  of  the  African  Society,  London ;  Journal 
of  Race  Development,  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  and 
similar  publications  in  both  Europe  and  the  United 
States. 

However,  aside  from  his  official  duties  in  Africa, 
his  most  important  work  was  his  study  of  the  native 
institutions  of  the  Vai  Speaking  Negroes,  resulting  in 
his  manuscript  on  Negro  Social  Life  and  Culture  in 
Africa. 

As  a  result  of  the  original  work  and  investigations 
of  George  W.  Ellis  into  native  social  conditions  and 
African  problems  he  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society  of  Great  Britain  upon  the  pro- 
posal and  nomination  of  Sir  Harry  H.  Johnston, 
G.C.M.G.,  K.C.B.,  one  of  the  greatest  living  African 
authorities  in  Europe,  and  Dr.  J.  Scott  Keltie,  author 

87 


BISHOP  J.  C.  EMBRY,  D.D. 

to  his  credit  and  to  that  of  the  church.  He  was  finan- 
cial secretary  from  1876  to  1880  and  general  busi- 
ness manager  from  1884  to  1896,  during  which  time 
he  built  the  present  publishing  house  at  631  Pine  St. 
In  1896  he  was  elected  bishop  and  ordained  May'  19, 
1896.  He  died  August  16,  1897,  and  is  buried  at  Phil- 
adelphia. 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


Evans,  Dr.  Elias  G.,  is  a  native  of  Florida,  where  he 
was  reared  on  his  father's  farm.  He  was  a  student  three 
years  at  the  Florida  Baptist  Institute  and  was  an  ardent 
worker  in  all  of  its  societies.  Leaving  this  institute  he 
taught  school  for  two  years,  and  entered  the  State  Normal 
College  at  Tallahassee,  Florida,  completing  the  four  years' 
course.     He  was  president  of  the  college  societies,  with 


DR.  ELIAS  G.  EVANS. 

which  he  was  connected  while  in  this  institution,  also  for 
two  years  editor  of  the  College  News  Bureau,  and  organ- 
ized a  debating  society  in  Tallahassee ;  served  as  teacher 
and  officer  of  the  Sunday  school,  and  president  of  the 
choir  of  the  leading  A.  M.  E.  church  of  that  city.  After 
graduating  he  became  a  State  teacher,  holding  the  prin- 
cipalship  of  some  of  the  best  schools  of  the  State,  and  was 
also  for  three  years  special  agent  for  the  college.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  has  been  a  Sunday 
school  worker  from  youth,  filling  every  position  in  the 
church  save  that  of  a  preacher.  His  annual  conference 
elected  him  trustee  of  Wilberforce  University  1898,  and 
he  was  elected  first  alternate  to  the  general  conference  of 
1904.  He  entered  the  medical  department  of  Howard 
University  in  1904,  went  through  the  third  year  course, 
after  which  circumstances  compelled  him  to  give  up,  as 
he  was  a  night  watchman  in  the  War  Department  during 
the  time.  He  entered  the  dental  college  of  the  university 
in  191 1  and  graduated  June,  1913.  He  enjoys  a  good 
practice  and  has  a  thoroughly  equipped  dental  office  at 
1113  You  Street,  N.  W.  Dr.  Evans  is  an  officer  of  the 
Robert  T.  Freeman  Dental  Society,  of  Washington,  D.  C. ; 
has  served  as  first  vice-president  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  of 
Howard  University  and  is  now  the  fifth  vice-president 
of  the  Alumni  Association  of  the  university;  member  of 
the  Grand  United  Order  of  Odd  Fellows;  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity ;  a  trustee  of  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  church, 
of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  first  assistant  superintendent  of 
its  Sunday  school,  and  an  officer  of  Bethel  Literary  and 
Historical  Association. 


Evans,  Rev.  James  Joshua,  the  son  of  Simon  and 
Mary  (Derricks)  Evans,  was  born  in  Knoxville,  Fred- 
erick County,  Maryland,  June  13,  1855.     He  attended 


the  public  schools  of  his  native  town.  At  the  age  of 
16  years  he  entered  Storer  College  of  Harper!s  Ferry, 
Wrest  Va.,  and  remained  for  two  years.  From  here  he 
went  to  Washington;  D.  C.,  and  attended  Wayland 
Theological  Seminary.  He  was  converted  in  1880  and 
in  1883  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Cain,  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  and  in  1886  he  was  ordained  an  elder  by 
Bishop  Turner  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.  He  has  received 
into  the  church  635  persons  and  has  baptized  263,  mar- 
ried 72  couples  and  attended  137  funerals.  He  has 
built  three  new  churches  from  the  ground,  rebuilt  five 
and  paid  four  out  of  debt.  He  has  entertained  the  Phil- 
adelphia Conference  at  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  and  the  In- 
diana Conference  at  Terre  Haute,  Ind. 

Rev.  Evans  was  married  in  1885  to  Miss  Lydia 
Samuel  George,  of  Elizabeth,  N.  J.  He  has  pastored 
the  following  charges  with  some  degree  of  success: 
1SS3-4,  Elizabeth,  N.  T- ;  1885,  Bay  Shore,  N.  Y. ;  1886- 
88,  Milton,  Del:  1889,  Green  Castle,  Pa.;  1890-1,  Zion 
Chapel,  Phila. ;  1802-3,  Chambersburg,  Pa. ;  1894-5, 
Carlisle,  Pa.;  1896-7,  Allen  Chapel,  Phila.;  1898-9,  Eb- 
enezer,  West,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  1900,  Christfield, 
M.  D. ;  19.01,  St.  James,  Louisville,  Ky. ;  1902-3,  Taylor 
Chapel,  Bowling  Green,  Ky. ;  1904,  LaGrange,  111. ; 
1905.  Allen  Temple,  Marion,  Ind. ;  1907-8,  Spruce  St., 
Terre  Haute.  Ind. ;  1909,  Bethel,  Evansville,  Ind."; 
1910-11,  Bloomington.  111.;  1912,  Edwardsville,  111.; 
1913-4,  Mound  City,  111.;  1915.  Bethel,  Quincy,  111.; 
the  last  named  being  his  present  charge.  He  is  now 
serving  his  32d  year  in  the  itinerant  ministry  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.' 


Evans,  Miss  Mary  G.,  was  born  in  Washington  City, 
D.  C,  January  13,  1891.  Her  parents  died  when  she  was 
a  child.  She  was  adopted  by  Rev.  and  Mrs.  J.  |.  Evans, 
Mrs.    Evans   being   her   aunt   and    who   then   resided   in 


MISS  MARY  G.  EVANS. 

Louisville,  Ky.  She  obtained  her  grammar  and  high 
school  training  in  the  schools  of  Chicago,  111.  At  the  age 
of  twelve  she  felt  a  call  to  preach  and  then  preached  her 
first  sermon.  She  was  licensed  to  preach  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  at  Chicago,  111.,  by  Rev.  Timothy.  At  fifteen 
she  entered  the  Indiana  conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  church 


88 


°& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


a 


and  was  given  evangelist's  license  by  Bishop  Shaffer. 
Feeling  that  her  calling  required  the  very  best  of  train- 
ing, Miss  Evans  entered  Payne  Theological  Seminary, 
Wilberforce,  Ohio.  Not  having  the  necessary  money  to 
enter  and  complete  the  course  at  Payne,  her  aunt,  Mrs. 
Evans,  the  Federal  Clubs  of  Indiana,  and  the  conference 
came  to  her  aid  June,  191 1.  Since  that  time  she  has  trav- 
eled over  the  entire  country,  north,  south,  east  and  west, 
and  has  won  thousands  of  souls  to  Christ.    In  June,  1913, 


she,  with  a  friend,  sailed  for  Europe  to  attend  the  World's 
Seventh  Sunday  School  Convention.  She  was  the  only 
delegate  appointed  by  the  State  Association  of  Indiana. 
She  visited  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  traveling  in  France, 
Switzerland,  Italy,  Greece,  Turkey,  the  Holy  Land  and 
Egypt.  On  her  return  she  lectured  extensively  on  her 
trip.  Miss  Evans  is  one  of  the  great  evangelistic  preach- 
ers of  the  race.  Her  power  lies  not  alone  in  her  scholastic 
preparation,  but  in  her  entire  consecration  to  God. 


I  ELDER,  REV.  S.  P.,  was  born  July 
1,  1863,  at  Greensburg,  La.  His 
parents  were  Joseph  and  Susan 
Felder.  He  grew  up  to  the  age  of 
seventeen  years  before  he  began  his 
education.  He  began  by  attending 
night  schools  in  1879,  and  after- 
wards attended  public  school.  He 
married  in  1880,  and  desiring  to  continue  his 
education  he  hired  private  teachers  who  continued 
to  feed  his  fertile  brain  until  he  developed  into  a  schol- 
ar of  no  mean  ability.  He  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
on  probation  in  1878  and  was  converted  in  1881,  was 
licensed  as  an  exhorter  March,  1885,  licensed  as  a  lo- 
cal preacher  September,  1S85.  He  studied  theology 
under  a  private  teacher,  T.  A.  Wilson.  He  entered  the 
ministry  December,  1887,  was  ordained  a  deacon  in 
1888  and  was  ordained  an  elder,  1890.  He  is  one  of 
Mississippi's  greatest  preachers.  More  than  a  thou- 
sand souls  have  been  converted  by  his  sermons.  He 
was  a  successful  pastor  and  is  an  excellent  presiding 
elder.  In  the  latter  position  he  is  now  serving  his  six- 
teenth appointment.  He  is  a  financier,  builder  and 
leader  of  affairs  of  the  church  and  school  in  the  State 
of  Mississippi.  His  leadership  is  not  confined  to  the 
Church  and  school  alone,  and  served  two  years  as 
state  General  Manager  of  the  Mutual  Aid  Society  in 
the  State  of  Mississippi,  and  resigned  the  position  be- 
cause of  his  ministerial  responsibilities.  He  was  after- 
wards elected  as  Supreme  Grand  Master  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Eagles,  which  position  he  now  holds. 
He  also  was  the  first  president  of  the  People's  Saving 
Bank  at  Shaw,  Miss.  He  resigned  this  position  be- 
cause of  being  over-burdened  with  responsibility.  He 
has  served  on  the  Church  Extension  Board  eight  years, 
and  was  elected  delegate  to  the  Ecumenical  Confer- 
ence, which  was  held  in  Toronto,  Canada,  October, 
191 1.  He  has  been  elected  delegate  to  five  consecutive 
General  Conferences,  from  1900  to  1916,  and  has  served 
twelve  years  on  the  Episcopal  Committee.  He  is  a 
trustee  and  manager  of  Campbell  College  farm.  The 
degree  of  D.D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  Campbell 
College. 

He  organized  Log  Town,  Jordan  River,  Bay  St. 
Louis,  which  was  beginning  of  the  Gulf  work,  white 
he  was  a  local  preacher,  and  ha't  organ>':ed  many 
churches  since. 

Flagg,  Rev.  L.  S.,  was  born  about  fifty  years  ago, 
near  Raleigh,  N.  C.  He  was  converted  in  early  youth. 
The  first  Sunday  school  attended  was  the  A.  M.  E. 
His  parents  moved  to  a  village  in  the  suburbs  of  the 
city  of  Raleigh,  where  there  was  no  A.  M.  E.  Church 
and  he  attended  the  M.  E.  Church  and  Sunday  school 
and  was  licensed  to  preach  in  that  church  and  used  by 


them  as  a  supply  while  he  attended  school  to  further 
prepare  himself  for  the  ministry.  He  was  often  impor- 
tuned to  join  the  M.  E.  Conference,  but  true  to  his 
first  love  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Conference,  under 
Bishop  Campbell,  at  Wilmington,  X.  C.  While  attend- 
ing school  he  was  for  a  time  instructor  in  theology,  but 
before  he  graduated,  on  account  of  the  great  demand 
for  preachers,  he  was  compelled  to  take  work.     Being 


REV.  L.  S.  FLAGG. 

however,  of  studious  habits  he  prepared  himself  so  ef- 
ficiently that  he  has  filled  some  of  the  most  important 
charges  in  the  connection. 

He  served  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Morganton 
District  of  the  West  North  Carolina  Conference,  and 
was  transferred  to  the  Baltimore  Conference  by  Bishop 
J.  A.  Handy,  where  he  has  held  important  charges, 
among  them  Mother  Bethel,  Baltimore.  During  his 
administration,  Bethel  Church  raised  more  than  one 
thousand  dollars  a  month  for  all  purposes.  Though 
deprived  of  the  opportunity  of  completing  his  educa- 
tion, he  is  in  great  demand  as  a  preacher,  which  shows 
that  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  recognizes  work  and  worth. 

Fleming,  James  Robert,  one  of  seven  children  of 
Robert  and  Annie  Fleming,  both  members  of  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  was  born  in  Washington,  Georgia,  in  1865 ; 
attended  school  in  Washington  six  years ;  graduated 
from  Morris  Brown  University ;  received  the  degree 
of  D.D.  from  Campbell  College,  Jackson,  Miss. ;  was 
converted  in  18S1  and  joined  Woods  Chapel  A.  M.  E. 


89 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


Church ;  held  offices  of  steward,  class  leader,  local 
preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  superintendent; 
was  licensed  to  preach  1887  in  Allen  Temple,  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Yeiser;  was  ordained  deacon  1890 
at  Car'tersville  by  Bishop  Gaines ;  ordained  elder  1894 
in  Marietta,  by  Bishop  Grant.  He  joined  the  annual 
conference  at  Washington,  Ga.,  in  1889  under  Bishop 
Gaines ;  held  the  following  appointments,  all  in  Geor- 
gia;  Stone  Mountain,  18S9-1892;  Jackson,  1893;  Dera- 
ville,  1894;  Acworth,  1895-96-97;  Griffin,  1898-99; 
Jamesboro,  1900- 1904;  Madison,  1905  ;  presiding  elder . 
twelve  years :  built  churches  at  Stone  Mountain  at 
cost  of  $500  in  1890;  Acworth  at  $1500  in  1895;  Grant 
Chapel,  $500  in  1896;  Jamesboro,  $500  in  1901.  Lifted 
mortgage's  at  Jackson,  $300,  1893.  and  Griffin,  $500, 
1898;  was  delegate  to  general  conferences  of  1912  and 
1916.  Married  in  1882  to  Gussie  Bailey,  of  Warrenton, 
Ga. ;  one  child,  Anna  S.  Fleming.     Owns  a  home. 

Fleming,  John  William,  was  born  February  14, 
1871  :  converted  in  1892;  married  Miss  Lucina  Page 
in  1893;  was  licensed  to  exhort  December  19,  1895, 
by  Rev.  J.  W.  Dukes,  P.  E. ;  appointed  to  first  pastor- 
ate 1898  bv  Rev.  R.  D.  Lewis,  P.  E. ;  ordained  deacon 
in  1900  at' Tampa,  Fla.,  by  Bishop  Gaines;  ordained 
elder  in  1906  at  Gainesville,  Fla.,  by  Bishop  Tanner; 
held  the  following  appointments,  all  in  Florida:  Mul- 
berry, where  he  organized  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  bought 
a  lot  and  built  a  church  ;  Worthington  Springs,  where 
he  bought  land  and  built  a  church  ;  Hopewell,  where 
he  built  a  parsonage :  Okahumpka  circuit,  where  he 
built  a  church;  Bloomfield  ;  Dutton,  one  year;  Inter- 
lachen,  where  he  remained  four  years,  buying  a  lot  in 
town  and  building  a  church  ;  Citra,  two  years ;  Gaines- 
ville, three  years,  making  much  needed  improvements 
to  the  church,  and  Fbenezer  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Live 
Oak,  his  present  pastorate.  Rev.  Fleming  was  a  del- 
egate to  Centennial  General  Conference,  Philadelphia, 
May,  191 6,  and  is  a  trustee  of  Edward  Waters  College, 
Jacksonville,  Fla. 

Flipper,  Joseph  Simeon,  33rd  bishop  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  the  second  of' five  sons  of  Festus  and  Isa- 
bella (Buckhalter)  Flipper,  was  born  February  22,  1859, 
in  Atlanta,  Georgia,  a  slave  of  Ephraim  G.  Ponder.  In 
1867  he  attended  a  missionary  school  in  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
church,  Atlanta,  and  Storrs  school.  In  October,  1869,  he 
was  numbered  among  the  first  students  to  enter  the  At- 
lanta University,  where  he  remained  until  1876,  when 
he  entered  public  life,  teaching  school  at  Thomaston, 
Ga.  He  went  to  Thomasville,  where  his  parents  had 
gone,  in  1877.  Here  he  was  converted  in  March,  1877, 
and  joined  St.  Thomas  A.  M.  E.  church  under  Rev.  S. 
W.  Drayton.  In  1877  and  1878  he  taught  school  in 
Thomas  county.  In  1879  he  was  commissioned  by  Gover- 
nor Alfred  H.  Colquitt,  captain  of  the  Thomasville  Inde- 
pendents, a  colored  company,  forming  a  part  of  the  State 
militia.  In  1879  he  taught  school  at  Groverville,  now 
Key,  Brooks  County,  Georgia.  Here  he  was  licensed  both 
as  an  exhorter  and  local  preacher  and  recommended  by 
the  local  church  for  admission  into  the  Georgia  annual 
conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  church,  and  in  January,  1880, 
he  was  received  into  the  itinerant  ministry  of  the  Georgia 
conference  at  Americus,  Georgia,  by  Bishop  Campbell, 
and  assigned  to  Groversville  circuit ;  served  Boston  cir- 
cuit 1881.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  January,  1882, 
by  Bishop  Dickerson  in  St.  Thomas  A.  M.  E.  church, 


Thomasville,  Georgia.  Here  also  he  was  elected  secretary 
of  the  Georgia  conference,  and  a  trustee  of  Morris  Brown 
College;  was  appointed  to  Darien,  Georgia,  in  1882.  In 
1883  he  taught  school  at  Cairo  and  Whigham,  Georgia. 
In  January,  1884,  he  was  ordained  elder  at  Valdosta, 
Georgia,  by  Bishop  Dickerson  and  appointed  to  Quitman, 
Georgia,  remaining  there  until  January,  1886,  when  at  the 
conference  at  Hawkinsville,  Georgia,  he  was  transferred 
from  the  Georgia  conference  to  the  North  Georgia  con- 
ference by  Bishop  Shorter,  and  appointed  to  Bethel  A. 
M.  E.  church,  Atlanta,  the  largest  church  in  the  State.  He 
was  the  youngest  man  that  had  ever  been  appointed  to  so 
important  a  charge  in  the  State.  His  mother  had  been 
a  member  of  this  church  and  he  had  attended  its  Sunday 
school  when  a  boy,  and  in  the  old  church  had  first  learn- 
ed his  alphabet.  He  remained  here  four  years,  the  full 
limit  of  the  law,  and  raised  more  dollar  money  than  had 
ever  been  raised  in  any  church  in  the  entire  State.  No 
other  pastor  exceeded  his  record  for  25  years.  From 
here  he  was  appointed  pastor  of  Pierce  chapel,  A.  M.  E. 


BISHOP  J.  S.  FLIPPER,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

church,  Athens,  Georgia,  in  1889,  and  remained  three 
years.  .  In  1892  he  was  appointed  by  Bishop  Grant,  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  Athens  district.  In  1895  he  was  ap- 
pointed pastor  of  St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  church,  Atlanta, 
serving  four  years.  In  1903  he  was  elected  dean  of  the 
theological  department  of  Morris  Brown  College  and 
served  one  year.  In  1904  he  was  elected  by  the  'I  rustee 
Board  president  of  Morris  Brown  College  and  enrolled 
the  largest  number  of  students  in  its  history.  He  remain- 
ed here  four  years.  In  1908  at  the  general  conference  held 
in  Norfolk,  Virginia,  he  was  elected  one  of  the  bishops  of 
the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  assigned  to 
the  ninth  episcopal  district,  consisting  of  Arkansas  and 
Oklahoma.  He  traveled  very  extensively  through  these 
two  States,  going  from  ten  to  twenty-five  miles  from  the 
railroad.  In  191 2  when  the  general  conference  met  in 
Kansas  City,  Missouri,  the  delegation  from  Georgia,  his 
native  State,  requested  that  he  be  sent  to  preside  over 
Georgia,  the  sixth  episcopal  district,  which  request  was 
granted.  Since  coming  to  Georgia  he  has  erected  the  Flip- 
per Hall,  the  boys'  dormitory  at  Morris  Brown  College, 
the  Central  Park  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute  at  Sa- 
vannah, bought  ten  acres  of  ground  for  Payne  College  at 
Cuthbert,  Georgia,  and  united  all  the  schools  into  one 
system  known  as  Morris  Brown  University.    Bishop  Flip- 


90 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


per  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Allen  University 
in  1893  and  LL.D.  from  Wilberforce  University  in  1906. 
He  has  been  a  member  of  every  general  conference  since 
1892,  and  was  chairman  of  the  Episcopal  Committee  of 
the  General  Conferences  of  1900  and  1904.  He  served 
as  a  member  of  the  Financial  Board  from  1900  to  1908. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Amanda  Slater,  of  Thomasville, 
Ga.,  February  24,  1880.  One  of  his  sons  is  a  minister, 
Rev.  Carl  F.  Flipper,  a  graduate  of  Shaw  University  (A. 
B.),  and  Drew  Theological  Seminary  (B.D.),  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  New  Jersey  annual  conference.  Bishop  Flip- 
per is  a  stockholder  in  the  Standard  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, and  holds  the  first  policy,  for  three  thousand  dol- 
lars, issued  by  the  company ;  a  stockholder  and  director 
of  the  Atlanta  State  savings  bank,  a  stockholder  in  The 
Independent  of  New  York  City,  a  member  of  the  South- 
ern Sociological  Congress,  a  member  of  the  National  Geo- 
graphical Society,  a  trustee  of  the  World's  Christian  En- 
deavor, president  of  the  Sunday  school  Union  Board,  and 
prominent  in  many  civic  and  industrial  movements. 


Ford,  Rev.  Robert  E.,  was  born  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  August  13,  1869.  He  was  educated  at  Howard 
University,  graduating  from  the  Theological  Depart- 
ment in  1897.  He  was  converted  when  but  twelve 
years  old.  His  parents  being  Baptists,  he  joined  the 
Vermont  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  and  at  23  was  li- 
censed to  preach  by  Rev.  G.  W.  Lee,  the  pastor.    How- 


REV.  ROBERT  E.  FORD. 

ever,  during  his  seminary  course,  he  underwent  a 
change  of  religious  views,  and  joined  Metropolitan  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  of  which  Rev.  (now  Bishop)  J.  Albert 
Johnson,  was  then  pastor. 

Soon  after  his  graduation  he  was  sent  to  supply 
Oxford  Circuit  by  Bishop  Handy,  and  served  success- 
fully, at  the  same  time  marrying  Miss  E.  V.  Turner, 
of  Washington  County,  Md.  He  entered  the  Balti- 
more Conference  in  1898,  and  was  ordained  deacon  in 
1899  by  Bishop  Handy,  and  elder,  1901,  by  Bishop  Lee. 

He  has  served  with  credit  the  following  charges : 
Oxford  Circuit,  Pocomoke  Station,  Fruitland  Circuit, 
Chesapeake  Circuit,  Carroll  Circuit,  Elkton  and  Cecil- 


ton  Stations,  all  in  the  Baltimore  Annual  Conference. 
In  191 1  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin  appointed  him  presiding 
elder  of  the  Baltimore  District,  and  after  a  year  of  suc- 
cessful services,  he  was  given  charge  of  the  Easton 
District,  which  he  is  now  serving. 

Rev.  Ford  was  the  first  secretary  of  the  Easton 
District;  secretary  of  the  Baltimore  District  eight 
years,  and  the  recording  secretary  of  the  Baltimore  An- 
nual Conference  eight  years. 

He  enjoys  the  rare  distinction  of  being  both  artist 
and  poet.  The  walls  of  his  comfortably  furnished  home 
are  adorned  with  his  own  water  color  paintings,  and 
he  has  also  published  "Brown  Chapel,"  an  epic,  as  well 
as  other  verse.  He  is  at  present  the  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  the  Fourth  Year's  Studies  in  the  Balti- 
more Annual  Conference  and  a  delegate  to  the  Cen- 
tennial General  Conference  in  Philadelphia. 

Foree,  Byron  W.,  was  born  at  Crawford,  Lown- 
des County,  Mississippi,  in  1864,  and  has  lived  in  West 
Point,  Miss.,  over  forty  years.  He  joined  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  and  has  been 
an  active  member  of  the  same  church  for  more  than 
thirty  years.  He  has  been  trustee  and  steward  for 
twenty  years  and  holds  the  positions  of  trustee,  stew- 
ard, class  leader  and  superintendent  of  St.  John's  A. 
Ah  E.  Sunday  school.  West  Point,  Miss.  Pie  is  also 
superintendent  of  Allen  C.  E.  L.,  of  the  North  Miss. 


BYRON  W.  FOREE. 

Conference,  and  has  been  three  times  elected  lay  dele- 
gate to  General  Conference,  including  the  Centennial 
General  Conference. 

He  received  his  education  in  the  county  and  city 
schools,  was  prominent  in  many  of  the  secret  orders 
of  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  Pythians,  etc.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican in  politics  and  has  been  prominent  in  the  af- 
fairs of  the  party  in  his  State,  having  filled  positions 
of  honor  and  trust. 

He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
Campbell  College  at  Jackson,  Miss.,  having  served  in 
that  capacity  for  six  years. 

He  is  a  good  citizen  and  devotes  most  of  his  time 
to  the  church  and  the  general  welfare  of  his  race.  He 
is  married  and  has  a  prominent  family,  one  of  his 
daughters  being  a  teacher  in  Campbell  College. 


91 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


Forniss,  J.  H.,  was  born  in  Alabama  November  19, 
1883;  when  quite  young  was  brought  to  Uniontown,  Ala., 
by  his  mother,  where  he  received  his  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools.  In  boyhood  Mr.  Forniss  served  as  an  appren- 
tice in  a  white  printing  office,  known  as  the  "Cane  Brake 
Herald"  office.    A  few  years  later  he  decided  to  establish 


MR.  J.  H.  FORNISS. 


a  business  of  his  own,  the  outcome  of  which  proved  quite 
a  success.  He  is  editor  of  a  popular  paper,  known  as  the 
Uniontown  News,  does  job  work,  handles  stationery,  and 
is  considered  first-class  in  his  profession  as  a  printer. 
Aside  from  this  Mr.  Forniss  is  an  active  worker  in  the 
church,  serving  in  Ouinn  Chapel,  A.  M.  E.  Church,  of 
Uniontown,  Ala.,  as  class  leader,  trustee,  Sunday  school 
superintendent,  member  of  the  choir,  and  Allen  League 
worker.  So  faithful  is  he  to  these  duties  his  church  sent 
him  as  a  representative  to  the  electoral  college  of  his  con- 
ference, where  he  was  elected  as  lay  delegate  to  the  Cen- 
tennial General  Conference  to  be  held  in  Philadelphia 
May,  1916.  In  the  business,  moral  and  educational  life 
of  his  city  he  takes  much  interest,  being  a  taxpayer,  and 
enjoys  the  respect  and  confidence  of  both  races. 

Fountain,  Dr.  William  A.,  now  president  of  Mor- 
ris Brown  University,  is  the  son  of  Rev.  Richard  and 
Virginia  Fountain,  both  of  whom  were  devoted  mem- 
bers of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  born  October 
29,  1870,  at  Elberton,  Georgia,  one  of  seventeen  chil- 
dren. He  entered  school  at  the  age  of  six  and  attend- 
ed about  sixteen  years,  attending  Elberton  public 
school,  Morris  Brown  University,  Allen  University, 
Turner  Theological  Seminary,  graduating  from  each 
and  taking  a  post-graduate  course  at  Chicago  Univer- 
sity, and  non-resident  courses  in  Central  University. 
He  has  the  following  degrees: 

A.B.,  from  Morris  Brown  ;  A.M.,  from  Allen  Uni- 


versity;  S.T.B.,  from  Turner  Seminary;  B.D.  and 
Ph.D.,  from  Central  University. 

He  was  converted  April,  1888,  and  joined  Allen 
Temple  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  the  same 
year. 

Has  held  almost  every  office  in  church. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  at  Elberton,  Ga.,  in 
i&93<  by  Rev.  (now  bishop)  J.  S.  Flipper.  He  joined 
the  annual  conference  at  Marietta,  Georgia,  under 
Bishop   Grant ;  was  ordained  deacon  at  Athens,   Ga., 


REV.  WILLIAM  ALFRED  FOUNTAIN. 

by  Bishop  A.  Grant;  ordained  elder  at  Cedartown,  Ga., 
by  Bishop  Turner.  Has  held  the  following  appoint- 
ments : 

Prendergrass  Mission  ;  Athens-Bethel ;  Washing- 
ton-Jackson  Chapel  and  Pope's  Chapel ;  Marietta,  Ga., 
Turner  Chapel ;  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Allen  Temple  ;  Wilming- 
ton, N.  C,  St.  Stephens;  Macon,  Ga.,  Steward  Chapel; 
presiding  elder  of  Athens  District. 

He  is  now  president  of  Morris  Brown  University, 
Atlanta,  Georgia,  having  been  elected  to  succeed  pres- 
ident E.  W.  Lee.  upon  his  death  in  191 1.  Under  his 
administration  the  university  has  greatly  prosper- 
ed. He  built  Pope's  Chapel  at  Washington, 
Georgia,  at  a  cost  of  '20,000 ;  repaired  the  parsonage 
at  Marietta,  Ga..  at  a  cost  of  $2000;  bought  lot  and 
beautified  church,  paid  church  out  of  debt  at  Atlanta, 
S5000;  left  $500  to  build  a  Sunday  school  room  for  St. 
Stephens  at  Wilmington,  N.  C. ;  established  an  Old 
Folks'  Home  and  built  a  parsonage  at  cost  of  $4000 
for  Steward  Chapel,  Macon,  Georgia.  He  has  lifted 
mortgages  at  Athens,  Marietta,  Allen  Temple  and 
Steward  Chapel. 

Dr.  Fountain  has  been  a  delegate  to  the  following 
General  Conferences: 

Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1900 ;  Chicago,  in  1904;  Nor- 
folk, in  1008;  Kansas  City,  in  1912,  and  the  Centennial 
General  Conference  at  Philadelphia,  in  1916. 


92 


y 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3> 


AINES,  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN,  the 

son  of  Stephen  and  Josephine  Gaines. 
Both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  Born  in  Washington,  Ga. 
Was  one  of  nine  children.  Received 
about  18  years'  schooling.  Spent 
over  two  years  at  Knox  Institute,  At- 
lanta University,  Gammon  Seminary. 
Graduated  from  Atlanta  University  and  Gammon  Sem- 
inary. Studied  Philosophy  at  Syracuse  University. 
Converted  in  1882  and  joined  Bethel,  Atlanta,  1883. 
Licensed  to  preach  in  1887  at  Madison,  Ga.,  by  Rev. 
C.  C.  Cargyle.  Ordained  deacon,  1S87,  at  Dalton,  Ga., 
by  Bishop  Gaines.     Ordained  elder,   1889,  at  Carters- 


tian  Recorder  and  was  regular  editorial  correspondent 
of  the  Afro-American  Ledger,  of  Baltimore. 

The  principal  addresses,  made  by  Rev.  Gaines,  are 
"The  Negro  and  the  Constitution"  and  "Negro  Revival 
Methods."  He  is  a  director  of  Virginia  Beneficial  In- 
surance Co.,  is  a  Mason,  Odd  Fellow  and  Pythian. 

Rev.  Gaines  has  been  actively  associated  with  the 
Aged  Home  of  the  Baltimore  Conference  and  associ- 
ated with  Afro-American  Council  N.  A.  A.  of  Colored 
People. 

Gaines,  Rev.  P.  P.,  the  son  of  Emery  and  Charlotte 
Gaines,  both  of  whom  are  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  March  19,  1S66,  at  Seaford,  Del.  He 
was  one  of  eight  children.  He  entered  school  when 
quite  young  and  spent  more  than  12  years  in  school. 
He  spent  over  two  years  in  the  public  schools  of  Sea- 
ford.  He  has  received  degrees  and  diplomas  from  Mor- 
ris Brown  and  the  State  Sabbath  School  Association. 
He  was  converted  in  1887  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  at  the  same  time.  He  has  held  many  of  the 
offices  in  the  church. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1891  at  Union,  Phila., 
by  Rev.  J.  M.  Palmer,  P.  E.    He  was  ordained  deacon, 


REV.  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  GAINES. 


ville,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  Gaines.  Joined  the  annual  con- 
ference, 1887,  under  Bishop  Gaines.  He  served  the 
following  places  as  pastor: 

Rutledge,  Ga.,  1887-1889;  St.  James,  Atlanta,  Ga., 
1889-1892:  Norfolk,  Va.,  1892-96;  Portsmouth,  Va., 
1896-1900;  Presiding  Elder,  1900-1903;  Bethel,  Balti- 
more, 1903-1908;  Trinity,  Baltimore,  1908-1913;  Wa- 
ters Church,  Baltimore,  1913. 

Built  church  at  Rutledge,  Ga.,  at  a  cost  of  $3500. 
Placed  a  pipe  organ  in  church  at  Norfolk  at  a  cost  of 
$3000.  Built  parsonage  at  Portsmouth,  Va.,  at  a  cost 
of  $1200;  built  Old  Folks'  Home  at  Baltimore,  at  a 
cost  of  $2200,  and  repaired  Trinity  Church  at  Balti- 
more to  the  amount  of  $3000. 

Rev.  Gaines  has  taken  about  2500  people  into  the 
church.  Has  been  a  delegate  to  General  Conferences 
in  1896,  1900,  1904,  1908,  1912  and  1916. 

Dr.  Gaines  was  a  member  of  Church  Extension 
Board  from  1896  to  1904 ;  of  the  Sunday  School  Union 
Board,  from  1904  to  1908  ;  of  the  Educational  Board, 
1912  to  date.  He  was  fraternal  delegate  to  C.  M  E. 
General  Conference  and  alternate  to  the  Ecumenical 
Conference.  Was  voted  for  for  editor  of  Christian 
Recorder  in  1908  and  1912.  Married  Miss  Minnie  Lil- 
lian Plant,  of  Macon,  Ga.,  in  1890.  They  have  four 
daughters,  all  of  whom  are  graduates  of  the  Baltimore 
High   School. 

He  has  contributed  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Review,  Chris- 


REV.  PAUL  PRESTON  GAINES. 

May,  1895,  at  Mt.  Pisgah,  Philadelphia,  by  Bishop 
Tanner  and  was  ordained  elder,  May  22,  1898,  at  Co- 
lumbia, Pa.,  by  Bishop  Grant. 

He  joined  the  Annual  Conference  in  1894  at  Do- 
ver, Del.,  under  Bishop  Tanner. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments : 
Parkesburg,  Pa.,  1892;  Middletown,  Pa.,  1895  ;  Fred- 
erica,  Del.,  1896;  Dover,  Del.,  1S99;  Mt.  Friendship, 
Del.,  1900;  Lancaster,  Pa.,  1903;  Bristol,  Pa.,-  1907; 
Norristown,  Pa.,  1908;  Steelton,  1910;  Carlisle,  1912; 
Middletown,  Del.,  1913;  Morris  Brown,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  1915,  to  date. 

He  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $245  at  Frederica,  Del. ; 
at  Mt.  Friendship  he  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $240,  and 
at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  to  the  amount  of  $350.  He  has  tak- 
en 550  people  into  the  church  and  baptized  about  300 
people. 

He  is  an  alternate  to  the  General  Conference  of 
1916.  In  1888  he  married  Mary  L.  Gaines,  of  Seaford, 
Del.     He  is  a  Republican  and  a  property  owner. 


93 


8 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


Gardner,  Prof.  Reuben  James,  is  one  of  the  A.  M. 

E.  laymen  who  is  prominently  allied  with  the  younger 
business  element  of  Mississippi.  He  was  born  to  Amos 
and  Adaline  Gardner,  in  humble  circumstances,  at  We- 
tumpka.  Ala.,  March  30.  1871. 

In  the  fall  of  1875  he  moved  with  his  parents  to 
Newtown,  Miss.  He  remained  here  only  a  few  years, 
moving  subsequently  to  Phalia,  Bolivar  Co.,  Miss. 

In  1886,  after  having  completed  the  public  schools, 
he  entered  Alcorn  Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College, 
at  Rodney,  Miss.  He  remained  here  four  consecutive 
school  years.  Leaving  this  institution  he  matriculated  in 
the  Central  Tennessee  College,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  in  1890. 
In  this  college  Mr.  Gardner  was  the  prize  winner  of  his 


PROF.  REUBEN  JAMES  GARDNER. 

class  for  three  years.  He  also  won  the  medal  on  class 
exhibit  in  1903,  at  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago,  111. 

He  taught  a  number  of  years  in  the  schools  of  the 
states  of  Louisiana,  Arkansas  and  Mississippi.  He  was 
a  delegate  from  .Mississippi  to  the  National  Teachers' 
Association  at  its  sessions  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  at  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  He  was  fur  a  number  of  years  president  of 
the  Bolivar  Co.  (Miss.)  Teachers'  Association. 

He  is  a  32  degree  Mason,  stands  high  in  the  council 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  as  an  Odd  Fellow  has 
been  delegate  to  the  B.  M.  C.  at  Richmond,  Ya.,  Atlantic 
City,  N.  J.,  Baltimore,  Aid.,  and  at  Boston,  Mass. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  where  he  has  taken  an  active  part  in  religious 
work.  He  has  been  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi State  Christian  Endeavor  League,  District  Sun- 
day School  Superintendent  of  the  Mound  Bayou  District, 
delegate  to  the  General  Conference  at  Kansas  City,  Kans., 
and  is  now  president  of  the  Mound  Bayou  District 
League.  He  is  secretary  of  the  North  Mississippi  Annual 
Conference,  and  delegate  to  the  General  Conference 
which  convenes  at  Philadelphia,  May,  1916. 

He  is  supervisor  of  the  Campbell  College  farm  and 
a  trustee  of  Campbell  College.  Mr.  Gardner  was  called 
to  take  charge  of  the  Mound  Bayou  office  of  the  Yazoo 
&  Mississippi  Valley  Railway  April,  1908,  as  both  express 


and  railroad  agent.  When  on  account  of  the  volume  of 
business  it  was  necessary  to  divorce  these  two  offices  he 
was  retained  in  charge  of  the  railroad's  interest  as  local 
agent.  This  position  he  still  holds,  rendering  satisfaction 
to  all  concerned. 

Garrett,  Casper  George,  was  born  near  Ova,  S.  C, 
in  Laurens  county,  September,  1865.  His  father,  Sam- 
uel Garrett,  could  read  and  write  in  slavery  time  and 
hence  by  writing  passes  and  reading  war  news  to  the  plan- 
tation Negroes  he  was  "marked  for  slaughter"  by  Mor- 
gan raiders,  who  were  whipping  and  killing  the  free-feel- 
ing slaves  in  that  section.  To  escape  the  Morgan  ma- 
rauders he  joined  Sherman's  army,  but  soon  fell  a  victim 
to  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  at  Memphis,  Tenn.  Young 
Garrett  was  left  to  the  care  of  a  good  mother,  who  strug- 
gled amid  the  hardships  of  the  homeless  and  unsettled 
slaves  to  make  a  living  for  herself  and  child.    Her  great- 


PROF.  C.  G.  GARRETT,  A.M.,  LL.B. 

est  ambition  was  to  educate  her  son.  The  washtub,  iron- 
ing board,  the  kitchen  and  the  farm  were  some  of  the 
means  by  which  she  used  to  educate  him.  His  first  teach- 
ers were  Northern  missionaries  who  came  to  Laurens 
immediately  after  the  war.  His  mother  brought  him  eight 
miles  to  school  and  finally  moved  to  town  to  keep  him 
in  school.  He  passed  through  many  hardships  and  but 
for  the  constant  coercion  of  his  mother  and  the  encour- 
agement of  his  teachers.  Rev.  B.  F.  McDonell  and  Dr.  I. 
W.  Davis,  he  would  have  given  up  the  struggle.  In  1883 
he  passed  the  county  examination  and  for  years  taught 
in  the  public  schools.  His  pastor,  Rev.  N.  W.  Edwards, 
carried  Garrett  to  Allen  University,  where  for  five  years 
he  sat  at  the  feet  of  Prof.  J.  W.  Morris  and  finished 
the  college  and  law  courses  at  Allen  with  honor,  passing 
a  creditable  examination  before  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  State.  After  four  years  as  principal  of  the  Winns- 
boro  graded  school,  where  he  brought  the  school  up  to  a 
high  standard  of  efficiency,  he  was  elected  in  1895  to 
a  protessorship  in  Allen  University,  where  he  is  still 
teaching,  and  is  now  vice-president.  Prof.  Garrett  has 
made  the  defense  and  advancement  of  his  school  the 
pride  and  purpose  of  his  life.  He  has  passed  through 
many  hardships  for  it.     Prof.  Garrett  says  Mrs.  Garrett 


94 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


is  the  bedrock  and  guiding  star  of  all  his  efforts  and  of 
every  success  in  his  married  life.  He  joined  Poplar 
Spring  A.  M.  E.  church  in  1884,  and  has  always  been  a 
loyal  churchman.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to  several 
general  conferences  and  is  delegate  to  the  Centennial 
General  Conference  of  1916. 

Gibbons,  Jethro  T.,  pastor  of  Young  Chapel  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  Huntington,  W.  Va.,  was  born  in  St.  Johns, 
Antigua,  British  West  Indies,  and  was  educated  in 
that  country  in  the  cathedral  school.  He  later  spent 
a  year  in  the  Bishop  Payne  Divinity  School,  at  Peters- 
burg, Va.,  after  coming  to  the  United  States ;  was 
licensed  to  preach  by  the  quarterly  conference  of  Mt. 
Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Charleston.  S.  C,  at  which  time 
Rev.  (now  Bishop)  W.  H.  Heard  was  pastor.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  pastore'd  in  South  Carolina,  North 
Carolina  and  Virginia,  and  is  now  in  West  Virginia, 


REV.  J.  T.  GIBBONS,  A.M.,  D.D. 

where  he  has  been  for  the  past  14  years,  andby  his 
exemplary  character  he  has  built  up  a  large  circle  of 
friends.  He  is  now  serving  his  fourth  year  as  pastor 
in  Huntington,  where  he  remodeled  the  church  at  a 
cost  of  $3500.  He  taught  school  in  Mercer  and  Mc- 
Dowell counties  for  several  years,  but  resigned  to  de- 
vote his  whole  time  to  the  work  of  the  church.  He  is 
at  present!  secretary  of  the  Church  Extension  Board 
and  of  the  West  Virginia  annual  conference.  Rev. 
Gibbons  has  taken  an  active  part  in  many  civic  move- 
ments since  coming  to  the  state,  and  in  1904  was  nom- 
inated in  Mercer  county  for  member  of  the  House  of 
Delegates.  In  1912  he  made  a  race  for  committeeman- 
at-large,  but  was  defeated  by  a  small  margin.  He  has 
been  married  twice,  marrying  his  present  wife,  who 
was  Miss  Etta  A.  Gorham,  of  Raleigh,  N.  C,  an  alum- 
na of  Shaw  University,  June  30,  1908.  To  this  union 
were  born  three  children.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
general  conferences  of  1912  and  1916. 

Gibbs,  Rev.  S.  M.,  was  born  September  6,  1863,  in 
Jefferson  county,  Fla.,  near  Monticello,  the  fourteenth  son 
of  Isabella  and  Toney  Gibbs,  Sr.,  both  of  whom  died  dur- 
ing his  early  childhood.  He  was  converted  and  called  to 
the  ministry  in  his  fourteenth  year.  He  attended  the  Jeff- 
erson county  public  schools  and  took  private  lessons.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  Live  Oak,  Fla.,  in  Ebenezer  A. 
M.  E.  church  by  the  Rev.  T.  C.  Dunham.    Three  months 


afterwards  he  went  to  Mt.  Olive  circuit,  Jefferson  county, 
during  the  illness  of  his  brother,  B.  C.  Gibbs,  then  pastor. 
But  he  did  not  continue  in  the  pastorate.    In  1882  he  was 
appointed  to  Kissimmee,  Fla.,  where  the  uncivilized  white 
people  tried  to  make  him  dance  with  pistols  and  rifles. 
In  1883  he  was  sent  to  Port  Orange  mission,  and  built 
a  church  and  established  three  preaching  points.     Next 
he  went  to  Ormond  mission  and  established  the  present 
church.    In  1887  he  was  sent  to  Torpon  Springs  mission 
and   built   the   present   edifice.      He    was   next    sent    to 
De   Leon    Springs   mission,   but    after   a   short   time   he 
was  transferred  to  the  Florida  Conference  and  stationed 
at    West   station,    Pensacola,    which    was   burned    down 
during  that  year.     He   was  ordained   elder  by    Bishop 
Arnett  in   1888  in  Quincy,  Fla.,  and  appointed  to  Mt. 
Olive    and    Jerusalem    circuit,    and    built    a    church    at 
Jerusalem.    He  was  then  sent  to  Gum  Swamp  circuit  and 
remodeled   St.   Paul  church  and  completed  Greensville. 
He  next  went  to  Bethlehem  station,  Jackson  county.    He 
held  here  as  at  all  other  places  a  great  revival.    In  1893 
he  was  sent  to  Waldon  county  circuit,  where  he  did  a 
great   work,  both   temporally  and   spiritually.     In    1895 
he  returned  to  the  East  Florida  Conference  and  went  to 
South  Jacksonville.    In  1806  and  1897  to  Columbia  coun- 
tv,  at  Bethel  and  Hope  Henry  circuit,  where  he  rebuilt 
Bethel  church  ;  in  1808  to  Mt.  Moriah,  Brooklyn,  Jack- 
sonville; in  1899  to  Mt.  Zion  station,  Madison,  Fla.;  in 
11)00-01  to  Jasper  station  ;  in  1902  he  was  transferred  and 
stationed  at  Leesburg,  Fla. ;  in  1903  to  Dunnellon  station, 
where  he  bought  and  paid  for  the  foundation  of  the  pres- 
ent edifice ;  in  1904  at  Newberry  and  Jonesville  mission, 
buying  back  the  property  at  Newberry ;  in  1905  to  Kin- 
dreck  station,  where  he  remodeled  the  church. 

Dr.  Gibbs  taught  public  school  in  Hillsborough  and 
Walton  counties.  He  has  been  honored  to  membership 
four  consecutive  times  in  the  general  conferences,  being 
leader  once.  In  1906  he  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of 
the  Dunnellon  district,  and  led  his  conference  financially 
for  four  years.  Thence,  in  1910,  he  was  appointed  to  the 
St.  Petersburg  district,  where  he  served  four  years,  lead- 
ing again  financially.  He  was  then  assigned  to  the  Ocala 
district  in  1914,  where  he  now  presides  on  his  second 
year.  He  presided  as  G.  M.  of  the  M.  W.  Prince  Hall 
Grand  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Florida  and  jurisdiction 
for  two  years,  refusing-  further  election.  He  was  elected 
.  G.  R.  P.  of  the  Order  Eastern  Star  of  Royal  Grand  Chap- 
ter, and  is  now  serving  his  second  term. 

Gould,  Rev.  Theodore,  son  of  Elijah  and  Hannah 
Gould,  was  born  in  Bridgeton,  N.  J.,  August  12th,  1830, 
united  with  the  A.  M.  E.  church,  November,  1847, -was 
licensed  to  exhort  in  1851,  licensed  to  preach  in  1853,  or- 
dained deacon  at  Philadelphia  by  Bishop  William  Paul 
Quinn  in  1859,  ordained  elder  in  1862.  His  first  appoint- 
ment was  in  1859.  He  served  Danville  circuit,  compris- 
ing Danville,  Pa. ;  Bloomsburg,  Wilkes-Barre,  Abington 
Centre  and  Mount  Rose,  1  year ;  Princeton,  N.  J.,  circuit, 
3  years :  Burlington,  N.  J.,  circuit,  3  years ;  Zion  mission, 
Philadelphia,  1  year ;  traveling  agent  for  the  Book  Con- 
cern, and  pastor  of  Macedonia,  Camden,  N.  J.,  1  year; 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  3  years ;  Union,  Philadelphia,  2  years ; 
Bethel,  Philadelphia,  2  years,  during  whicU  time  Allen 
A.  M.  E.  church  was  organized  and  property  purchased 
for  it  at  a  cost  of  $8000;  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  1  year;  Allen, 
Philadelphia,  1  year ;  Chester,  Pa.,  2  years ;  Allen,  Phila- 
delphia, 1  year;  manager  of  Book  Concern,  elected  at 
St.  Louis,  1880,  four  years;  Harrisburg,  1  year;  Mt.  Pis- 


95 


8 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


gah,  Philadelphia,  2  years;  Charles  Street,  Boston,  3 
years ;  Bethel,  New  York,  2  years ;  West  Chester,  Pa.,  2 
years;  Frankford,  Pa.,  1  year;  Bethel,  Philadelphia,  1 
year;  Zion,  Philadelphia,  2  years;  presiding  elder,  Phila- 
delphia district,  5  years;  Union  Bethel,  Brooklyn,  .1  year; 
Darby,  Pa.,  2  years ;  presiding  elder  Philadelphia  district, 
2  years.  May,  1910,  at  the  request  of.  Bishop  Gaines,  he 
accepted  superannuation.  Rev.  Gould  was  twice  married, 
living  58  years  with  his  first  wife,  who  died  in  1913,  and 


REV.  THEODORE  GOULD. 

marrying  his  brother's  widow  in  191 5.  His  son,  Mr. 
Howard  D.  Gould,  has  worked  in  the  Book  Concern 
for  over  thirty  years  and  for  many  years  was  foreman. 
Rev.  Gould  has  been  for  many  years  treasurer  of  the 
Philadelphia  annual  conference.  He  now  spends  most 
of  his  time  near  the  scene  of  his  birth,  among  hosts  of 
relatives  at  Gouldtown,  X.  J.,  where  he  has  property  in- 
terests. During  his  more  than  fifty  years  of  active 
service  he  has  taken  many  thousands  of  persons  into 
the  church. 

Graham,  D.  A.,  the  son  of  Washington  and  Lucy 
Graham,  was  Born  in  Princeton,  Ind.,  January  nth,  1861. 
He  was  the  first  colored  graduate  of  the  high  school  of 
his  native  city,  completing  the  course  in  1880  with  the 
second  honors  of  his  class,  all  of  whom  were  white  but 
himself. 

He  was  admitted  to  the  Indiana  Conference  at  New 
Albany,  Ind.,  in  September,  1882,  Bishop  James  A.  Shor- 
ter presiding:  ordained  deacon  the  next  year  in  Allen 
Chapel,  Indianapolis,  by  the  same  bishop,  and  elder  at 
Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  in  18S5  by  Bishop  Jabez  P.  Campbell. 
The  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was  conferred  upon 
him,  unsolicited,  by  Paul  Quinn  College  in   1901. 

Since  joining  the  conference  he  has  successfully  pas- 
tored  the  following  points:  Washington,  Ind.,  where  he 
built  a  brick  church  ;  Bloomington  and  Greencastle,  Ind. ; 
Flint  and  Kalamazoo,  Mich,  (building  and  paying  for  a 
six-room  parsonage  at  Flint);  St.  Peter,  Minneapolis; 
Bethel,  Chicago;  Bethel,  Indianapolis;  St.  James,  New 
Orleans;  Bethel,  Detroit;  Salem,  Nashville;  Clarksville, 
Tenn.,  and  is  now  O914)  meeting  with  great  success  at 
Payne  Chapel,  Colorado  Springs. 


At  New  Orleans  he  rebuilt  the  old  historic  St.  James 
and  gave  us  a  modern  church  of  great  beauty. 


REV.  D.  A.  GRAHAM,  D.D. 

While  holding  up  all  the  interests  of  the  church,  his 
forte  is  along  spiritual  lines  and  great  revivals  are  most 
sure  to  accompany  his  pastorate.     More  than  twelve 


MRS.  D.  A.  GRAHAM. 

hundred  were  received  into  the  church  during  his  four 
years  at  Bethel,  Chicago. 

The  first  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  En- 
deavor in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  was  organized  by  him  in 
Washington,  Ind.,  in   May,   1882.     The  prayer  meeting 


06 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


pledge  was  almost  identical  with  that  of  the  society  or- 
ganized by  Francis  Clark  in  Portland,  Maine,  in  Febru- 
ary of  the  same  year,  though  our  subject  had  not  heard 
of  Clark's  Society.  He  was  on  the  program  of  the  inter- 
national convention  of  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  in  Minneapolis 
in  1891.  He  wrote  the  pledge  and  constitution  of  the 
Allen  C.  E.  League,  which  was  submitted  by  Bishop 
Smith  to  the  Bishop's  Council  at  Mobile  in  January,  1904, 
endorsed  by  the  same  and  adopted  by  the  General  Confer- 
ence at  Chicago,  May,  1904. 

He  has  been  married  twice.  His  first  wife,  Lorena 
Mason  Graham,  died  in  Chicago,  June  19th,  1894.  In 
November,  1905,  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Etta  Bell, 
an  accomplished  young  lady,  in  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  who  has 
proven  a  valuable  helpmeet  to  him  and  a  great  leader 
among  the  women  of  the  church.  He  has  an  interesting 
family  of  five  children. 

Graham,  Noah  Z.,  was  born  in  Jefferson  County, 
Fla.,  May  31,  1877,  one  of  the  eight  children  of  Noah 
and  Farthcnia  Graham,  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  His  schooling  of  ten  years'  duration  was 
acquired  in  the  public  school  and  by  correspondence 
courses ;  at  Paine  School ;  besides  this  he  has  tutored 


REV.  NOAH  Z.  GRAHAM. 

himself  privately.  He  was  converted  in  Florida  in 
1895,  joining  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  has  held  nearly 
every  office  in  the  local  church.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  by  Rev.  C.  F.  Brown  in  1896,  and  was  ordained 
deacon  at  Tallahassee,  Fla.,  in  1905  by  Bishop  Tan- 
ner, and  elder  at  Marianna  in  1908  by  Bishop  Tanner. 
He  joined  the  annual  conference  at  Monticello,  Fla., 
in  1900,  Bishop  Handy  presiding.  He  has  held  the 
following  appointments:  Birds  Mission,  1904; 
Branch  Mission,  1905;  St.  Andrew  circuit,  1906- 
1907;  Ponce  de  Leon,  1908-1909;  Milton,  1910; 
DeFuniak  Springs,  1911-12;  Chattahoochee  cir- 
cuit, 1913;  Marianna,  1914-5.  In  1905  he  built  a  church 
at  Buckhorn  at  a  cost  of  $150;  in  1907  at  St.  Andrews 


at  a  cost  of  $1200 ;  in  1910  at  Milton  at  a  cost  of  $2000. 
In  191 1  he  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $276.86  on  St.  Joseph 
Church,  DeFuniak  Springs.  Rev.  Graham  has  receiv- 
ed 500  people  into  the  church,  baptized  168  and  mar- 
ried 98.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  conference 
of  1912.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Graham,  he  married 
in  Florida  in  1898.  They  have  two  children,  Noah 
W.,  aged  17,  and  John  L.,  aged  13.  Rev.  Graham  has 
made,  addresses  on  many  different  church  occasions, 
among  them  the  precentennial  educational  rally  of 
Florida  in  191 5.  He  is  a  home  owner  and  prominent 
in  Masonry. 

Grant,  John  H.,  only  child  of  John  H.  and  Polly 
C.  Grant,  his  mother  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  December  11,  1865,  in  Frankfort,  Ky.  He  en- 
tered school  at  the  age  of  six  and  spent  17  years  in  school, 
attending  chiefly  Samuels  Grammar  School,  Miami  Uni- 


9Z 


REV.  JOHN  HENRY  GRANT,  D.D. 

versity,  Findley  College  and  Lane  College.  He  received 
the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Shorter  College,  B.D.  from  Find- 
ley  College,  and  LL.B.  from  Lane  College.  He  was  con- 
verted March,  1889,  and  joined  A.  M.  E.  church  the 
same  year.  He  has  held  offices  of  steward  and  class 
leader.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  1889  at  Frankfort, 
Ky.,  by  George  H.  Burks ;  joined  the  Mississippi  Annual 
Conference  December,  1892,  under  Bishop  Arnett,  and 
was  ordained  deacon  at  the  same  conference  at  Port 
Gibson,  Miss.  Ordained  elder  1894  at  Springfield,  Ohio, 
by  Bishop  Arnett. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments :  Raymond, 
Summit  and  Kessiesco,  all  of  Mississippi ;  in  Ohio,  Lon- 
don, Oxford,  Lebanon,  Findley  and  Toledo;  Wilkes- 
Barre,  Pa. ;  Jackson,  Tenn. ;  St.  James,  Avery  Chapel 
and  Bethel,  of  Memphis,  Tenn.  He  is  now  Presiding 
Elder  of  the  Memphis  District  of  Western  Tennessee. 

He  has  lifted  mortgages  on  the  following  churches : 
Bethel,  Raymond,  Miss.,  to  the  amount  of  $700  in  1892; 
at  Summit,  MCss.,  to  the  amount  of  $300  in  1S93;  at  Lon- 
don, Ohio,  to  the  amount  of  $500  in  1895;  at  Oxford, 
Ohio,  to  the  amount  of  $1,000  in  1896;  Avery  Chapel, 
Memphis,  to  the  amount  of  $6,585  in  1903-05  ;  Bethel, 
Memphis,  to*  the  amount  of  $1200  in  1907-09. 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


Dr.  Grant  has  taken  about  2400  people  into  the 
church,  baptized  683  and  married  203.  Was  delegate  to 
General  Conferences  in  1908  and  1912,  at  both  of  which 
he  was  voted  for  for  business  manager  of  the  Book  Con- 
cern. He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Grant,  of  Paris,  Ky., 
first;  then  Mary  Low  Kirk,  of  Memphis,  Tenn.,  in  1904. 
Had  two  children,  Benjamin  A.  and  Roscoe  Conkling,  by 
his  first  wife,  and  three  children,  John  H.,  8  years ;  Mar- 
guerite, 5  years ;  Dewitt  Cromwell,  2  years,  by  his  second 
wife.  He  has  contributed  to  the  several  Recorders,  Com- 
mercial Appeal,  Memphis,  and  Voice  of  the  People,  At- 
lanta. Has  written  the  following  pamphlets :  "Defense  of 
the  Negro"  and  "The  Way  to  Make  Place's  for  Our 
Young  People." 

Grantt,  Miss  C.  A.  R.,  spent  her  earliest  life  at 
Chapel  Hill,  Washington  County,  Texas.  Afterwards 
her  parents  moved  to  Bryan,  Texas,  where  she  attend- 
ed private  school  and  the  Bryan  City  school. 

She  became  a  member  of  Allen  Chapel  A.  M.  E. 
Sunday  school  at  Bryan  and  since  then  has  creditably 
filled  every  office  in  the  school. 

About  the  age  of  15  years  she  professed  Christ, 
and  became  a  member  of  the  church.  Her  pastors 
always  found  her  a  vigilant  worker,  regardless  of  re- 
ward. 

Being  an  expert  needle-worker  she  won  a  num- 
ber of  first  and  second  premiums  from  different  state 
and  local  fairs.     She  was  a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Ad- 


MISS  C.  A.  R.  GRANTT,  B.S. 

visory  Board  of  the  Colored  Department  of  the  Tex- 
as State  Fair  and  Dallas  Exposition.  She  has  been  a 
delegate  a  number  of  times  for  the  Sunday  school, 
church  and  fraternities ;  also  served  as  deputy  and 
grand  officer  of  Court  of  Calanthe.  Besides  being  a 
member  of  Allen  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Bryan, 
Texas,  she  is  identified  with  Olive  Temple  (S.  M.  T.), 
No.  13;  Harmony  Court  (Calanthe),  No.  20,  and  an 
insurance  company. 

In  1899  she  won  a  scholarship  and  entered  Paul 
Quinn  College,  Waco,  Texas.  In  January,  1900,  she 
was  compelled  to  be  absent  three  months  to  teach 
public  school,  but  on  her  return  she  passed  the  ex- 


aminations, and  in  1902  graduated  with  her  class,  in 
which  were  four  members,  each  representing  one  of 
the  four  Annual  Conferences  of  Texas. 

She  returned  home  June,  1902,  greatly  inspired, 
but  lost  her  mother,  who  died  April  23,  1903. 

Miss  Grantt  was  elected  president  of  the  Confer- 
ence Branch  of  Women's  Mite  Missionary  Society 
of  the  Texas  Conference,  and  as  such  she  travelled, 
lectured  and  organized  societies  for  four  years. 

September  3,  1907,  her  brother  died  at  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  and  she  resigned  the  presidency  of  the  Mission- 
ary Work  and  went  to  Oklahoma  to  teach  school.  She 
taught  five  terms  in  Platter,  Oklahoma,  and  held  im- 
portant offices  in  the  State  Teachers'  Association  of 
Oklahoma.  In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1914  she  made 
a  three  months'  tour  in  the  north  and  east,  visiting 
most  of  the  leading  cities  from  New  York  to  St.  Louis, 
and  the  tomb  of  Richard  Allen  in  Mother  Bethel,  Phil- 
adelphia. 

Gray,  Anderson  Plummer,  was  born  in  Davidson 
County,  Tenn.,  in  186S,  the  son  of  Alfred  and  Mary 
Jane  Gray,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
He  was  one  of  eleven  children.  He  began  attending 
school  in  1876  and  remained  in  school  about  sixteen 
vears.    He  attended  the  Nashville  Public  Schools  and 


REV.  ANDERSON  PLUMMER  GRAY,  D.D. 

graduated  from  Walden  University.  He  received  the 
Degree  D.D.  from  Morris  Brown  College.  He  was 
converted  in  1886  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
the  same  year.  He  has  held  nearly  every  office  in 
the  church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1886  by 
Rev.  J.  W.  Early.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1893 
at  Chattanooga  by  Bishop  Salter  and  ordained  elder 
by  Bishop  Salter  hi  1895  at  Nashville.  He  joined  the 
Annual  Conference  in  1891  at  Fayetteville,  Tenn.,  un- 
der Bishop  Wayman. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments :  Port- 
land Mission,  1891  ;  N.  Nashville  Mission,  1892;  Rid- 
dleton  Ct.,  1893;  Gallatin  Ct.,  1896;  Huntland  Ct., 
1897;  McMinnville  Sta.,  1898;  Ebenezer  Sta.,  1899; 
Hartsville  Cir.,  1902;  Pulaski  Sta.,  1903;  Mt.  Pleasant 
Sta.,  1907;  Canaan  Sta.,  1908;  Bellbuckle  Sta.,  1910; 


98 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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P.  E.,  191 1.  He  built  a  church  at  McMinnville  at  a 
cost  of  $650  in  1898.  He  lifted  the  mortgages  on 
Jones'  Chapel  at  Mt.  Pleasant  to  the  amount  of  $275 
in  1907  and  Campbell  Chapel  at  Pulaski  to  the  amount 
of  $680  in  1903.  He  has  taken  about  800  people  into 
the  church,  baptized  about  475  and  married  about  60 
couples.  He  was  delegate  to  the  General  Conferences 
of  1908,  1912  and  1916.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Western  Recorder  Board  1908-12  and  Sunday  School 
Union  1912-16. 

He  was  a  Trustee  of  Wilberforce  in  1912,  Turner 
College  1897  to  date,  Treasurer  of  Tennessee  Annual 
Conference  1912-15.  He  married  Mrs.  Sarah  Gray,  of 
Davidson  County,  June  17,  1885.  He  has  contributed 
to  A.  M.  E.  Recorders,  Voice  of  Missions,  Sunday 
School  Monitor.  He  is  connected  with  the  F.  and  A. 
M.,  K.  of  P.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Republican  Party  and  has  attended  several  State 
Conventions.  He  owns  a  home.  He  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  Nashville  Negro  Board  of  Trade.  He 
is  a  natural  leader. 

Greene,  Sherman  Lawrence,  was  born  near  Vicks- 
burg,  Mississippi,  June  15,  1880.  His  father,  Rev. 
Henry  Greene,  was  an  itinerant  African  Methodist 
preacher,  and  his  mother,  Mrs.  Delia  Greene,  was  a 
devout  Christian  of  the  same  denomination.  There 
were  seven  sons,  two  of  whom  became  preachers  in 
the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

After  spending  several  years  in  the  public  schools 
of  the  Countv  Sherman  Lawrence  was  sent  to  Alcorn 


REV.  S.  L.  GREENE,  A.M.,  D.D. 

College,  where  he  completed  the  sophomore  year  of 
the  scientific  course.  He  then  taught  school  in  Ar- 
kansas and  Mississippi  until  1904  when  he  was  admit- 
ted to  the  South  Arkansas  Annual  Conference  of  the 
African  Methodise  Episcopal  Church.  During  this 
period  he  was  married  to  Miss  Pinkie  B.  Spencer,  of 
Lacey,  Arkansas,  and  two  fine  children  have  been 
born  of  this  happy  union,  Sherman  Lawrence,  Jr.,  and 
Lillian  Verneeda. 

The  first  two  years  of  his  ministry  he  built  two 
fine  churches,  costing  over  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
each,  at  Sherril  and  Tucker,  Arkansas.  He  thereafter 
pastored  at  Ains,  Wilmar,   Little  Rock  and   Forrest 


City,  when  he  was  transferred  to  the  North  Louisiana 
Conference  and  appointed  to  St.  Matthew  Station, 
Shreveport,  La.,  where  he  paid  the  mortgage  debt  of 
our  church  in  one  year,  and  was  appointed  presiding 
elder  of  the  Monroe  District,  by  Bishop  J.  M.  Con- 
ner, and  elected  president  of  Hampton  College  in  1914. 
In  1915  he  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  Green- 
ville, Miss.,  District  and  in  1916  pastor  of  St.  James, 
New  Orleans,  La. 

He  has  studied  in  Howard  and  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versities and  is  a  graduate  (regular  course)  of  the 
Theological  Department  of  Shorter  College. 

Dr.  Greene  is  of  the  vigorous  and  aggressive  type, 
a  church  builder,  organizer  and  financier.  He  is  a 
delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference,  rep- 
resenting the  North  Mississippi  Annual  Conference. 

Gregg,  Rev.  John  A.,  president  of  Edward  Waters 
College,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  was  born  in  Eureka,  Kans., 
February  18,  1877.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
of  that  city,  graduating  from  the  high  school  in  1896. 
He  then  attended  the  Southern  Kansas  Academy, 
graduating  from  the  scientific  department  of  that  in- 
stitution in  1897. 

In  the  fall  of  1897  he  went  to  Lawrence,  Kans., 
and  entered  Kansas  State  University.  In  June  of  1898, 
when   Kansas  was   calling  for  volunteers   to   go   into 


REV.  JOHN  A.  GREGG,  B.A.,  D.D. 

service  in  the  Spanish-American  War,  Rev.  Gregg, 
with  a  number  of  Lawrence  young  men,  was  among 
the  first  to  enlist.  His  regiment  was  sent  to  Santiago, 
Cuba,  where,  as  quartermaster-sergeant  of  his  com- 
pany, he  served  during  the  war.  On  being  mustered 
out,  he  re-entered  school  and  remained  until  his_  grad- 
uation, with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  the 
spring  of  1902.  He  has  the  distinction  of  making  a 
high  record  and  of  being  the  only  Negro  in  a  class  of 
215. 

Rev.  Gregg  received  his  license  to  preach  in  1899, 
and  during  his  university  career,  served  as  chorister, 
Sunday  school  superintendent  and  local  preacher  in 
St.  Luke  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Lawrence,  Kans.  Born 
in  the  church  and  being  received  into  full  member- 
ship at  the  early  age  of  twelve,  he  has  been  actively 
engaged  in  church  work  since  that  time. 


99 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


At  the  close  of  his  first  year  as  a  school  teacher, 
Bishop  Shaffer  sent  him  to  pastor  our  church  at  Em- 
poria, Kans.  From  this  charge  he  went  as  a  mission- 
ary to  South  Africa,  where  he  served  two  and  a  half 
years.  On  his  return  from  Africa  Bishop  Grant  sent 
Rev.  Gregg  to  Leavenworth,  Kans.,  and  from  that 
point  to  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  where  he  served  five  years. 
From  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  Rev.  Gregg  was  called  to  -the 
presidency  of  Jidward  Waters  College,  and  it  is  said 
that  the  school  has  done  better  under  his  guidance  than 
at  any  time  during  its  history. 

Rev.  Gregg  was  ordained  a  deacon  in  1903  and  an 
elder  in  1906.  Wilberforce  University  honored  him 
with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  in  June,  191 5. 
He  has  traveled  much,  having  been  in  32  of  our  own 
states,  on  the  Atlantic,  Pacific  and  Indian  Oceans,-  and 
in  Europe  and  Africa. 

Rev.  Gregg  was  married  to  Miss  Celia  Ann  Nel- 
son, of  Lawrence,  Kans.,  August  21,  1900.  Mrs.  Gregg, 
who  is  an  educated  woman,  has  been  a  great  inspira- 
tion to  her  husband  in  all  his  endeavors.  She  went 
with  him  to  Africa,  has  been  his  help-meet  indeed  in 
his  pastorate  and  with  an  ever-ready  encouragement, 
has  meant  much  to  him  in  his  progress  in  the  church 
of  Allen. 

Green,  Charles  Henry,  was  born  at  Newark,  New 
Castle  county,  Delaware,  November  13,  1834.  His 
parents  had  four  other  children.  He  never  enjoyed 
any  schooling ;  was  converted  and  joined  the  church 
in  November,  1853;  served  as  steward,  trustee,  class 
leader,  local  preacher  and  Sunday  school  teacher.  In 
1863  he  was  licensed  to  preach  in  Syracuse,  N.  Y.     In 


REV.  CHARLES  HENRY  GREEN. 

1875  in  New  York  City  he  was  ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  Shorter.  Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne  ordained 
him  elder  at  Bethel  church,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  May, 
1878.  He  joined  the  annual  conference  under  Bishop 
Shorter  at  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  in  1874.  He  has  held 
the  following  appointments:  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  1872-4; 
Jamaica,  N.  Y.,  1874-5  ;  Glen  Cove,  N.  Y.,  1876;  Friend- 
ship circuit,  Del.,  1877;  Smyrna,  Del.,  1878;  Reading, 
Pa.,  1879-80;  Burlington,  N.  J.,  1881-2;  Long  Branch, 
N.  J.,  1885-87;  East  Camden  circuit,  N.  J.,  1888;  pre- 
siding elder,  Newark  district,  New  Jersey  conference, 


1889;  Fairhaven,  N.  J.,  1890;  Bethel,  So.  Camden,  N. 
J.,  1891;  Orange,  N.  J.,  1882;  Rahway,  N.  J.,  1893-4; 
Woodbury,'  N.  J.,  1895;  Swedesboro,  N.  J.,  1896; 
Washington,  N.  J.,  1897-99;  Hightstown,  1900;  Pleas- 
antville,  N.  J.,  1901 ;  Middlebush  circuit,  1902 ;  Eliza- 
beth, N.  J.,  1903-5  ;  Beverly,  N.  J.,  1906;  Yorktown, 
N.  J.,  1907;  Crosswicks,  N.  J.,  1908-10;  New  Jersey 
conference  missionary,  191 1-15.  He  served  as  agent 
for  Paul  Quinn  College  1883-4.  In  1877  Rev.  Green 
built  a  church  at  Blanco,  Del.,  at  a  cost  of  $800,  and 
one  at  Carrolton,  Del.,  the  same  year  at  a  cost  of  $300. 
He  has  raised  the  following  mortgages :  Smyrna,  Del., 
$3000;  Bethel,  Reading,  Pa.,  $1356.25;  Bethel,  Bur- 
lington, N.  J.,  $300  ;■  Trinity,  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  $800. 
His  wife,  Catherine  Grace  Green,  whose  home  was  in 
Maryland,  he  married  in  November,  1854.  The  fol- 
lowing children  have  blessed  their  union :  Mary, 
Francis,  Oliver  A.,  Albert  L.,  and  John  H. 

Gullins,  William  Richard,  the  seventh  son  of  Rev. 
John  and  Catherine  Gullins,  was  born  in  Eatonton,  Geor- 
gia, June  9,  1864.  His  father,  a  minister  and  a  wealthy 
cotton  planter,  hired  private  teachers  from  the  North,  un- 
der whom  William  made  rapid  progress.  When  sixteen 
he  prepared  a  manuscript  for  publication  on  "The  His- 
tory of  the  Treatment  of  Negro  Slaves  in  the  South." 
He  was  licensed  to  exhort  May,  1884,  and  to  preach  Sep- 
tember, 1884,  by  Rev.  S.  H.  Robertson,  at  Eatonton,  Ga. 
In  November,  1884,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Macon,  Geor- 
gia, Annual  Conference  under  Bishop  Shorter,  was  or- 


REV.  W.  R.  GULLINS,  D.D. 

dained  deacon  by  Bishop  Shorter  at  Barnesville,  Ga.,  No- 
vember, 1886,  and  elder  by  Bishop  Gaines  at  Americus, 
Ga.,  November,  1888.  He  served  Louisville  (Ga.)  cir- 
cuit 2  years,  having  to  walk  46  miles.  Next  he  served 
Bastow  2  years,  then  Perry  2  years,  and  Powersville  and 
Milledgeville,  teaching  in  each  of  these  places  as  well 
as  acting  as  pastor.  In  1892  he  was  appointed  to  Dan- 
ville, Va.,  where  he  filled  the  church,  raised  $4,000  in 
eighteen  months  and  paid  the  church  debt;  in  1894  he 
was  at  Roanoke,  paid  $2000  on  debt;  1895-7,  at  Rich- 
mond, paid  balance  on  the  mortgage;  1897  at  Farmville. 
Pie  then  served  a  second  term  in  Richmond,  then  in 


100: 


fi- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


a 


Smithfield  and  Berkly,  Va.,  transferred  to  Philadelphia 
and  served  five  years  at  Steelton,  Pa.,  building  a  large 
stone  and  brick  church.  He  then  spent  3  years  at  Ger- 
mantown,  Pa.;  2  years  at  Princeton,  N.  J.;  2  years  at 
Providence,  R.  I. ;  1  year  at  Washington,  D.  C,  and  is 
now  pastor  at  the  First  church  in  Raleigh,  N.  C.  He 
was  married  twice,  his  first  wife  being  Miss  Queen 
Emma  Hardy,  of  Georgia,  whom  he  married  June,  1882, 
and  who  died  October,  1897.  Her  son,  Rev.  W.  R.  Gull- 
iris,  Jr.,  is  a  member  of  the  Philadelphia  Annual  Confer- 
ence. Rev.  Gullins,  Sr.,  had  the  degree  of  D.D.  confer- 
red upon  him  in  1901  by  Kittrell  College.  He  is  a  force- 
ful speaker,  a  stenographer,  bookkeeper  and  hard  work- 
er. 

Gunby,  Noah,  was  born  in  Pocomoke  City,  Wor- 
cester county,  Maryland,  August  11,  1875,  the  seventh 
son  of  Henry  and  Amelia  Gunby,  who  were  among 
the  first  agitators  for  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  that 
community,  having  helped  to  hew  the  sills  of  which 
the  first  church  was  built.  His  first  employment  was 
as  house  boy,  during  which  time  he  was  permitted  to 
attend  the  public  school,  very  soon  winning  for  him- 
self a  good  name  in  the  community  for  industry  and 
honest  work.  He  was  converted  in  1903  and  joined 
the  church  under  the  administration  of  Rev.  C.  E.  Her- 
bert, at  which  time-  he  was  made  a  trustee  and  haa 
served  in  this  capacity  up  to  the  present.  From  a 
business  standpoint  he  ranks  well  among  the  mer- 
chants of  his  city,  having  conducted  a  bicycle  estab- 
lishment for  the  past  15  years.  The  local  church  has 
been   represented  by  him  at  the  district  and   annual 


conferences,  and  while  a  delegate  at  the  electoral  col- 
lege, he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  Gen- 


MR.  NOAH  GUNBY. 

eral  Conference.  He  is  also  trustee  of  the  public 
school  of  Pocomoke  City  and  member  of  the  G.  U.  O. 
of  Odd  Fellows,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  a  loyal  church- 
man. 


ADLEY,  JAMES  A.,  was  born  in 
Thomasville,  Ga.,  March  8,  1867,  the 
son  of  Spencer  and  Fannie  Hadlcy. 
His  father  purchased  his  freedom  be- 
fore the  Civil  War  and  his  mother 
was  never  a  slave.  At  an  early  age 
he  entered  the  common  schools  of 
:»  I  !«l  his  native  city  and  remained  through 
the  grades.    He  was  converted  and  joined  St.  Thomas 


hard  student  and  an  untiring  worker 


for  his  church 
and  race.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Turner  Theological 
Seminary,  a  member  of  the  executive  and  general  board 


MRS,  FLORENCE  L.  HADLEY. 
REV.  J.  A.  HADLEY,  D.D. 

A.  M.  E.  Church  on  March  28,  1884,  entered  the  minis-      of  trustees  of  Morris  Brown  College ;  a  trustee  of  the 
try  January,   1886,   under   Bishop  Shorter.     He  is  a     University  System  of  Georgia;  a  trustee  of  Wilber- 

101 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


force  University.  The  faculty  and  board  of  trustees 
of  his  alma  mater  honored  him  with  the  degree  of 
D.D.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  general  confer- 
ence for  five  consecutive  times  and  served  on  import- 
ant committees.  He  is  now  a  member  of  the  Sunday 
School  Union  Board,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  a  stock- 
holder and  member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
Washington  Drug  Co.,  Waycross,  Ga.  He  has  served 
the  following  appointments  :  Scotland,  Ga. ;  Cochran, 
Ga. ;  Powersville,  Ga. ;  Milledgeville,  Ga. ;  Swainsboro, 
Ua. ;  Mcintosh,  Ga. ;  Brunswick,  Ga. ;  Waycross,  Ga. ; 
St.  James,  Savannah,  Ga. ;  Marietta,  Ga.  From  this 
point  he  was  made  presiding  elder  over  the  Washing- 
ton district,  where  he  remained  for  five  years.  He  is 
now  serving  his  fifth  year  on  the  Atlanta  district.  Fill- 
ing both  ranks  as  pastor  and  presiding  elder,  he  is  tact- 
ful and  methodical  and  has  never  failed  in  his  work.  In 
1889  he  married  Miss  Florence  L.  Quo,  a  highly  cul- 
tured and  refined  daughter  of  John  W.  Quo,  Valdosta, 
Ga. :  from  which  union  four  children  were  born.  She. 
like  her  husband,  is  fully  imbued  with  the  "spirit  of 
missions"  and  has  rendered  her  husband  an  immeasur- 
able amount  of  help,  both  in  the  charges  and  state  and 
connectional  work.  Dr.  Hadley  occupies  an  important 
place  in  the  hearts  of  the  brethren  and  his  church. 

Hadley,  Florence  L.,  wife  of  Rev.  J.  A.  Hadley, 
D  D.,  is  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  W.  Quo, 
was  born  in  Valdosta,  Ga.  She  was  reared  under  re- 
ligious influences  and  early  in  life  was  converted  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  As  long  as  she  can  re- 
member she  has  been  identified  with  the  Sunday 
school  and  has  been  an  ardent  worker.  She  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  Valdosta  and  in  Atlanta 
University,  Atlanta,  Ga.  She  spent  several  years  as 
a  successful  teacher  among  her  people,  her  intellectual 
fitness  having  always  been  conceded  to  be  of  a  very 
high  order.  She  is  an  earnest  and  able  missionary 
worker  and  has  been  identified  with  the  Woman's 
,  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  in  many  ca- 
pacities from  president  of  a  local  society  up  to  that  of 
an  officer  in  the  connectional  society.  She  was  the 
first  general  secretary  of  that  organization  and  filled 
the  office  with  credit  to  herself  and  church.  She  has 
contributed  many  articles  to  the  church  periodicals 
and  other  papers  and  is  a  writer  of  ability.  She  keeps 
in  close  touch  with  all  matters  pertaining  to  mission- 
ary work.  She  was  appointed  a  delegate  to  the  world's 
missionary  conference  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  June, 
1910,  by  the  Parent  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Board  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

Hair,  Rev.  J.  W.,  was  born  in  Sumter  county,  Ala- 
bama, April  7,  1874,  of  slave  parents.  His  father,  Ned 
Hair,  who  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  was  well  educat- 
ed, and  was  a  power  in  politics  in  those  days.  His  moth- 
er, Hester  Hair,  was  born  in  South  Carolina,  and  was  a 
great  lover  of  education.  In  his  early  boyhood  days  young 
Hair  showed  signs  of  leadership.  His  parents  immigrat- 
ed to  the  Mississippi  "Bottoms"  in  November,  1881,  and 
settled  in  Swedes,  Sharkey  county.  In  1883  his  parents 
moved  to  Hinds  county  and  settled  in  Edwards,  Miss.  In 
1884  his  parents  registered  him  in  the  public  school  of 


Hinds  county,  Miss.  In  1887  his  parents  returned  to  the 
Delta  and  settled  at  Rolling  Fork,  Sharkey  county.  He 
entered  the  public  schools  of  this  county  and  town  and 
won  the  reputation  of  being  the  most  brilliant  student  in 
school.  His  parents  were  poor,  but  his  mother  would 
not  consent  for  him  to  lose  a  day  in  school  unless  abso- 
lutely necessary.  She  washed  and  ironed  to  keep  him 
in  school  and  supply  him  with  books.  In  18S9  he  was 
converted  and  became  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school  in 
New  Hope  A.  M.  E.  church,  Rolling  Fork.  In  1890  he 
finished  the  county  public  schools.  His  parents  not  be- 
ing able  to  send  him  off  to  school  and  having  a  desire 
to  finish  his  education,  he  hired  out  for  $10  a  month  and 
four  pounds  of  meat  and  a  pack  of  meal.  In  1892  he 
took  the  examination  and  made  the  second  grade  and  be- 
gan teaching  in  Sharkey  county.  In  1893  he  matriculated 
at  Alcorn  A.  and  M.  College,  where  he  completed  his  ed- 
ucation. He  was  a  public  school  teacher  for  fifteen  years 
and  was  an  exempt  teacher  in  the  State.  He  finished  the 
correspondence  course  of  theology  from  Morris  Brown 
College  and  regular  course  at  Campbell  College  in  191 3. 


REV.  J.  W.  HAIR,  D.D. 

He  was  also  under  private  instructions  of  the  Episcopal 
rector  at  Indianola,  Miss.  The  degree  of  D.D.  was  con- 
ferred upon  him  by  Campbell  College,  Jackson,  Miss.  He 
was  licensed  to  exhort  1895  and  to  preach  in  1898;  was 
district  superintendent  of  Sunday  schools  in  1897  and 
1898;  admitted  to  conference  in  1899;  ordained  deacon 
1901  ;  ordained  elder  in  1903.  First  charge  Indianola  in 
1 901  and  served  it  five  years.  Then  to  Yazoo  City  in 
1906  and  served  one  year  and  paid  an  indebtedness  of 
$600  and  added  84  members  to  the  church  and  reported 
$120  of  dollar  money.  From  Yazoo  City  he  was  appoint- 
ed to  Jackson,  Miss.,  to  save  the  church.  He  reduced  the 
debt  from  $5000  in  five  years  to  $1400,  and  kept  up  the 
interest  and  current  expenses  of  the  same,  and  increased 
the  membership  from  135  to  350  in  five  years.  He  re- 
ported dollar  money  in  the  five  years  to  the  amount  of 
$1025.  At  Indianola  mission  he  found  five  members. 
The  first  year  he  built  a  church  at  a  cost  of  $2500 ;  paid 
it  out  of  debt  in  five  years ;  reported  more  than  $400  dol- 
lar money  and  increased  the  membership  from  5  to  120, 
and  left  it  a  first-class  station.     He  was  appointed  pre- 


102 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


siding  elder  of  Jackson  district  in  1913,  where  he  is  serv- 
ing at  present.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ence of  191 2  and  was  elected  chairman  of  the  delegation 
of  the  eighth  episcopal  district.  He  is  a  delegate  to  the 
Centennial  General  Conference,  and  was  elected  the 
leader  of  the  delegation  of  the  East  Mississippi  confer- 
ence by  unanimous  vote. 


MR.  JOHN  W.  HALE. 

Hale,  Jno.  W.,  superintendent  of  the  First  A.  M.  E. 
Sunday  school,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  was  born  in  Hender- 
son, Rusk  county,  Texas,  April  4,  1873,  graduated  from 
Prairie  View  Normal  and  Industrial  School  in  1900,  came 
to  California  in  1902,  and  for  the  past  ten  years  has  had 
charge  of  the  above-named  Sunday  school,  which  is  the 
largest  colored  one  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

Hall,  Abraham  Thomson,  was  born  near  Mifflinton, 
Pa.,  January  17,  1822,  the  third  of  four  sons  of  John  and 
Mary  Hall,  pioneer  settlers  in  that  region.  His  early  life 
was  the  usual  round  of  chores,  work,  in  the  clearing, 
cropping  and  winter  schooling.  While  in  his  'teens  he 
was  apprenticed  to  a  barber  in  Lewiston,  Pa.,  and  it 
was  there  that  he  gained  his  first  vision  of  the  larger 
horizon  which  awaited  him.  He  worked  his  way  west  in 
1 84 1  by  canal  and  portage  to  Pittsburgh,  thence  on 
foot  to  Erie,  Pa.,  where  he  remained  three  years,  and  in 
the  home  of  one  Alexander  Simms  organized  the  A.  M. 
E.  church  with  21  members.  In  the  summer  of  1845  he 
went  by  boat  to  Chicago.  Here  he  decided  to  locate,  be- 
gan business  as  a  barber,  met  with  Madison  Patterson, 
a  local  A.  M.  E.  preacher;  John  Day  and  four  others, 
and  in  October  of  that  year  began  to  hold  prayer  and 
praise  meetings  from  house  to  house.  Here,  too,  in 
1846,  he  met,  loved,  wooed  and  was  married  to  Joanna 
Huss,  the  sixteen-year-old  daughter  of.  Mrs.  Adelphia 
Stewart,  who  until  her  death  December,  1890,  was  his 
devoted  life  partner.  In  1847  Philip  Ward,  a  traveling 
A.  M.  E.  preacher,  arrived  in  Chicago,  met  Hall  and  his 
little  band  of  praying  people,  and  organized  them  into 
Quinn  chapel,  which  has  become  one  of  the  largest  A.  M. 
E.  congregations  in  the  country,  and  Abraham  T.  Hall 
was  its  first  steward,  class  leader  and  trustee.  From  1848 
to  1850  he  conducted  meetings  as  an  exhorter,  when  he 
was  given  license  to  preach,  the  first  man  of  Negro  origin 


in  Chicago  to  be  given  such  authority,  and  at  the  A.  M. 
E.  conference,  held  that  year,  Bishop  Paul  Quinn  ordain- 
ed Hall  a  local  deacon. 

In  1852  he  was  a  local  delegate  to  the  general  con^ 
ference  held  in  New  York  City,  and  on  returning  to  Chi- 
cago, as  chairman  of  the  Building  Committee,  under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  John  A.  Warren,  he  superintended  the 
erection  of  a  capacious  house  of  worship  and  a  parsonage 


REV.  ABRAM  T.  HALL. 

at  the  corner  of  Jackson  and  Buffalo  streets,  which,  until 
the  big  fire  of  1871,  was  pointed  to  with  pride  by  bishops, 
clergy,  laity  and  members  of  the  race  all  over  the  coun- 
try. 

Joining  the  Indiana  Conference  in  1856  Bishop  Payne 
ordained  him  an  elder  and  started  him  at  work  in  what 
was  then  called  "The  Blue  River  Circuit" — a  round  of 
churches  in  Indiana,  where  the  people  were  "long  on  hog 
and  hominy,  but  very  short  on  the  circulating  medium." 
Undaunted,  Rev.  Hall  stuck  to  his  post,  doing  his  work 
well,  and  was  consequently  sent  to  larger  and  more  im- 
portant stations.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  for- 
mation of  both  the  Illinois  and  the  Iowa  conferences; 
was  hailed  as  "The  Father"  of  the  former,  and  pastored 
at  various  times  most  of  their  important  stations,  includ- 
ing Chicago.  In  1866  he  moved  his  large  and  growing 
family  to  Batavia,  111.,  where,  twenty  years  ago,  he  re- 
tired from  the  active  ministry  to  spend  the  evening  of  his 
life  amid  such  scenes  as  his  youth  had  cherished,  and 
here,  having  outlived  all  his  compeers,  in  1916,  aged  and 
spent  in  the  Master's  service,  with  all  his  mental  facul- 
ties well  preserved,  and  still  keenly  alive  to  current  events, 
he  awaits  the  summons  "Come  home."  His  son,  Abram 
T.  Hall,  Jr.,  has  been  connected  for  many  years  with  the 
treasury  department  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  while  another 
son,  Charles  E.  Hall,  is  connected  with  the  U.  S.  Census 
Bureau,  at  Washington. 

Hall,  Jackson  Thomas,  son  of  Anthony  and  Har- 
riet Hall,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
born  April  16,  1869,  at  Brooks  Co.,  Ga.     His  parents 


103 


© 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


had  two  other  children.     He  began  attending  school  Hall,  Daniel  H.,  a  prominent  lavman,  an  official  of 

when  six  years  of  age  and  attended  about  10  years  in      Warren  chapel,  A.   M.  E.  church,  Chattanooga,  Tenn., 
all,   receiving-  his   education   from    Grovesville   public      and  lay  delegate  to  the  general  conference,  1912-1916. 
schools  and  Morris  Brown  College,  receiving  the  de- 
gree of  D.D.  from  the  latter.     He  was  converted  and 
joined   the   A.   M.   E.    Church   in    1895,   and   has   held 

nearly  every  office  in  the  local  church.     He  was  licens-  /  -*Eiij§|: 

ed  to  preach  1895  at  Groverville,  Ga.,  by  Dr.  W.  O. 
P.  Sherman  ;  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1896  at 
Bainbridge,  Ga.,  under  Bishop  Turner,  who  ordained 
him  deacon  in  1897  at  Waycross,  Ga.,  and  elder  in 
1899  at  St.  John,  Columbus,  Ga.  He  has  held  the 
following  appointments,  all  in  Georgia :  Faulstown, 
1896-98;  Donalsville,  1899-1900;  Thomasville,  1901 ; 
Cairo,  1902 ;  Americus,  1903 ;  Talbotton,  1904-5 ;  Co- 
lumbus, 1906-8;  Thomasville,  1909-11;  Americus, 
1912-15;  Steward,  Macon,  1916.  He  built  churches  at 
Faulstown,  $800,  in  1S97;  church  and  parsonage  at 
Iron  City,  $2500,  in  1899;  bought  lot  at  Thomasville, 
$50,  in  1901 ;  built  parsonage  at  Cairo,  $800,  in   1902. 


DANIEL  H.  HALL. 


Hall,  James  William,  son  of  James  and  Mary 
Hall,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
January  20,  1S67,  in  Trousdale  Co.,  Tenn.,  one  of  13 
children.  He  began  attending  school  at  the  age  of 
7  years ;  received  his  education  at  Steward's  Indus- 
trial Academy,  State  University,  Louisville,  Ky.,  and 
graduated  from  the  State  College.  He  was  converted 
November  2,  1882,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
1883.  He  was  licensed  to.  preach  in  18S8  at  Lafayette, 
Tenn.,  by  Rev.  J.  L.  Jackson ;  joined  the  annual  con- 


REV.  J.  T.  HALL,  D.D. 

He  has  taken  about  2000  into  the  church  and  baptized 
about  1200  people.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  general 
conferences  of  1908,  1912  and  of  1916.  His  first 
wife  was  Mrs.  Mary  Jane  Hall,  of  Groverville,  Ga., 
whom  he  married  November  18,  1889.  His  present 
wife  is  Mrs.  Josie  W.  Hall,  of  Albany,  Ga.,  whom  he 
married  February  14,  1912.  He  has  six  children: 
James,  Alfred,  Harriet,  Jackson,  Thomas,  Jr.,  Rosetta 
and  Rachel.  Jackson,  Thomas,  Jr.,  and  Harriet  Hall 
are  graduates  of  McKay  Hill  School  and  Allen  Nor- 
mal, respectively.  He  has  contributed  to  the  connec- 
tional  church  papers  and  is  editor  of  his  local  church 
paper.  He  delivered  the  emancipation  address  at  Co- 
lumbus, Ga.,  1906,  addressed  the  literary  society  of 
Payne  College.  1907;  the  baccalaureate  sermon  at 
Morris  Brown  University,  1.914.  He  is  connected  with 
the  F.  and  A.  M.,  K.  of  P.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F,  Supreme 
Circle  of  Benevolence,  Court  of  Calanthe,  Sons  and 
Daughters  of  Conference.  He  has  been  a  member  of 
the  executive  board  of  Morris  Brown,  member  of  the 
Supreme  Cabinet  and  chancellor  commander  in  K.  of 
P.  He  owns  several  pieces  of  real  estate,  and  is  a 
member  of  the   Church  Extension  Board.     ' 


104 


REV.  J.  W.  HALL,  D.D. 

ference  in  1893  at*  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  under  Bishop 
Salter,  who  ordained  him  deacon  in  1895  at  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  and  elder  1897  at  Columbia,  Tenn.  He  has 
held  the  following  appointments:  Lafayette  Ct,  1891- 
93;  district  missionary,  1894;  Gallatin,  1895;  evan- 
gelist, W.  Ky.  conference,  1897-99;  Asbury,  Louisville, 
Ky.,  1899-1901 ;  St.  Peter,  Harrodsburg,  Ky.,  1901-3; 
presiding  elder,  Bowling  Green  district,  W.  Ky.,  1903- 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


3° 


1908;  Louisville  district,  1908-13;  Burks  Chapel,  Pa- 
ducah,  Ky.,  1913-16.  He  built  a  church  at  Lafayette, 
Term.,  at  a  cost  of  $1000  in  1892.  He  has  taken  about 
2000  into  the  church  and  baptized  about  500.  He  was 
delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of  1908,  1912  and 
1916,  leading  his  delegation  in  1916.  He  was  vice- 
president  of  Wa-yman  Institute  and  teacher,  1901-03. 
He  was  secretary  of  the  W.  Kentucky  conference  in 
1900,  chairman  of  finance  committee  of  W.  Kentucky 
conference  in  1903-15.  His  wife  is  Mrs.  Henrietta 
Hall,  of  Franklin,  Ky.,  whom  he  married  in  1896.  He 
has  contributed  to  the  several  Recorders  and  A.  M.  E. 
Review.  He  has  written  "Plain  Talk  on  Church  En- 
tertainment," "Paul's  Thorn  in  the  Flesh,"  "Divine 
and  Human  Baptism."  He  is  a  Republican  and  a 
home  owner. 


BISHOP  JAMES  A.  HANDY,  D.D. 

Handy,  James  Anderson,  22nd  bishop  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  December 
22,  1826,  son  of  Ishmael  and  Nancy  Handy,  his  father 
a  slave  and  mother  a  free  person.  His  mother  died 
when  he  was  six  years  old.  He  attended  school  only 
three  months  in  his  life,  but  was  an  ardent  student  all 
of  his  long  life ;  attended  Bethel  Sunday  School  at  5 
years  of  age ;  was  baptized  April,  1833 ;  joined  the 
church  in  1852  and  held  every  office  in  it  except  ex- 
horter ;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  i860  by  Rev.  J.  M. 
Brown ;  began  traveling  in  i85i  ;  was  ordained  deacon 
in  1864  and  elder  in  1865  ;  served  Baltimore  County 
circuit ;  Union  Bethel,  Washington  (three  times)  ; 
Emanuel,  Portsmouth,  Va. ;  St.  Stephens,  Wilmington, 
N.  C. ;  Israel,  Washington  ;  Ebenezer,  Baltimore ;  St. 
James,  New  Orleans ;  Bethel,  Baltimore ;  presiding 
elder  Baltimore  district;  presiding  elder  Potomac  dis- 
trict; missionary  secretary  (1868-1872);  financial  sec- 
retary, 1S88-1892;  bishop,  1892-1911.  He  died  Octo- 
ber, 191 1,  and  is  buried  at  Baltimore.  His  widow, 
Mrs.  Mary  F.  Handy    survives  him. 

Handy,  Mrs.  Mary  F.,  was  born  in  Baltimore, 
Md.,  daughter  of  John  and  Matilda  Nichols.  She  se- 
cured her  early  training  under  Miss  Mary  F.  Harding, 
a  private  school  teacher  in  East  Baltimore.  Her  early 
religious  training  was  secured  at  Waters  A.  M.  E. 
and  Asbury  M.  E.  Sunday  Schools.    Her  mother  died 


when  she  was  sixteen  years  old.  At  the  age  of  sev- 
enteen, she  left  Baltimore  for  New  Jersey,  where  she 
took  up  the  trade  of  tailoring;  locating  later  in  Phil- 
adelphia she  met  Dr.  S.  Clark  Frisby,  to  whom  she 
was  happily  married,  the  ceremony  being  performed 
by  Rev.  Henry  L.  Phillips.  At  the  expiration  of  six 
and  a  half  years  of  happy  wedded  life,  her  husband 
died,  but  at  the  end  of  four  years  of  widowhood,  she 
met  and  married  Presiding  Elder  James  A.  Handy, 
the  ceremony  being  performed  by  Rev.  L.  J.  Coppin, 
in  old  Allen  Chapel,  Philadelphia. 

Rev.  James  A.  Handy  afterwards  became  finan- 
cial secretary  and  was  later  elevated  to  the  Bishopric 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  They  were  married  for  twen- 
ty-four years  and  eleven  months,  till  the  time  of  his 
death,  October,   1911. 


MRS.  MARY  F.  HANDY. 

Mrs.  Handy  has  been  identified  with  the  Wom- 
en's Mite  Missionary  Society  and  the  Parent  Mite 
Society  for  many  years.  She  was  elected  president 
of  the  Parent  Body  when  the  Quadrennial  Session  was 
held  in  Trinity  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Baltimore  and  she 
has  been  re-elected  ever  since.  She  now  lives  in  Bal- 
timore, the  city  in  which  she  was  born,  and  enjoys 
the  high  esteem  of  her  neighbors  and  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  general  for  her  purity  of  character  and  her 
unselfish  devotion  to  all  good  works. 

Hardy,  Houston  Danzie,  one  of  the  16  children 
of  Watson  and  Mary  V.  Hardy,  was  born  September  7, 
i860,  at  Pocahontas,  Miss.  His  education  began  at  about 
the  age  of  eight  and  was  principally  in  the  public  schools, 
and  in  Tougaloo  University.  In  the  year  1877  he  was 
converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  which  as  a 
layman  he  held  offices  of  steward,  trustee,  class  leader, 
Sunday  school  teacher  and  superintendent,  exhorter  and 
local  preacher.  He  was  always  serviceable.  He  started 
life  as  a  school  teacher  and  won  a  life  certificate  to  teach 
in  the  schools  of  Mississippi.  In  1883  he  was  licensed  to 
preach  by  Rev.  E.  R.  Carter,  at  Yazoo  City,  Miss.  In 
1885  he  joined  the  conference  at  Greenville,  Miss.,  under 
Bishop  Ward;  in  1888  Bishop  Wayman  ordained  him 
at  Vicksburg  by  Bishop  Disney.    His  appointments  have 


105 


«& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


all  been  in  Mississippi  and  have  been  as  follows :  Yazoo 
Mission,  1885-89;  Lexington  Circuit,  1890-92;  Bellprairie 
Circuit,  1893-4;  Benton  Circuit,  1895-7;  president  Laws 
High  School,  1898;  China  Grove,  1900-1902;  Plainville 
Circuit,  1903-6;  Brookhaven,  1907;  Brownsville  Circuit, 
1908;  Grace  Circuit,  1909;  Leland,  1910;  Anguilla,  191 1- 
12;  presiding  elder  Belzoni  District,  Central  Mississippi 
Conference,  1913-16.  In  1886  he  built  Eden  chapel,  cost- 
ing $600;  in  1901,  he  built  Cypress  Chapel  at  a  cost  of 
$900.  He  paid  mortgages  as  follows:  $127  at  Pickens, 
in  1891 ;  $206  at  Benton,  in  1895;  $78  at  Plainville,  in 


His  profession  is  that  of  a  licensed  chiropodist  and 
masseur  and  he  lives  at  181 1  Reed  street,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.' 


REV.  H.  D.  HARDY. 

1894;  $400  at  Brookhaven,  in  1907;  $400  at  Leland,  in 
1910.  He  has  taken  into  the  church  upwards  of  800 
people,  baptized  about  500  and  married  about  150.  He 
has  frequently  been  called  to  act  as  secretary  of  various 
church  meetings,  district  conferences,  Sunday  school 
conventions,  etc.,  and  was  for  fifteen  years  secretary  of 
his  annual  conference.  Rev.  Hardy's  wife  is  Mrs.  Mel- 
vina  Hardy,  who  was  born  in  Deasonville,  Miss.,  to  whom 
he  was  married  in  1883.  They  have  four  children  living, 
Miss  Mary  Y.,  30  years  of  age ;  Miss  Hally  B.,  aged  22; 
Gladys  K.,  aged  19,  and  Bishop  Hardy,  aged  25.  Rev. 
Hardy  is  a  successful  farmer,  and  has  taught  public 
school  in  connection  with  his  ministry  for  thirty  years. 
He  owns  two  plantations  and  is  a  substantial  citizen  of 
both  moral  and  financial  worth.  He  is  a  Mason  and  a 
member  of  the  order  of  Jacobs,  but  takes  no  active  part 
in  politics.  He  is  an  alternate  to  the  Centennial  General 
Conference  of  1916. 

Hardy,  Burvin,  was  born  in  Phila.  in  1871  and 
comes  of  old  African  Methodist  stock,  his  parents  both 
having  been  members  of  Bethel  church,  his  father  being 
a  trustee,  his  grandmother  having  been  a  stewardess,  and 
his  great-grandmother  having  been  a  member  during  the 
lifetime  of  Bishop  Richard  Allen.  Mr.  Hardy  began  at- 
tending Bethel  Sunday  school  at  the  age  of  five  and  was 
.converted  and  joined  Bethel  church  in  1895.  He  has 
been  a  trustee  for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  1911-1912 
was  treasurer  of  the  Bethel  Church  Corporation.  He  is 
now  president  of  the  Bible  class  and  an  active  worker. 


.106 


MR.  BURYIN  HARDY. 

Harewood,  Rev.  J.  B.,  was  born  and  educated  in 
the  island  of  Barbados,  B.  W.  I.  He  is  the  son  of  Alex- 
ander William  and  Laura  Jane  Harewood.  His  father 
was  a  public  school  teacher,  salaried  Methodist  local 
preacher  and  class  leader,  and  his  mother  was  also  a 
class  leader.  He  started  life  as  a  certificated  government 
teacher,  and  pursued  that  calling  successfully.  Whilst 
teaching  he  attended  the  training  school  at  Codrington 
College  for  Special  Studies  in  English,  and  also  spent 
several  years'  preparation  in  the  study  of  medicines,  lan- 
guages, theology,  etc.  He  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  church 
April  12,  1899,  at  Collymore  Rock,  Barbados,  and  was  ap- 
pointed licentiate  to  Rouen  Mission  April  30,  1901.  Here 
he  remained  seven  months,  increasing  the  membership 
and  leaving  the  church  free  of  debt  with  money  to  pur- 
chase a  new  organ.  lie  next  pastored  successfully  for 
four  years  Port  Royal  and  Somerset,  Bermuda,  B.  W.  I., 
increasing  the  membership  and  making  improvements  at 
Port  Royal.  At  Somerset  a  beautiful  structure  was  erect- 
ed. He  was  ordained  deacon  October  30,  1904,  by  Bish- 
op Handy  and  elder  May  28,  1905,  by  Bishop  Derrick, 
both  ordinations  taking  place  at  St.  Paul's,  Hamilton, 
Bermuda.  He  was  appointed  in  1905  to  Port  Royal  and 
the  Light  House  Mission,  and  sent  to  build  a  church  at 
the  latter  place.  The  corner-stone  of  the  building  was 
laid  at  the  next  conference.  He  was  transferred  to  the 
Ohio  Conference  in  1906,  but  was  sent  as  a  supply  to  the 
charge  of  Tucker's  Town  and  Bailey's  Bay,  where  there 
was  a  great  revival,  resulting  in  164  conversions:  72  at 
the  former  and  92  at  the  latter  place  in  three  and  two 
weeks,  respectively.  The  first  parsonage  in  the  circuit 
was  secured  and  beautifully  furnished  by  the  trustees  at 
Tucker's  Town  and  at  Bailey's  Bay  the  church  was  thor- 
oughly renovated,  new  seats  placed  in  the  rear,  and  a 
stone  vestry  built.  He  met  the  Ohio  Conference  Septem- 
ber 7,  1907,  at  Columbus,  ().,  as  a  transfer  from  the  Ber- 
muda Conference,  and  a  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ence to  meet  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  in  1908.    He  was  appointed 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


to  Washington  Court  House,  where  he  pastored  success- 
fully for  one  year.  A  new  pulpit  set  was  secured,  a  new 
pulpit  Bible  donated  to  the  church,  many  debts  cancelled, 
and  other  improvements  made.  His  next  appointment 
was  at  Cambridge,  O.,  where  he  pastored  for  two  years, 


REV.  J.  B.  HAREWOOD. 

increasing  the  membership,  remodeling  the  altar  and 
making  other  improvements.  His  next  charge  was  the 
Lancaster  and  Nelsonville  Circuit ;  at  Lancaster  the 
church  was  papered  and  many  old  debts  cancelled ;  at 
Nelsonville  many  heavy  and  long-standing  debts  were 
cancelled,  the  entertainment  hall  roofed,  and  a  silver 
communion  set,  which  had  been  removed  by  the  creditor 
during  a  previous  administration  was  redeemed  and 
brought  back  to  the  church.  He  pastored  these  charges 
for  three  years  successfully.  He  is  now  pastoring  at 
Gallipolis,  O.,  where  to  the  present  his  administration 
has  been  very  successful.  He  was  appointed  to  this 
charge  September  25,  1913.  The  church  has  been  re- 
modeled, the  parsonage  painted  and  papered,  and  many 
long-standing  debts  cancelled.  He  enjoys  the  good  will 
of  the  community. 

Harmon,  Rev.  John,  was  born  of  humble  parents  in 
Smithville,  Lee  county,  Georgia,  October  1,  1861.  He 
joined  the  church  in  his  childhood  and  was  an  active 
worker.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was  elected  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday  school  of  New  Hope  A.  M.  E. 
church.  In  1881  he  was  baptized  and  received  into  the 
St.  John  A.  M.  E.  church,  Montgomery,  Alabama,  as  a 
full  member,  and  the  same  year  was  elected  a  steward 
and  trustee,  in  which  positions  he  served  until  his  call  to 
the  ministry,  April,  1893.  He  was  superintendent  of  St. 
John  Sunday  school  for  four  years,  and  a  trustee  of 
Payne  and  Wilberforce  universities.  April,  1893,  he  was 
licensed  to  preach  and  gave  the  A.  M.  E.  connection  the 
second  church  in  Montgomery,  Alabama,  now  known  as 
St.  Stephen's  A.  M.  E.  church.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
conference  in  Troy,  Alabama,  in  1893.  His  next  appoint- 
ment was  White  Hall,  where  he  improved  the  church, 
and  in  two  weeks  received  157  converts  to  it.  At  Union 
Springs,  Ala.,  he  was  ordained  a  deacon  by  Bishop 
Grant  and  appointed  to  Abbeville  Station,  where  he  built 


a  parsonage  and  increased  the  membership  from  61  to 
149.  He  was  given  a  neglected  mission  twelve  miles  out 
from  Abbeville,  where  he  finished  a  church  building  and 
gave  it  a  good  membership.  At  Wells,  Alabama,  the  same 
year,  he  bought  and  paid  for  a  church  lot  and  the  lum- 
ber with  which  to  build.  He  next  went  to  Eufaula  and 
completed  St.  John.  In  January,  1898,  Bishop  Turner 
transferred  him  to  Georgia,  ordained  him  an  elder  at 
Griffin,  Georgia,  and  assigned  him  to  Palmetto  Circuit; 
then  to  Newnan,  Thomaston,  where  he  repaired  the  par- 
sonage.    After  two   years'   service   Bishop   Turner   ap- 


REV.  JOHN  HARMON,  D.D. 

pointed  him  presiding  elder  of  the  Newnan  District,  in 
which  he  organized  the  following  churches :  Fairburn, 
Union  Grove,  Sargent,  Kelley  Chapel  and  New  Zion,  be- 
sides planting  fifteen  missions.  After  four  years  of  ser- 
vice he  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  Atlanta 
District,  and  gave  the  connection  the  following  new 
churches :  Turner  Monumental,  Locust  Grove  and 
Pleasant  Hill,  besides  twenty  new  missions.  After  two 
years  on  this  district  he  resigned  and  was  appointed  to 
the  Griffin  District  for  1  year;  then  to  Douglasville  Cir- 
cuit, and  after  nine  months  he  was  transferred  and  ap- 
pointed pastor  of  Turner  Tabernacle,  Macon,  Georgia. 
He  sold  the  old  site  in  the  "red  light  district"  and  pur- 
chased a  lot  in  another  neighborhood,  and  built  the  base- 
ment of  one  of  the  best  constructed  churches  in  the  city, 
increasing  the  membership  223.  Next  he  was  appointed 
presiding  elder  of  the  Augusta  District,  over  which  he 
now  presides.  He  is  a  trustee  and  member  of  the  Execu- 
tive Board  of  Morris  Brown  University,  which  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  D.D.  in  1907.  He  was  a  delegate 
to  the  general  conference  in  1904,  at  Chicago,  Illinois ; 
in  1908,  at  Norfolk,  Virginia;  in  1912,  at  Kansas  City, 
and  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference  in  Philadelphia 
in  1916.  Dr.  Harmon  is  an  ambitious  and  aggressive 
leader  and  one  of  the  best  debaters  in  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  National  Republican 
Convention  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  July,  1896.  He  canvassed 
Alabama  for  both  Harrison  and  McKinley.  Dr.  Harmon 
is  a  Mason,  an  Odd  Fellow,  a  K.  of  P.,  and  a  member  of 
the  Supreme  Circle.  He  has  been  the  editor  of  a  number 
of  newspapers  and  today  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


forceful  writers  in  his  church.  He  has  delivered  ad- 
dresses from  Boston  to  New  Orleans,  from  Charleston 
to  Chicago.  He  owns  a  beautiful  home  at  166  Howell 
Street,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  and  other  property  in  Atlanta 
and  Newnan. 

Harris,  F.  L.,  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
Harris.  His  mother  was  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  He  was  born  November  2,  1863,  at  Titus- 
ville,  Pa.  Entered  school  in  1870,  receiving  about  five 
years'  schooling.  He  was  converted  in  1884  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Harrisburg  the  same 
year.  He  has  held  almost  every  office  in  the  Church. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1896,  at  York,  Pa.,  by 
Rev.  Theodore  Gould;  joined  the  Philadelphia  An- 
nual Conference,  and  was  ordained  deacon  in  1902,  at 
Harrisburg,  by  Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick,  and  elder  in 
1905,  at  Philadelphia  by  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett.  He 
served  the  following  appointments:  Pottstown,  1901- 
1904;     Concordville,    1904-1909;    Reading,    1909-1912; 


school  at  the  age  of  seven  years  and  attended  about 
five  years.  He  spent  over  two  years  at  West  Point 
Grammar   School.      He   was    converted   in    1886,    and 


REV.  FAREDON  LINCOLN  HARRIS. 

Kennett  Square,  191 2  to  date.  He  remodeled  the  church 
at  Atglen,  at  a  cost  of  $680,  in  1907;  Concordville,  Pa., 
at  a  cost  of  $900,  in  191 1  ;  Pottstown,  at  a  cost  of  $185, 
in  1902;  Spring  Valley,  at  a  cost  of  $100,  in  1910; 
Reading,  at  a  cost  of  $151,  in  1913.  He  lifted  a  mort- 
gage at  Atglen,  amounting  to  $100.02,  in  the  year 
1908.  He  has  taken  about  500  people  into  the  Church, 
baptized  97  and  married  about  43.  He  married  Mamie 
Cannon  Harris,  of  Harrisburg,  in  May,  1907.  His 
children  were  Myrtle,  Beaver,  Mabel,  Charles  and  Es- 
tella.  Two  of  these  were  by  his  first  wife.  He  has 
contributed  to  the  York  Gazette.  He  has  read  many 
papers  before  audiences  of  both  races.  He  is  con- 
nected with  the  F.  and  A.  M.  and  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  He 
has  held  prominent  offices  in  each  ;  is  a  Republican 
and  a  home  owner.  He  was  actively  associated  with 
Hope  Rescue  Mission  at  Reading.  He  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  Society  for  the  Advancement  of  Col- 
ored People. 

Harris,  Rev.  V.  H.,  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
Harris,  was  born  November  2,  1863,  at  Titusville,  Pa. 
He  is  a  twin  brother  to  Rev.  F.  L.  Harris. .  He  entered 


REV.  VENANDO  HENRY  HARRIS. 

joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  held 
the  following  offices  in  the  Church  :  steward,  trustee, 
class  leader,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher, 
organist  and  chorister.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1893,  at  York,  Pa.,  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Sampson.  Joined. 
Philadelphia  Conference  in  1898,  at  Flarrisburg,  under 
Bishop  Derrick.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1897  at 
York,  by  Bishop  A.  Grant,  and  ordained  elder  in  1903, 
at  Mt.  Pisgah,  Philadelphia,  by  Bishop  Arnett.  He  has 
had  the  following  appointments :  Welsh  Mountain 
Circuit,  1898-1901  ;  Marietta  Circuit,  1902-1904; 
Parkesburg,  1904-1909;  Middletown  Circuit,  1909- 
1910;  Moore's  Chapel,  Wilmington,  Del.,  191 1;  Bur- 
lington, N.  J.,  1911-16. 

He  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $800  in  1906,  at  Parkes- 
burg. He  has  taken  about  380  people  into  the  Church, 
baptized  2"j  and  married  62.  He  married  Mrs.  Bertha 
Harris,  of  Front  Royal.  Ya.,  May  13,  1889.  They  were 
parents  of  three  children — Allen,  Mary  and  Emma. 
Mary  is  a  graduate  of  the  grammar  school,  the  others 
are  dead.  He  addressed  the  G.  A.  R.  at  Parkesburg. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Enterprise  Business  League. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  and  the  F. 
and  A.  M.  .He  has  held  the  office  of  P.  N.  F.  in  G.  U. 
O.  of  O.  F:  and  W.  M.  of  the  F.  and  A.  M.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Republican  party.  He  owns  a  home. 
He  built  a  parsonage  at  Parkesburg,  at  a  cost  of  $2800, 
and  has  repaired  three  churches.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  County  Committee  of  the  Bordentown  Industrial 
School. 

Harris,  William,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
December  5,  1820,  the  son  of  Richard  and  Hannah 
Harris.  At  an  early  age  he  was  sent  to  a  Quaker 
family  of  "Hooper"  in  Chester  County,  Pa.,  where  he 
was  to  work  for  an  education.  Having  reached  his 
majority,  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Philadelphia  and 
soon  affiliated  himself  with  the  Christian  activities  of 


108 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


9 


a  faithful  band  that  was  then  worshipping  in  a  frame 
structure  where  the  present  edifice  of  Mt.  Pisgah 
Church,  Philadelphia,  stands.  During  the  Civil  War 
he  enlisted  in  Company  "C,"  24th  Regt.  of  Colored 
Troops,  fighting  for  the  cause  of  the  Union,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  at  the  close  of  the  said  war.  He 
was  the  first  superintendent  of  Mt.  Pisgah  A.  M.  E. 
Sunday  school,  Philadelphia,  and  served  also  as  sex- 


MR.  WILLIAM  HARRIS. 

ton,  class  leader,  trustee,  local  preacher  and  local  dea- 
con in  the  above  nariied  church.  His  life  was  one  of 
many  sacrifices  for  the  Church  of  his  choice  and  was 
brought  to  a  close  at  the  age  of  85,  October  16,  1905, 
during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  W.  H.  Hoxter,  D.D.,  at 
Mount  Pisgah.  Mrs.  Clara  Harris-Downer,  the  chor- 
ister of  Mount  Pisgah  and  one  of  Philadelphia's  sweet- 
est singers,  is  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Harris. 


REV.  J.  McKENZIE  HARRISON,  D.D. 

Harrison,  J.  McKenzie,  was  born  April  6,    1864 
at   Statesburg,   Sumter  County,   S.   C,   and  has   don« 


much  for  his  race  in  that  part  of  the  country.  In  1877, 
after  he  had  come  out  of  school,  he  accepted  a  posi- 
tion in  the  "Watchman  and  Southern"  printing  office. 
In  1876  he  managed  a  mercantile  business  for  McCoy 
&  Co.,  Statesburg,  S.  C.  In  1881  he  was  connected 
with  the  business  firm  of  Brown  &  Harrison.  On 
January  15,  1882,  he  established  the  first  public  school, 
known  as  the  "Harrison  School,"  in  that  town,  and 
taught  the  same  for  ten  years.  He  joined  the  Colum- 
bia conference  in  December,  1889,  and  has  served  at 
the  following  charges:  t8q9.  Camden  Mission;  1892, 
Salem  Ct. ;  1893,  Friendship  Station  ;  1894,  Reeseville 
Ct. ;  1897-8,  Legare  Ct.,  and  organized  the  first  public 
school;  1899-1900,  St.  Phillip's  Station,  Eastover,  S. 
C. ;  1901,  Bishopville ;  1902,  Mt.  Olive  Station,  Provi- 
dence, S.  C. ;  1904-5,  St.  Paul  Ct.,  Sumter,  S.  C. ;  1906- 
1908,  St.  Paul  Station,  Crestnn,  S.  C. ;  1909-11,  Biggers 
and  Providence  churches,  Wilson,  S.  C. ;  1912,  Floydal 
Ct.,  Zion,  S.  C. ;  1913-14,  Mt.  Pleasant  Station;  1915, 
St.  Paul  Station,  the  second  time  within  nine  years. 
He  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General 
Conference  in  1916. 

Hawkins,  Rev.  George  W.,  was  born  August  29, 
1870,  at  Miccosukie,  Leon  County,  Fla.  He  is  the  son 
of  Rev.  G.  W.  Hawkins,  Sr.,  and  Emma  Hawkins.  His 


REV.  GEORGE  W.  HAWKINS,  D.D. 

father  was  ordained  in  1873,  by  the  side  of  the  late 
Bishop  A.  Grant  and  Drs.  J.  I.  Lowe  and  A.  B.  Dud- 
ley. His  mother  was  a  pious  Christian  woman  for 
more  than  fifty  years.  She  died  in  Orlando,  Fla.,  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1907,  at  the  age  of  70. 

George  attended  the  common  schools  of  Leon, 
Duval  and  Orange  Counties.  He  joined  Mt.  Olive  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  Orlando,  Fla.,  in  1886,  on  probation, 
Rev.  S.  H.  Coleman,  pastor.  He  was  converted  July, 
1888,  under  Rev.  T.  W.  Long,  pastor  of  Mt.  Olive. 
In  September,  1890,  he  was  licensed  exhorter.  In 
April,  1891,  he  was  licensed  a  local  preacher  by  Rev. 
M.  M.  Moore.  In  September,  1891,  he  taught  school 
one  term  at  Ft.  Myers,  and  in  June,  1892,  he  was  ap- 
pointed pastor  of  Monatee  Mission,  Rev.  John  W. 
Dukes,  P.E.  Here  he  remodeled  the  church  and  in- 
creased the  membership  from  6  to  50.    In  1894  he  pas- 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


■3 


tored  Tarpon  Springs,  cared  for  the  district  confer- 
ence, improved  the  church  and  increased  the  member- 
ship. In  1895  and  1896,  at  Kissimmee,  he  built  a 
church  and  held  a  great  revival.  In  1897  he  pastored 
Eatonville  and  Longwood,  and  had  a. great  revival,  in 
which  every  unconverted  person  in  Eatonville  was 
converted.  He  improved  the  church.  In  1898  and  1899 
he  pastored  Lakeland,  and  by  paying  from  his  per- 
sonal funds  he  saved  the  church.  In  1900  he  was  at 
Key  West  and  seated  the  church  and  made  a  large  in- 
crease in  dollar  money.  In  1901  he  was  appointed  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  Leesburg  District ;  in  1905,  of  the 
Gainesville  District ;  in  1907,  of  the  Ocala  District ;  in 
1910,  of  the  Dunnellon  District.  At  the  St.  Petersburg 
Conference,  in  1912,  he  reported  for  Edward  Waters 
College,  $200;  at  the  Gainesville  Conference,  Febru- 
ary, 1913,  he  reported  having  collected  for  Edward 
Waters  College,  $270.  February,  1914,  Bishop  John 
Hurst,  D.D.,  appointed  him  over  the  St.  Petersburg 
District,  over  which  he  now  serves.  He  has  been 
elected  delegate  to  the  following  general  conferences : 
Norfolk,  Va.,  1908;  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  1912;  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  1916. 


Hawkins,  Prof.  John  Russell,  financial  secretary 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  oldest  son  of  Ossian  and 
Christiana  Hawkins,  was  bora  in  Warrenton,  N.  C, 
May  31,  1862.  He  received  his  training  in  the  schools 
of  Warrenton,    N.    C. ;    Hampton  Institute,  Hampton, 


PROF.  JOHN  RUSSELL  HAWKINS,  LL.B. 

Va. ;  Boston,  Mass.,  and  the  Law  Department  of  How- 
ard University,  Washington,  D.  C,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  191 5. 

Professor  Hawkins  began  his  career  as  a  teacher 
in  the  public  schools  of  Warren  County,  N.  C,  and 
soon  worked  up  to  the  principalship  of  the  Graded 
School  of  his  home  town.  From  1882-1884  he  served 
as  railway  postal  clerk  in  the  Government  service. 
When  Kittrell  College  was  founded  he  became  con-' 
nected  with  it  as  business  manager  and  professor  of 
mathematics.  In  1890  he  was  elected  to  the  presi- 
dency of  Kittrell  College,  which  position  he  held  till 


1896,  when  he  was  elected  by  the  general  conference, 
in  session  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  as  Secretary  of  the 
Department  of  Education. 

He  held  the  position  of  Secretary  of  Education 
for  sixteen  years,  till  1912,  when  the  general  confer- 
ence, in  session  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  elected  him  as  fi- 
nancial secretary  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  which  posi- 
tion he  now  holds. 

In  1892  he  married  Miss  Lillian  Marie  Kennedy, 
the  youngest  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Ken- 
nedy, of  Sioux  Falls,  S.  D.  This  union  has  been 
blessed  with  two  children,  Esther  K.  and  John  R.,  Jr. 
Miss  Esther  is  a  graduate  of  the  Moody  School,  at 
Northfield,  and  like  her  mother,  is  now  specializing  in 
music.  John  R.,  Jr.,  is  making  a  splendid  record  in 
college. 


Hawkins,  Mrs.  Lillian  Marie,  wife  of  Prof.  John 
R.  Hawkins,  financial  secretary  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  the  youngest  daughter  of  George  and  Sarah 
J.  Kennedy,  was  born  in  Decorah,  Iowa.    In  her  early 


MRS.  LILLIAN  MARIE  HAWKINS. 

childhood  her  parents  moved  to  Sioux  Falls,  S.  D., 
where  they  lived  for  several  years.  After  graduating 
from  All  Saints  College,  Sioux  Falls,  Miss  Kennedy 
came  East  to  specialize  in  music,  and  graduated  with 
honors  from  the  Conservatory  of  Music,  Philadelphia, 
Pa. 

In  September,  1888,  she  went  South,  to  take 
charge  of  the  Department  of  Music  in  Kittrell  Col- 
lege, Kittrell,  N.  C".  It  was  here  she  met  Prof.  J.  R. 
Hawkins,  to  whom  she  was  afterwards  married,  on 
December  28,  1892.  Mrs.  Hawkins  is  loved  for  her  ex- 
emplary Christian  character,  and  has  been  of  incalcul- 
able value  to  her  husband  in  the  various  responsible 
positions  he  has  been  called  to  fill. 

She  is  the  great  granddaughter  of  Bishop  Richard 
Allen,  and  takes  special  pride  in  helping  to  develop 
the  many  interests  of  the  Church,  of  which  her  illus- 
trious grandfather  was  founder  and  first  bishop.  , 

She  is  a  devoted  wife  and  the  loving  mother  of 
two  children. 


110 


■B 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Hawkins,  L.  Estelle  Spiller,  was  born  in  Norfolk, 
Va.  She  is  the  great  granddaughter  of  Charity  Still, 
niece  of  William  Still,  of  "Underground  Railroad" 
fame,  and  of  Dr.  Joseph  Thompson,  of  Philadelphia, 
Pa.  Her  mother,  Mrs.  Mary  Still  Thompson-Spiller, 
was  among  the  first  teachers  sent  South  by  the  United 
Presbyterian  Board  to  instruct  the  children  of  her 
race.  "Her  father,  Rev.  Richard  Spiller,  D.D.,  LL.D., 


MRS.  L.  E.  SPILLER  HAWKINS. 

is  a  prominent  Baptist  minister.  She  was  educated  in 
Spiller  Academy,  Wayland  Seminary,  Hartshorne  Me- 
morial College  and  Shaw  University.  Madame  Haw- 
kins is  a  woman  of  talent.  She  possesses  a  rich  con- 
tralto voice ;  she  taught  music  at  Spiller  Academy  for 
three  years.  In  1901  she  taught  music  and  kindergar- 
ten at  the  Summer  School  of  Hampton  Institute.  She 
has  written  many  themes  and  addressed  many  audi- 
ences. In  1915  she  conducted  social  settlement  work 
in  Columbia,  S.  C.  At  the  Emancipation  Celebration, 
January  1,  1915,  at  St.  Matthew,  S.  C,  she  was  the 
orator  of  the  day.  She  has  been  a  successful  evan- 
gelist and  Christian  Endeavor  worker,  and  hundreds 
have  been  brought  to  Christ  through  her  instrumen- 
tality. 

Heard,  Bishop  William  H.,  thirty-fifth  bishop  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  son  of  George  W.  and  Par- 
thenia  Heard,  was  born  in  Elbert  County,  Ga.,  June 
25>  1850.  His  father  was  a  Baptist  and  his  mother  a 
Methodist.  He  was  one  of  six  children  of  his  parents. 
He  began  attending  school  in,  1866,  and  attended  com- 
mon schools  and  Atlanta  University  and  the  Re- 
formed Episcopal  School  and  the  University  of  South 
Carolina,  Columbia.  S.  C.  He  received  the  degree  of 
D.D.  from  Allen  University.  He  was  converted  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1878,  and  has  held 
nearly  every  office  in  the  Church.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  at  Athens,  Ga.,  in  1879,  by  Rev.  P.  McClain ; 
ordained  deacon  in  1.881,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  by  Bishop 
Dickerson  ;  ordained  elder  in  1883,  at  AVashington,  Ga., 
by  Bishop  Dickerson ;  has  held  the  following  ap- 
pointments:  Johnstown  Mission,  1 880-1 88 1  ;  Mark- 
ham    Station,    1882;   Aiken    Station,  1883-1884;    Mt. 

1 


Zion,  Charleston,  1885-1888;  Allen  Chapel,  Philadel- 
phia, 1888-1889;  presiding  elder,  1889-1890;  Bethel 
Philadelphia,  1890-1892;  Wilmington,  Del.,  1892-1894; 
Harrisburg,  1895;  United  States  Minister  to  Liberia', 
1895-1899;  Zion  Mission,  1899;  secretary  of  the  Con- 
nectional  Preachers'  Association,  1904-1908.  He  built 
a  church  at  Johnstown,  in  1880,  at  a  cost  of  $500,  and 
a  parsonage  at  Aiken,  S.  C,  in  1883,  at  $1000.  He' paid 
off  mortgages  on  the  following:  Mt.  Zion,  Charleston, 
S.  C,  $4000,  in  1885-1888;  Allen  Chapel,  Philadelphia, 
$1000,  in  1888;  Wilmington,  Del.,  $3000,  in  1892-1894J 
Harrisburg,  Pa.,  $1500,  in  1895;  Zion  Mission,  Phila- 
delphia, $1000,  in  1899;  Bethel,  Philadelphia,  $15,000, 
in  1890-1892.  He  has  baptized  1848,  married  360.  Has 
been  a  delegate  to  all  general  conferences  since  1888.' 
He  was  a  general  officer  from  1904  to  1908,  and  was 
elected  Bishop  in  1908,  and  has  served  since  that  time 
in  West  Africa.  He  married  Josephine  Delphine 
Henderson,  of  Salisbury,  N.  C,  in  1882. 

Wrote  "Bright  Side  of  Africa."  He  is  actively  as- 
sociated with  Masons,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  True  Reform- 
ers and  Good  Templars.  In  1876  he  was  a  member  of 
the  South  Carolina  Legislature,  and  from  1880  to  1882 
was  connected  with  the  United  States  mail  service. 

Henderson,  Rev.  James  M.,  was  born  at  Evans- 
ville,  Ind.,  September  19,  1859.  His  parents  were 
James  M.  and  Martha  Henderson.  He  completed  the 
course  of  study  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city, 
and  in  September,  1875,  he  entered  Oberlin  College 
and  graduated  from  the  classical  department  with  the 
degree  of  A.B.  in  June,  1881.  He  returned  to  Evans- 
ville,  Ind.,  and  taught  in  the  public  schools. 

December  29,  1884,  he  married  Miss  Cornelia  L. 
Langston,  of  Detroit,  Mich.  Six  children  were  born 
to  this  union,  three  boys  and  three  girls— James  Cor- 
nelius, Ethwald,  Lorainetta,  Monrovia,  who  died  in 
infancy,  and  Deborah. 

In  1885  he  entered  the  ministry  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  and  was  appointed  to  Bloomington,  Ind., 
where  he  served  one  year,  and  in  1886  was  appointed 
to  Bethel  Church,  Detroit,  where  he  built  a  new 
church.  He  remained  in  Detroit  as  pastor  and  presid- 
ing elder  of  the  Michigan  Conference  ten  years.  While 
in  Detroit  he  completed  the  course  of  study  in  the  De- 
troit College  of  Law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Michi- 
gan Bar. 

In  1896  he  was  elected  president  of  Morris  Brown 
College,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  where  he  remained  eight 
years.  During  his  administration  Morris  Brown  Col- 
lege had  a  phenomenal  growth,  and  was  raised  to  first 
rank  among  the  Negro  institutions  of  learning.  On 
retiring  from  the  presidency  of  Morris  Brown  Col- 
lege he  was  elected  dean  of  Turner  Theological  Semi- 
nary, but  resigned  to  accept  the  presidency  of  Pavne 
University,  at  Selma,  Ala.,  where  he  remained  five 
years.  During  his  administration  a  large  tract  of 
land  was  purchased  by  the  University,  a  new  girls' 
dormitory  was  built,  and  the  curriculum  was  raised  on 
a  par  with  the  other  connectional  schools. 

In  1009  he  resigned  and  returned  to  Detroit  and 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  law.  In  191 1  he  re-entered 
the  Michigan  Conference,  and  is  serving  his  fifth  year 
as  pastor  of  Ebenezer  Church,  Detroit.  Dr.  Hender- 
son has  a  very  interesting  and  talented  family.  His 
oldest  son,  Dr.  J.  Langston  Henderson,  is  a  graduate 
of  Detroit  Medical  College,  and  is  a  prominent  physi- 
11 


8 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


"3 


cian  of  Detroit.  Cornelius  L.  Henderson  is  a  gradu- 
ate in  civil  engineering  from  Michigan  University,  and 
is  draughtsman  in  the  Canadian  Bridge  Construction 
Company.  Lorainetta  L.  Henderson  is  a  graduate  of 
the  Detroit  Conservatory  of  Music,  and  is  a  promi- 
nent music  teacher.  Ethwald  L.  Henderson,  gradu- 
ated from  Payne  University,  and  is  a  public  school 
teacher.  Deborah  L.  Henderson,  the  youngest  mem- 
ber of  the  family,  graduates  from  the  Central  High 
School  in  June,  1916.  Dr.  Henderson  has  received  sev- 
eral honorary  degrees. 


Henderson,  Conley  Lincoln,  son  of  Caroline  Hen- 
derson (Meadows),  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  October  11,  1867,  at  Laurens  Co.,  S.  C,  one 
of  eleven  children  ;  entered  school  in  1874,  receiving 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  Allen  Univer- 
sity, and  adding  to  his  information  through  several 
correspondence  courses.  He  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in   1875.  an<^  was  converted  in   1888;  was  li- 


Carrie.  Talmage,  Daisy  and  Beulah.  He  has  contrib- 
uted to  several  papers  and  was  editor  of  "The  Dial." 
He  delivered  the  commencement  address  at  Allen  Uni- 


REV.  C.  L.  HENDERSON. 

censed  to  preach  May  24,  1890,  at  Laurens  Co.,  S.  C, 
by  Rev.  Hiram  Young;  joined  the  annual  conference 
at  Winnsboro  in  1893  under  Bishop  Salter:  was  or- 
dained deacon  December  8,  1895,  at  Columbia,  S.  C, 
bv  Bishop  Salter;  elder,  December  1=;,  1897,  at  Clinton, 
S!  C,  by  Bishop  Arnett.  He  has  held  the  following 
appointments:  Woodruff  Mission,  1894;  YVateree  Mis- 
sion, 1895;  Ridgeway  Mission,  1896;  Mt.  Nebo  Mis- 
sion, 1897;  Enoree  Ct.,  1898-99;  Promised  Land  Sta., 
1900-4;  Greenwood  Sta.,  1905-9;  Bradley  Ct.,  1910-14; 
P.  E.,  Greenville  district,  191 5  to  date.  He  built  Mt. 
Carmel  at  Newberry,  S.  C,  1897,  and  organized  Mt. 
Pisgah,  Greenwood  City,  S.  C.  1907.  He  lifted  mort- 
gages on  Weston  Chapel  at  Greenwood,  S.  C,  $250, 
in  1905,  and  on  Mt.  Sinai  at  Bradley,  S.  C.,_$500  in 
1913.  He  has  taken  500  into  the  church,  baptized  2-^ 
and  married  85  couples.  He  was  delegate  to  the  23rd 
and  25th  general  conferences,  in  1908  and  1916.  He 
married  Mary  J.  Bell,  of  Laurens,  S.  C,  August  7, 
1890.  They  have  eleven  children:  John,  Carrie,  Tal- 
mage, Daisy,  Beulah,  Thomas,  Conley,  Pearl,  Bur- 
netta,  Mary  and  Ruby.    The  following  are  graduates : 


MRS.  C.  L.  HENDERSON. 

versity  to  the  literary  societies  in  1905.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  G.  U.  6.  of  O.  F.  and  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  is 
a  Republican.  He  taught  school  from  1S88  to  1004, 
was  secretary  of  the  Columbia  conference  from  1900 
to  1909,  and  of  the  Piedmont  conference  from  1909  to 
the  present. 

Henderson,  Rev.  Thomas  W.,  former  business 
manager  of  the  Book  Concern,  was  born  October  12, 
1845,  in  Greensboro,  N.  C.  He  was  the  son  of  Horace 
and  Love  Ann  Henderson,  lie  received  a  common 
school  education  ;  was  converted  at  the  age  of  eleven 
years ;  went  to  Hannibal,  Mo.,  and  was  received  into 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1865,  by  Rev.  W.  A.  Dove.  In 
1866  was  received  into  the  itinerancy  and  ordained 
deacon  by  Bishop  Campbell.  He  was  editor  of  several 
newspapers.  He  was  chaplain  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives of  Kansas.  He  was  delegate  to  many  na- 
tional and  state  conventions.  He  pastored  many 
churches  in  various  sections  of  the  South  and  West. 
In  1896  he  was  elected  general  business  manager  and 
served  till  1900.  He  served  subsequentlv  as  pastor  of 
Bethel,  Philadelphia;  Bethel,  New  York;  Bethel, 
Charles  Street,  Boston,  and  Newport,  R.  I.  He  died 
June,  1915. 

Hill,  Rev.  Andrew  Henry,  was  born  June  7,  1870. 
He  was  reared  in  Arkansas  County,  Ark.  Converted  at 
twelve  years  old  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and 
was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  bis  eighteenth 
year,  pastoring  his  first  church  in  his  nineteenth  year. 

He  received  his  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Arkansas  County.  Entering  the  Branch 
Normal  College  in  1892,  he  was  graduated  with 
honors  in  1896.  In  1898  he  entered  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity, graduating  from  Payne  Seminary,  in  1901, 
with  honors. 

He  has  spent  eighteen  years  in  the  pastorate, 
eight  years  as  president  of  Shorter  College,  Argenta, 


112 


■B> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Ark.,  and  a  short  while  presiding  elder  of  the  New- 
port District,  Arkansas  Conference. 

He  rebuilt  Bethel  Church,  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  hav- 
ing added  several  hundred  members  to  the  church  and 
raised  thousands  of  dollars.  At  present  he  is  pastor- 
ing  at  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Little  Rock,  Ark.  Mr. 
Nelson  H.  Nichols,  attorney-at-law,  of  Little  Rock, 
ranks  him  among  the  scholars  of  the  race. 

He  is  a  Mason,  and  also  a  member  of  the  Inter- 


mortgage  on  the  church.  From  Annapolis  he  was  sent 
to  Trinity  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Baltimore  City,  where  he 
served  two  successive  terms  of  three  and  five  years 
each,  paying  a  $2000  mortgage,  repairing  the  church, 
at  a  cost  of  $1000,  installing  a  $2000  organ,  and  free- 
ing the  church  of  all  incumbrances.  In  1899  he  was 
appointed  presiding  elder  over  the  Hagerstown  Dis- 
trict by  Bishop  Handy,  serving  three  years.  Bishop  Lee 
then  appointed  him  to  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  he  spent  two  years  of  faith- 
ful and  acceptable  service. 

It  was  while  serving  Mother  Bethel,  Baltimore, 
Md.,  that  Rev.  Hill  succeeded,  with  the  aid  of  Bishop 
Coppin,  in  making  the  arrangements  for  the  present 
beautiful  edifice,  on  the  corner  of  Druid  Hill  avenue 


REV.  A.  H.  HILL,  D.D. 

national  Order  of  Twelve,  Knights  and  Daughters  of 
Tabor.  He  married  Hannah  Augusta  Dickson,  of 
Springfield,  Ohio,  and  has  three  sons,  viz.,  William 
A.,  Andrew  D.  and  Henry  S.  Hill. 

Hill,  Rev.  Daniel  G.,  was  born  in  Washington 
County,  Md.,  the  son  of  Richard  and  Demius  Hill, 
typical  farmers  and  members  of  Ebenezer  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  at  Hagerstown,  Md.  He  embraced  religion 
and  joined  the  church  of  his  parents  in  early  life.  He 
attended  the  public  school  of  Hagerstown,  and  for  a 
season  attended  Storer  College,  Harper's  Ferry,  W. 
Va.,  and  in  1881  entered  Lincoln  University,  Chester 
County,  Pa.,  graduating  from  the  collegiate  depart- 
ment in  1886,  and  from  the  theological  department  in 
1899. 

While  studying  theology  at  Lincoln  University, 
in  1887,  he  joined  the  Baltimore  A.  M.  E.  Conference, 
and  in  1889  was  assigned  by  Bishop  Campbell  to  Elk- 
ton  Mission,  Maryland,  where  for  one  year  he  worked, 
improving  conditions  generally.  January  1,  1890,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  P.  Peck,  daughter  of 
Rev.  Francis  J.  and  Esther  Ann  Peck,  and  was  as- 
signed to  Ebenezer  A.  M.  E.  Church,  West  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  by  Bishop  Tanner,  serving  three  years,  re- 
modeling the  church,  at  a  cost  of  $2800  and  paying  off 
the  same.  Bishop  Gaines  then  appointed  him  to  Mt. 
Moriah  Church,  Annapolis,  Md.,  where  he  labored  for 
two  years,  paying  off  the  balance  of  $2000  of  an  old 

,    8    ;  -x     113 


REV.  DANIEL  G.  HILL,  D.D. 

and  Lanvale  street,  which  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of 
$90,000,  and  one  of  the  most  beautiful  owned  by  the 
race  in  any  denomination  anywhere  in  the  country. 

He  is  now  serving  the  third  year  as  presiding 
elder  of  the  Baltimore  District.  He  has  been  for  fif- 
teen years  treasurer  of  the  Baltimore  Conference,  and 
has  been  for  eight  years  superintendent  of  the  Home 
for  the  Aged  of  the  Baltimore  Annual  Conference,  and 
more  than  two  years  president  of  the  Mt.  Zion  Ceme- 
tery Association. 

Hill,  J.  B.,  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Hannah  Hill, 
both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  at 
Columbia,  Pa.  He  entered  school  when  about  five 
years  of  age,  and  attended  in  all  about  ten  years.  He 
attended  Shiloh  and  Forten  School,  but  he  was  large- 
ly self-taught.  He  was  converted  in  1867,  and  joined 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  in  1873,  in  Boston,  Mass.,  by  Rev.  J.  P. 
Shrews.  In  1883  he  was  ordained  deacon  at  Bridge- 
ton,  N.  J.,  by  Bishop  T.  M.  Brown,  and  ordained  elder 
in  1885,  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  by  Bishop  Cain.  He  held 
the  following  appointments:  Plymouth,  1 880-1 881  ; 
Washington,  N.  J.,  1882;  Langhorn,  1883-1884;  Ox- 
ford, 1885;  Centreville,  1886;  Steelton,  1889;  Cham- 
ersburg,  1890;  Atglen,  1891  ;  Wrightsville,  1893;  Hun- 
tington, N.  Y.,  1898;  Bingharnton,  1899;  Owego,  1900; 


fi- 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


Kingston  and  Middleton,  1902;  Georgetown,  1904; 
Milton  Circuit,  1907;  West  Dover,  1909.  He  built  a 
church  at  Oxford,  at  Bryn  Mawr,  at  a  cost  of  $4000, 
and  at  York,  at  a  cost  of  $2585,  in  1886.  He  lifted  the 
mortgage  on  the  churches  at  Georgetown  and  York. 
He  took  about  1500  people  into  the  Church,  baptized 
about  135  and  has  married  52  people.  His  first  wife 
was  Evelyn  Johnson,    who    was    born    in    Dinwiddie 


1 


REV.  JEREMIAH  B.  HILL. 


Though  he  was  highly  endowed  with  fine  business 
qualifications,  he  failed  to  make  the  Book  Concern  a 
financial  success.  Mr.  Hogarth  in  his  report  on  Haiti, 
made  in  1831,  stated  that  the  mission  then  had  72 
members.  On  assuming  the  duties  of  book  steward 
in  1836  he  took  the  work  of  his  predecessor  of  revis- 
ing the  hymnal  of  1818,  which  Bishop  Allen  and  Rev. 
James  Champion  had  prepared.  He  brought  out  a 
new  edition  in  1837,  containing  508  hymns  and  512 
pages.  He  had  completed  it  in  1836  since  it  was  en- 
tered for  copyright  November  5,  1836. 


Hollings,  M.  A.,  was  born  at  St.  George,  S.  C, 
March  7,  1861,  the  son  of  Harry  and  Celia  Hollings. 
His  father  died  when  he  was  15  years  old,  leaving  the 
mother  with  6, children,  of  whom  M.  A.  was  the  oldest. 
He  did  not  have  the  opportunity  of  attending  school 
in  his  early  days,  but  was  taught  by  some  white 
friends  at  night.     Later  he  attended  Allen  University 


County,  \ra.  She  died  in  1893.  He  then  married  Mary 
E.  Hill,  of  Philadelphia,  June  29,  1898.  The  children 
by  his  first  wife  were  Anna,  Jeremiah,  Josephine,  Wil- 
liam, John,  Charles,  Evelena,  Almira  and  Nellie.  The 
children  by  his  second  wife  are  Francina,  Theodore, 
Stephen,  Sarah  and  Cornelius.  He  contributed  to  the 
Christian  Recorder,  Voice  of  Missions  and  Southern 
Christian  Recorder,  and  was  a  Mason.  He  died  March 
28,  1910,  aged  63. 

Hogarth,  George,  general  book  steward  A.  M.  E. 
Church  from  1836  to  1848,  was  born  in  New  York 
about  1790  and  died  in  Brooklyn  in  the  summer  of 
1850.  He  had  a  fair  education  and  was  sent  in  1827 
to  Haiti  as  a  missionary  and  steward  to  assist  in  build- 
ing up  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  there.  It  seems  that  in 
1824  there  was  a  very  large  exodus  of  the  free  people 
of  color  from  the  border  states  to  Haiti,  who  emigrat- 
ed there  on  the  invitation  of  President  Boyer.  And 
as  many  of  them  were  Methodists,  they  wished  to 
continue  their  religious  connection  though  thev  had 
left  their  native  land.  It  was  in  response  to  this  call 
that  Scipio  Beanes  was  sent  in  1826  to  Haiti.  His 
health  failed  and  Mr.  Hogarth  was  named  as  his  suc- 
cessor. The  first  printed  mention  of  Mr.  Hogarth  as 
a  minister  is  found  in  the  minutes  of  the  Baltimore 
conference,  April,  1828.  He  had  just  returned  after  a 
year's  work  in  Haiti.  In  1832  he  was  one  of  the  sec- 
retaries of  the  Baltimore  annual  conference.  He  was 
a  successful  merchant  in  New  York  City.  October 
18,  1835,  Joseph  M.  Corr,  general  book  steward,  died, 
and  at  the  general  conference  of  1836  the  Rev.  George 
Hogarth  was  elected  to  the  office.  Mr.  Hogarth  was 
ordained,   it  is    supposed,   some    time    before     1824. 

,.  .114 


REV.  M.  A.  HOLLINGS,  D.D. 

and  the  Charleston  Divinity  School,  and  took  a  cor- 
respondence course  from  Morris  Brown  College.  He 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  when  he  was  twelve  years 
old,  joined  the  South  Carolina  conference  in  1896,  and 
was  sent  by  Bishop  Salter  to  the  Maryville  and  James 
Island  circuit,  remaining  four  years,  was  then  sent  by 
Bishop  Grant  to  the  Olive  Branch  circuit,  staying 
four  years,  building  Goodvill  Church  at  a  cost  of  $2500 
and  remodeling  the  Olive  Branch  church.  Then  he 
was  sent  to  Ebenezer  Church,  Charleston,  which  had 
been  bought  for  $2500,  with  a  membership  of  37.  He 
stayed  here  five  years,  paid  most  of  the  debt  and  left 
a  membership  of  700.  He  was  then  sent  by  Bishop 
Lee  to  St.  Stephen's  station,  Georgetown,  where  he 
rebuilt  the  church  and  remained  five  years,  and  was 
cuit  25  miles  in  the  woods,  and  stayed  two  years  and 
rebuilt  and  built  3  churches.  He  is  now  at  Bethel 
church,  Summerville,  S.  C.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
general  conferences  of  1908,  1912  and  1916,  has  been 
a  member  of  the  trustee  board  of  Allen  University 
for  20  years,  and  has  raised  over  $1000  for  that  insti- 
tution. 


■B 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


Holt,  K.  Charles,  son  of  Pleasant  and  Viney  Holt, 
both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  No- 
vember 8,  1869,  at  Mebane,  N.  C. ;  began  attending 
school  when  about  eight  years  of  age,  receiving  his 
education  in  the  rural  schools,  Shaw  University  and 
St.  Augustine.  He  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from 
Kittrell  College.  He  was  converted  in  1881  and  join- 
ed the  A.  M.  E.  Church ;  was  licensed  to  preach  at 
Hillsboro,  N.  C,  in  1886  by  Rev.  Robert  Lucas ;  joined 
the  annual  conference  1888  at  Greensboro,  N.  C,  un- 
der Bishop  J.  P.  Campbell;  was  ordained  deacon  No- 
vember 24,  1889,  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  and  elder  No- 
vember 27,  1892,  at  Kingston,  N.  C,  both  by  Bishop 
Gaines  ;  has  held  the  following  appointments  :  Fayette- 
ville,  N.  C,  1888;  St.  Mathew,  Raleigh,  1889-90;"  Lau- 
rinburg,  1891  ;  St.  James,  Winston,  1892-93;  Morgan- 
ton,  1894-5;  Kinston,  1896;  Rue  Chapel,  Newberne, 
N.  C,  1897-9;  P.  E.  of  Raleigh,  Morganton,  Green- 
boro  and  Durham  each  four  years.  In  1893  he  built 
St.  James,  Winston,  at  a  cost  of  $1800;  lifted  $500 
mortgage  on  Rue  Chapel  at  Newberne  in  1898  and 
built  $1800  parsonage  at  Newberne  in  1899;  was  dele- 
gate to  the  general  conferences  of  1904,  1908  and  1916, 
leading  his  delegation  to  the  last;  was  a  member  of 
the  educational  board,  1904  to  1908.  His  wife  is  Mrs. 
Vera  L.  Holt,  of  Dudley,  N.  C,  whom  he  married  Oc- 
tober 26,  1904.  He  is  author  of  a  pamphlet,  "The 
Broad  Axe,"  and  has  made  many  annual  addresses  to 
fraternal  organizations.  He  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  a  Ma- 
son, and  owns  considerable  real  estate. 

Hood,  Solomon  Porter,  the  son  of  Lewis  and  Ma- 
tilda Hood,  both  members  of  African  Union  Method- 
ist Church,  was  born  in  1853  a^  Lancaster,  Pa.,  one 
of  eight  children ;  entered  school  when  eight  years  of 
age  and  attended  the  common  schools  and  Lincoln 
University;  received  the  degree  of  A.M.  from  Lincoln 


t 


REV.  SOLOMON  PORTER  HOOD,  D.D. 

University  and  D.D.  from  Livingstone  College;  stu- 
died at  Princeton  University  and  took  lectures  at  Co- 
lumbia University.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  1S69;  was  licensed  to  preach 
in  1880  at  Lincoln  University  by  the  Presbytery  of 

115 


Chester  and  ordained  deacon'  at  the  same  time.  He 
joined  the  annual  conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  1887  at  Georgetown,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  Arnett ; 
has  received  the  following  appointments  in  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church:  Port  au  Prince,  Haiti,  1889;  Morris  Brown, 
Phila.,  1893;  Lamott,  Pa.,  1895;  Reading,  Pa.,  1896; 
Frankford,  1900;  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  1904;  Orange,  N. 
J.,  1907;  Trenton  since  191 1.  He  remodeled  church 
and  built  parsonage  at  Reading  at  a  cost  of  $5000  in 
1897  and  1898;  remodeled  the  church  at  Frankford  at 
a  cost  of  $3000  in  1901  and  1902;  has  taken  about  400 
people  into  the  church.  He  has  been  delegate  to  one 
general  conference  in  1904.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
educational  board  from  1904  to  1908.  He  married 
Mary  Davis  Hood,  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  in  1881,  and 
has  an  adopted  daughter.  He  has  contributed  to  the 
Christian  Recorder,  Southern  Recorder,  A.  M.  E.  Re- 
view, Trenton  Daily  Times,  etc.  He  wrote  "Life  of 
Thaddeus  Stevens,"  "What  Every  African  Methodist 
Should  Know."  He  addressed  the  Pan-Presbyterian 
Council  at  Academy  of  Music  in  Philadelphia,  deliv- 
ered the  baccalaureate  sermon  at  Allen  University, 
Memorial  Day  address  to  colored  regiments  of  South 
Carolina,  baccalaureate  sermon  at  Petersburg  Normal 
School  at  Petersburg,  Va.,  and  at  the  State  College 
of  South  Carolina,  and  has  been  for  several  years  one 
of  the  editors  of  the  Sunday  school  literature  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  a  leader  in  advanced  Sundav 
school  movements.  He  was  an  attache  of  the  U.  S. 
legation  while  in  Haiti,  and  chief  organizer  and  direc- 
tor of  the  Semi-Centennial  Emancipation  Exposition 
of  New  Jersey  in  1913.  He  is  associated  with  the 
Equal  Rights  and  State  League  of  Pennsylvania  and 
the  National  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Col- 
ored People. 

Hooper,  Thomas  H.,  was  born  in  Wilmington, 
N.  C,  July  23,  1869.  In  1869  he  was  converted  and 
joined  St.  Stephen  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Wilmington.  One 
year  later  he  was  appointed  class-leader  and  gave  faith- 
ful service.  He  was  next  made  a  steward  a  few  years 
later  and  has  served  as  secretary  of  the  stewards'  board 
up  to  the  present  time.  He  has  always  been  loyal  to  the 
church  and  has  never  been  known  to  oppose  a  single  pas- 
tor. 

He  has  served  as  District  Superintendent  of  Sunday 
schools  for  seven  successive  years ;  has  been  elected  to 
every  annual  conference  ever  since  the  laymen  have  been 
eligible,  and  was  elected  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ences of  1904,  1908,  1912  and  the  Centennial  General 
Conference  of  1916.  He  was  chosen  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school  in  1914  and  has  thoroughly  reorgan- 
ized the  school.  In  six  months  the  teaching  force  in- 
creased from  23  to  50  and  the  scholars  from  400  to  700. 
He  is  prominent  in  the  local  affairs  among  the  citizens  of 
Wilmington,  and  is  lumber  inspector  for  one  of  the  lead- 
ing firms  in  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  and  also  num- 
bered among  the  leading  colored  real  estate  owners  of 
his  part   of  the   State. 

Horry.  Albert  Franklin  Bassard,  one  of  the  five 

children  of  Joseph  Napoleon  and  Sarah  Horry,  who 
were  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
at  Georgetown,  S.  C,  December  12,  1879;  began  school 
at  the  age  of  six,  attending  twelve  years  in  all.  He 
was  graduated  from  the  Howard  High  School  of  his 
native   town,  being  valedictorian  of    his    class.     Al- 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


though  he  denied  himself  a  college  education  in  order 
to  support  his  mother  and  sister,  yet  he  took  a  post- 
graduate course  of  one  year  under  Prof.  A.  E.  Peets, 
studied  rhetoric,  Latin  and  Greek  under  Profs.  J.  B. 
Beck  and  J.  P.  Golder,  and  took  an  English  theologi- 
cal course  in  the  University  of  Chicago.  While  the 
support  of  the  family,  he  taught  in  the  rural  and  grad- 
ed schools,  clerked  and  kept  books  in  his  uncle's  gro- 
cery store,  worked  at  a  mill  and  from  1899  to  1902  was 
assistant  postmaster  at  Georgetown,  S.  C.  He  was 
converted  in  1895,  having  joined  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  his  home  town  in  1894.  He  has  been  class 
leader,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher,  Sunday 
school  superintendent  and  president  of  the  Allen 
Christian  Endeavor  League.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  in  September,  1904,  by  Rev.  P.  J.  Chavis ;  was 
ordained  deacon  at  St.  George,  S.  C,  in  December, 
1906,  by  Bishop  Coppin  ;  elder  in  September,  1909,  at 
Charleston,  S.  C,  by  Bishop  Lee ;  joined  the  South 
Carolina  annual  conference  at  Summerville,  S.  C,  De- 
cember, 1905,  under  Bishop  Coppin,  and  has  held  the 
following  appointments :  Graves  Mission,  Graves,  S. 
C,  2  months ;  Kingstree  circuit.  Kingstree,  S.  C,  five 
years ;  Gapway  circuit,  Bryan,  S.  C,  five  years ;  Lake 
City  circuit.  Lake  City,  S.  C,  since  October  30,  1915. 
In  1910  he  built  a  parsonage  at  Kingstree,  S.  C,  at  a 
cost  of  $1200.  He  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $220  on  St. 
Mary,  Bryan,  S.  C,  in  1912;  a  mortgage  of  $350  on 
St.  John,  Trio,  S.  C.  in  1913 ;  a  mortgage  of  $916.49  on 
St.  Philip,  Bryan,  S.  C,  in  1915;  finished  St.  Mary, 
Bryan,  S.  C,  at  a  cost  of  $300  in  191 5.  He  has  taken 
into  the  church  about  500  and  baptized  100.  Rev. 
Horry  was  an  alternate  delegate  to  the  general  con- 
ference of  1916.  He  has  served  as  historical  and  re- 
cording secretary  of  the  Palmetto  conference  since 
191 1 ;  as  secretary  of  the  conference  church  extension 
committee ;  secretary  of  state  of  country  committee 
since  1913  ;  trustee  Allen  University;  conference  su- 
perintendent of  A.  C.  E.  League ;  preached  the  an- 
nual sermon  in  1914.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  Wood- 
bury, of  Georgetown,  S.  C,  in  1904.  Their  children 
are  Sarah  Magdalene,  Evelyn  Cornelia,  Albert  F.  B., 
Tr.,  Jas.  Woodbury,  age  2;  Ruth  Naomi,  Catherine 
Rebecca  and  Mary  Louise,  deceased.  He  has  con- 
tributed to  the  South  Carolina  Methodist  and  the 
Georgetown  Advocate.  He  stands  high  as  a  Mason 
and  an  Odd  Fellow.  He  has  served  as  president  of 
the  People's  Improvement  League  of  Taft,  S.  C.  He 
is  a  Republican  and  owns  his  home. 

Horry,  Mrs.  Sarah  Opeter  (Woodbury),  daughter 
of  Rev.  Frank  and  Mrs.  Chloe  Woodbury,  of  George- 
town, S.  C,  was  born  at  Georgetown,  S.  C,  April  4, 
1881.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the  Howard  High  School, 
with  second  honors,  and  a  graduate  of  Allen  Uni- 
versity, scientific  course,  1903,  with  first  honors.  She 
taught  in  the  Howard  High  School,  Georgetown,  S.  C, 
and  in  rural  schools.  She  was  for  several  years  dis- 
trict missionary  president  of  the  Palmetto  (S.  C.) 
conference  branch,  and  is  now  one  of  the  vice-presi- 
dents of  the  state  missionary  association  ;  was  elected 
to  go  to  the  general  conference  of  1916.  She  is  a  con- 
tributor to  the  Women's  Missionary  Recorder. 


Houston,  Joseph  Silas,  was  born  in  Lexington 
County,  South  Carolina.  He  was  brought  up  under  the 
Christian  influence  of  godly  parents,  and  nurtured  by  the 


grand  old  A.  M.  E.  Church.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  years 
he  was  happily  converted  to  God,  and  was  selected  as 
the  superintendent  of  his  Sunday  school.  Ever  since 
that  time  he  has  found  it  a  source  of  pleasure  to  work  in 
the  Sunday  school. 

He  has  served  as  superintendent  in  the  following 
places :  Piny  Grove  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  school,  Lexing- 
ton County,  South  Carolina ;  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Sunday 
school,  Emanuel  County,  Ga. ;  St.  James  A.  M.  E.  Sun- 
day school,  Bruton,  Ga.    At  present  he  is  superintendent 


MR.  JOSEPH  SILAS  HOUSTON. 

of  Ward's  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  school,  Winter  Park, 
Fla.  He  also  served  as  superintendent  of  the  Standf ord 
District.  For  twenty-five  years  he  has  been  engaged  in 
Sunday  school  work.  From  the  farm  to  the  school  room, 
where  it  was  his  lot  to  be  a  public  school  teacher  in  the 
public  school  of  Laurense  County,  Ga.,  for  eight  consec- 
utive years,  still  he  delighted  to  attend  the  Sunday  school 
regularly. 


Howard,  Charles  Fuller,  was  born  in  Marietta. 
Pa.,  August  28,  1866.  He  was  the  only  child  of  Lewis 
and  Mary  M.  Howard,  who  were  both  members  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  Steelton  and  Marietta,  Pa.  Later  he 
was  graduated  from  the  Patridge  School  of  Methods 
Besides  a  course  in  Assyriology  in  the  Pennsylvania 
Chautauqua  at  Mt.  Gretna  and  a  Teachers'  Training 
Course  in  Pedagogy  and  Psychology  in  the  Pennsylvania 
Sabbath  School  Association,  he  has  taken  university 
extension  work  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  and 
the  University  of  Pittsburgh. 

Mr.  Howard  was  converted  December  20,  1890,  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  has  served  his  church 
as  trustee,  class  leader,  Sunday  school  superintendent  for 
twenty-four  years,  president  of  the  Christian  Endeavor 
Society,  church  organist  for  thirty-four  years,  refusing 
compensation,  and  district  Sunday  school  superintendent. 

In  November,  1S92,  he  married  a  young  woman  of 
\Yilliamsport,  Pennsylvania.  Five  children  were  born  to 
them:  Louis  A.,  Emily  E.,  Mary  M.,  Eleora  L.,  and 
Charline  F.    His  oldest  son  is  a  graduate  of  the  Steelton 


116 


£■ 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


High  School  and  a  college  graduate  of  Howard  Univer- 
sity, -and  is  now  a  student  in  the  Dickinson  Law  School. 
"While  in  the  high  school  he  won  the  Princeton  banner  in 
debate  and  was  voted  the  orator  of  his  class.  His  oldest 
daughter  is  a  graduate  of  the  Harrisburg  Conservatory 
of  Music. 

Mr.  Howard's  career  as  a  public  school  teacher  be- 
gan in  1886.  He  has  often  delivered  lectures,  especially 
on  Sunday  school  efficiency  to  Sunday  school  associations 
and  institutes,  forums,  lyceums,  etc.  He  is  a  worker  for 
civic   righteousness,   a   militant  temperance   worker,   an 


MR.  CHARLES  FULLER  HOWARD. 

active  member  of  the  laymen's  movement  of  the  Phila- 
delphia Conference,  and  an  experienced  Sunday  school 
worker.  He  has  worked  as  choir  director,  director  of 
choral  societies,  music  teacher,  and  director  of  brass  and 
reed  bands. 

In  politics  he  is  an  Independent  Republican,  having 
held  the  office  of  real  estate  assessor.  He  owns  his  own 
home.  He  is  active  in  the  N.  A.  A.  C.  P.,  and  the 
Booker  T.  Washington  Civic  League  of  Dauphin  County, 
Pennsylvania.  He  ranks  high  as  a  Mason  and  an  Odd 
Fellow. 

Howard,  Prof.  G.  W.,  the  son  of  Eli  and  Estella 
Howard,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
born  in  Georgetown,  S.  C,  1878,  one  of  seven  children. 
He  entered  school  at  seven  years  of  age  and  attended 
school  about  fourteen  years.  He  graduated  from  the 
Howard  High  School  of  his  native  town,  and  Allen  Uni- 
versity, from  which  he  received  B.S.  degree.  He  also 
attended  the  State  College.  He  was  converted  and  joinr 
ed  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1895.  He  has  been  steward, 
Sunday  school  teacher  and  superintendent  of  Sunday 
school.  He  was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of 
1904,  1908,  1912  and  1916.  He  has  been  delegate  to  the 
Young  People's  Congress  at  Atlanta,  trustee  of  Allen 
University,  district  superintendent  of  Sunday  schools, 
several  times  lay  delegate  to  annual  conferences  and  he  is 
a  member  of  the  Federal  Council  of  Church  of  Christ. 
He  has  contributed  to  the  Christian  and  Southern  Chris- 
tian Recorders,  Sunday  School  Times  and  the  Southern 
Uplift.     He   made   the   emancipation   address,    Marion 


City  School  Commencement  Address  and  State  Summer 
School  address.  He  has  been  director  of  the  Progres- 
sive Building  and  Loan  Association  and  vice  principal 
of  the  Howard  Graded  School.  He  is  connected  with 
the  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Good 
Samaritan,  Eastern  Star  and  Household  of  Ruth.  He 
has  held  the  following  offices :  Secretary  of  Masons, 
N.  G.  of  Odd  Fellows,  K.  of  R.  and  S.  of  K.  of  P.,  Re- 


PROF.  GEORGE  WASHINGTON  HOWARD. 


cording  Secretary  of  Samaritan,  W.  P.  of  Eastern  Star, 
W.  R.  of  Eureka  Household.  He  is  a  Republican  and 
has  attended  several  County  conventions.  He  owns 
several  homes  and  his  property  is  considered  valuable. 
He  was  valedictorian  of  his  class,  and  has  taught  many 
years  in  Georgetown,  his  home  town.  He  has  been 
actively  associated  with  the  Auxiliary  Society  of  his 
city  organized  by  his  mother. 

Hoxter,  Prof.  W.  Franklin,  was  born  in  Lamotte, 
Montgomery  County,  Penn.,  on  January  3,  1892,  the  son 
of  Rev.  Wilbert  Henry  and  Sadie  Elizabeth  (Armstrong) 
Hoxter.  His  father  is  a  prominent  minister  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church.  (See  W.  H.  Hoxter.)  His  talent  for  music 
made  itself  apparent  at  an  early  age,  and  his  father 
placed  him  under  competent  instructors  in  the  several 
cities  in  which  he  has  been  a  pastor.  Locating  finally  in 
Philadelphia,  he  chose  to  make  music  his  life  work,  and 
entered  the  Music  Department  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  graduating  in  1913.  He  was  appointed 
teacher  of  music  at  the  Berean  Manual  Training  and  In- 
dustrial School  in  1913,  and  is  now  director  of  the  Music 
Department  of  that  institution.  He  was  one  of  the  pian- 
ists selected  to  play  for  the  Grand  Chorus  that  sang  at 
the  Pennsylvania  Emancipation  Celebration,  held  in 
1913.  He  has  contributed  articles  on  musical  subjects  to 
the  Christian  Recorder,  the  official  organ  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  and  in  191 5  he  was  appointed  to  be  Musical 
Editor  of  the  American  Journal.  He  is  the  organist  of 
Mt.  Pisgah  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia,  Penna.,  and 
has  published  several  of  his  own  compositions  and  com- 
posed the  special  Easter  Day  music  for  the  Missionary 


117 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


Department  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  for  the  centennial 
year,  191 6. 

He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Olymthian 
Literary  Club  of  Philadelphia ;  is  a  member  of  the 
People's  Choral  Society  of  Philadelphia,  the  Philadel- 


PROF.  W.  FRANKLIN  HOXTER. 

phia  Organists'  Alliance,  Saint  Joseph's  Lodge,  No. 
8293,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  the  Society  of  Musical  Alumni 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  other  well 
known  organizations. 

Hoxter,  W.  H.,  was  born  January  24,  1868,  near 
Frederica,  Dela.  He  is  the  son  of  Mary  A.  and 
Benjamin  Ploxter,  who  were  blessed  with  fourteen  chil- 
dren. He  attended  the  rural  public  schools,  Howard 
School,  at  Wilmington,  Del,  and  later  on  took  a  theolog- 
ical course  at  Howard  University,  Washington,  D.  C. 
He  was  converted  when  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  joined 
the  Union  Church,  Frederica.  In  a  few  years  he  went 
to  Wilmington  and  joined  Bethel  Church.  He  was  licens- 
ed to  preach  by  Rev.  G.  W.  Brodie,  then  pastor  of  the 
church.  In  1889  he  joined  the  Philadelphia  Annual  Con- 
ference under  Bishop  Turner,  and  was  ordained  deacon 
May  19,  1891,  by  Bishop  Turner,  and  elder,  May  22,  1893, 
by  Bishop  Tanner,  at  Chambersburg,  Pa. 

His  first  appointment  was  to  Lamotte,  Pa.  This 
mission  had  six  members,  and  an  indebtedness  of  $1800. 
During  his  pastorate  there  the  membership  was  increas- 
ed to  45,  and  the  debt  reduced  to  $575.  He  was  then 
appointed  to  Paschall,  Pa.,  where  he  served  for  one  year 
with  marked  success.  He  was  then  appointed  to  Fred- 
erica, Del.,  where  his  mother,  father,  grandmother  and 
grandfather  held  their  membership,  and  were  officers  in 
his  church.  He  served  this  church  two  years,  renovating 
the  churches  on  this  circuit  and  paying  for  the  same.  He 
was  then  appointed  to  Mt.  Friendship,  Del.,  where  he  was 
greatly  successful.  His  next  appointment  was  to  Darby, 
Pa.,  where  he  remained  for  four  years,  paying  off  the 
entire  indebtedness  of  the  church,  and  purchasing  a  par- 
sonage. His  next  appointment  was  Bristol,  Pa.,  where 
he  remained  for  two  years,  repairing  the  church  and  free- 
ing it  entirely  from  debt.     He  was  then  transferred  to 


the  New  England  Conference  and  appointed  to  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  by  Bishop  Derrick,  and  put  our  church  on 
a  good  financial  basis.  After  two  years  of  faithful  serv- 
ice at  this  point,  was  transferred  back  to  the  Philadelphia 
Conference  by  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett,  and  appointed  to 
Mt.  Pisgah,  West  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  for 
five  years.  This  church  was  renovated,  made  larger,  re- 
furnished, a  new  pipe  organ  was  placed  in  the  church  at 


REV.  W.  H.  HOXTER,  D.D. 

a  cost  of  $7,500.56.  This  was  all  paid  off  and  the  church 
entirely  freed  fom  debt.  He  was  then  appointed  to  West 
Chester,  and  served  this  church  for  two  years  and  a  half 
very  successfully.  On  November  23,  1912,  was  appoint- 
ed to  Bethel  Church,  Wilmington,  Del.,  by  Bishop  Tyree, 
the  church  in  which  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  out 
from  which  he  had  gone  twenty-five  years  before.  Dur- 
ing his  pastorate  in  this  church  he  has  received,  to  date, 
153  persons  into  the  church,  and  has  baptized  21  chil- 
dren. He  has  reduced  the  mortgage  debt  each  year,  kept 
up  the  current  expenses,  and  has  paid  over  $1,000  for  re- 
pairing church  property.  The  degree  of  Doctor  of  Di- 
vinity was  conferred  upon  him  by  Morris  Brown  College, 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  in  June,  1908. 


Hubbard,  Rev.  P.  A.,  was  born  in  Kentucky,  Au- 
gust 14,  1845,  the  youngest  child  of  Phillip  and  Rosanna 
Hubbard,  who  were  slaves.  They  were  brought  by  their 
owners  to  Missouri  in  1850.  He  was  converted  when 
about  16  years  of  age  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
1867.  He  enlisted  in  the  United  States  Army,  February 
7,  1863,  and  served  until  December  31,  1865,  receiving 
an  honorable  discharge.  Was  a  corporal  in  Company  B, 
67th  U.  S.  Colored  Infantry ;  was  transferred  to  the 
92nd  U.  S.  Colored  Infantry,  and  there  held  the  office  of 
corporal  in  Company  A.  Returning  to  his  home,  after 
the  war,  at  Columbia,  Mo.,  he  attended  school  for  a  short 
time  under  that  eminent  teacher,  Prof.  Charles  E.  Cum- 
mings.  He  was  elected  chairman  of  the  first  Republi- 
can convention  held  in  Boone  County,  Mo.,  and  repre- 
sented Boone  County  in  two  State  conventions,  heading 
the  delegations  each  time ;  was  district  elector  for  the 
Eleventh  Congressional  District  in  1872.     Was  licensed 


118 


fi- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


3° 


to  preach  in  1872,  by  Rev.  W.  B.  Ousley,  at  Columbia, 
Mo.  He  entered  the  itinerant  ministry  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  March  3,  1873;  was  received  on  trial  in  the 
Missouri  Conference,  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  September  14, 
1873,  by  Bishop  A.  W.  Wayman;  was  ordained  deacon 
by  the  same  bishop  in  Allen  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Kansas 
City,  Mo.,  September^  22,  1874;  ordained  an  elder  by 
Bishop  James  A.  Shorter,  in  Way  man's  Chapel  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Fort  Scott,  Kans.,  October  9,  1879.  He  served 
most  efficiently  the  following  charges :  Mobery,  Mo., 
two  years ;  Fort  Scott,  Kans.,  three  years ;  St.  Joseph, 
Mo.,  four  years ;  Omaha,  Neb.,  five  years.  At  this  point 
he  completed  the  church,  built  a  parsonage  at  a  cost  of 
fourteen  thousand  dollars,  paid  all  but  three  thousand, 


don.  About  September  10,  1901,  in  one  of  London's 
most  prominent  hotels,  he  was  taken  ill,  compelling  him 
to  give  up  his  work  in  this  great  conference.  September 
17,  he  sailed  for  home.  In  his  "Word  to  the  Church"  he 
describes  most  vividly  the  horrors  of  that  rough  voyage. 
On  reaching  New  York  City,  September  26,  he  found  his 
loving  wife  and  close  friends,  who  sped  with  haste  on  to 
Washington,  D.  C,  for  medical  attention.  For  some 
time  he  rallied  as  hundreds  asked  God  to  spare  him  to 
his  church,  nation,  family  and  race.  Died  January  14, 
1902.  The  history  of  this  A.  M.  E.  Church  cannot  be 
written  and  leave  out  the  name  of  P.  A.  Hubbard.  He 
was  for  many  years  trustee  of  Wilberforce,  having  the 
degree  D.D.  conferred  by  that  seminary.     He  acquired 


REV.  PHILLIP  A.  HUBBARD,  D.D. 


found  a  membership  of  30  and  left  a  membership  of  160 
members.  In  1889  was  appointed  pastor  of  Shorter  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  Denver,  Colo.  The  dollar  report  was  less 
than  three  hundred  dollars;  in  1898  it  was  more  than 
one  thousand  dollars  for  the  same  territory.  Such  work 
had  a  church-wide  effect  throughout  African  Method- 
ism. After  a  successful  pastorate  of  four  years  at  Den- 
ver, Colo.,  where  he  raised  $29,744.40,  he  was  appointed 
presiding  elder  over  the  "largest  presiding  elder  district 
in  the  world,"  670,920  square  miles.  He  established  many 
missions  through  this  vast  and  sparsely  settled  western 
country,  which  today  are  towering  beacons  of  hope,  cour- 
age and  Christianity.  He  was  a  member  of  the  general 
conference  from  1880  to  1900.  He  was  a  Mason  and 
a  member  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Missouri.  He  married 
in  early  life  Miss  Hannah  J.  Lucas,  united  in  December, 
1863 ;  was  re-married  by  Rev.  Isaac  Jones,  January  28, 
1866,  because  slave  marriages  were  not  legal.  They 
lived  happily  until  his  death.  In  1900  at  the  general 
conference,  in  Columbus,  O.,  he  was  elected  financial 
secretary.  His  financial  record  had  won  for  him  the 
title  "Dollar  Money  King."  On  July  20,  1901,  he  went 
as  a  delegate  to  the  Ecumenical  Conference,  which  met 
in  London.  He  traveled  in  England,  Holland,  Switzer- 
land, Germany  and  France,  and  was  the  recipient  of 
many  distinguished  honors.  Preached  September  3,  1901, 
in  the  Jubilee  Bible  Christian  Methodist  Chapel,  in  Lon- 

119 


MRS.  HANNAH  J.  HUBBARD. 

from  Lincoln,  LL.B.  and  LL.M.  from  Howard.  He  also 
had  some  comforts  of  this  world,  leaving  an  estate 
valued  at  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  He  was  laid  to  rest 
at  Macon,  Mo.,  beside  his  mother.  He  left  a  wife  and 
daughter. 

Hubbard  (Lucas),  Hannah  J.,  was  born  of  slave 
parents  in  Georgetown,  Scott  County,  Ky.,  March  25, 
1845,  being  the  youngest  of  six  children  of  Stephen  and 
Phoebe  Lucas.  At  the  age  of  seven  their  owners  moved 
them  to  Boone  County,  Mo.  In  1863  she  was  happily 
united  in  marriage  to  Phillip  Alexander  Hubbard.  Three 
weeks  afterwards  her  husband  enlisted  in  the  army. 
When  Lincoln's  proclamation  declared  freedom  they 
moved  to  Columbia,  Mo.,  and  there  eagerly  awaited  the 
return  of  her  husband.  With  efficient  teachers  she  ac- 
quired a  fair  education.  She  was  her  husband's  most 
worthy  asset  in  his  life's  work  and  brilliant  career. 

She  became  a  Christian  early  in  life  and  taught  Sun- 
day school.  Rev.  J.  F.  C.  Taylor,  an  able  A.  M.  E.  min- 
ister, now  in  the  Kansas  Conference,  was  brought  to  the 
saving  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  through  her 
influence  and  advice.  She  was  her  husband's  confidential 
counsellor  in  every  undertaking  in  life.  Having  no  chil- 
dren of  her  own,  in  October,  1883,  she  adopted  Pearl 
Opal  Hubbard,  whom  she  educated.  When  her  husband 
organized  Embry  Mission,  in  Manitou,  Colo.,  she  became 
class  leader,  trustee,  Sunday  school  teacher,  treasurer  of 
the  church  and  Tanner  Lyceum,  the  mission's  auxiliary. 
She  was  a  factor  in  the  official  life  of  Washington,  D.  C, 


B- 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


& 


in  its  religious  and  social  circles.  After  the  death  of  her 
husband,  she  built  a  beautiful  modern  home  in  Manitou, 
where  she  now  resides. 

Hudson,  Mrs.  D.  D.,  president  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  So- 
ciety, S.  Arkansas  Conference  Branch,  was  born  June 
27,  1875,  near  Greery,  Ark.  Her  parents  were  John  and 
Annie  Russell.  She  attended  the  public  schools  in  that 
section  until  thirteen  years  of  age,  at  which  time  her 
parents  sent  her  to  Mary  Allen  Seminary,  Crockett,  Tex. 
She  graduated  at  sixteen,  and  began  teaching.  In  1895 
she  married  an  African  Methodist  minister,  Rev.  A.  A. 
Hudson,  and,  though  she  still  taught  school,  she  soon 
became  devoted  to  the  missionary  work  and  in  1912  was 
elected  conference  branch  president  of  the  South  Arkan- 
sas Conference,  which  position  she  now  holds,  and  pre- 
sides over  the  following  named  officers :  Sister  Annie 
Crook,  president  Hamburg  District;  Sister  Bertie  L. 
Delyles,  president  Pine  Bluff  District ;  Sister  Eliza  J. 
Wheeler,  president  Domas  District ;  Sister  Minnie  Greer, 
president  Monticello  District;  Sister  Mollie  Burks,  pres- 
ident Dermott  District;  Sister  Frances  Jones,  conference 
secretary ;  Sister  Mattie  L.  Smith,  corresponding  secre- 
tary; Sister  Katie  Young,  conference  treasurer;  Mrs.  D. 
D.  Hudson,  conference  president. 

Hunt,  Phillip  C,  son  of  Jasper  and  Matilda  Hunt, 
members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in  1865  at 
Grand  Junction,  Tenn.,  one  of  eleven  children ;  en- 
tered school  in  1870  and  spent  twelve  years  in  the 
public  schools  and  Tougoloo  University  of  Missis- 
sippi ;  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Paul  Ouinn 
College,  Waco,  Texas ;  was  converted  and  joined  the 


REV.  P.  C.  HUNT,  D.D. 


A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1876;  held  nearly  every  office  in 
the  local  church ;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1882  at 
Grand  Junction,  Tenn.,  by  Rev.  A.  A.  W.  Hill;  joined 
the  annual  conference  1883  at. San  Antonio,  Texas,  un- 
der Bishop  Cain ;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1884  at 
Rockdale,  Texas,  and  elder  in  1886  at  Austin,  Texas, 
both  by  Bishop  Wayman.  He  has  held  the  following 
appointments:  Brayaria,  7884-88;  Georgetown  Ct., 
1888-90;   St.   James,   Dallas,    1890-92;   Tyler   district, 

120 


1892-96:  St.  Paul,  Houston,  1896-98;  Wesley,  Hous- 
ton, 1898-1902  ;  Houston  district,  1902-5  ;  Palestine  dis- 
trict, 1908-10;  Beaumont  Sta.,  191 1;  Brown  Chapel, 
Houston,  1911-15 ;  Beaumont  district,  1916.  He  built 
the  following  churches :  Luling,  Texas,  $500  in  1884 ; 
Columbia,  $900  in  1886;  Georgetown,  $1200  in  1888; 
Round  Rock,  $1300  in  1889;  parsonage  at  Beaumont, 
$900  in  191 1.  He  has  lifted  mortgages  on  St.  James 
at  Dallas,  $900  in  1891  ;  St.  Paul,  Houston,  $900  in 
1897;  Brown  Chapel,  Houston,  $950  in  1914.  He  has 
taken  over  1525  into  the  church  and  baptized  1250. 
He  has  been  delegate  to  six  general  conferences.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  financial  board  1908-12.  He 
was  a  delegate  to  the  ecumenical  conference  at  To- 
ronto, Canada,  in  191 1.  He  was  voted  for  for  the  bish- 
opric in  1900  and  1908.  His  wife  is  Mrs.  Hattie  B. 
Hunt,  of  Elinger,  Texas,  to  whom  he  was  married  in 
1S84.  He  has  contributed  to  the  several  Recorders 
and  local  papers.  His  principal  address  was  on  the 
"Rise  and  Progress  of  the  Negro."  He  is  a  Mason  and 
has  held  prominent  offices ;  is  a  Republican  and  home 
owner. 


Hunter,  Rev.  E.  H.,  whose  mother,  Mrs.  Harriet 
Hunter,  was  a  devout  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  November  13,  1865,  at  Raleigh,  N.  C.  Enter- 
ing school  at  the  age  of  six  years,  he  spent  about  sixteen 
years  in  school,  graduating  from  Howard  and  Lincoln 
Universities,  receiving  the  degrees  of  A.B.  and  A.M. 
from  Lincoln,  LL.B.  and  LL.M.  form  Howard.  He  also 
took  a  special  course  in  theology  at  Howard  University, 
and  was  the  recipient  of  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Kittrell 
College. 

He  was  converted  in  1882  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  almost  every  office 
in  the  local  church,  having  been  class  leader,  steward, 
trustee,  Sunday  school  superintendent,  chorister,  presi- 
dent young  people's  society,  etc.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  March  10,  1902,  at  Washington,  D.  C,  by  Rev. 
William  H.  Hunter,  D.D.,  and  joined  the  Baltimore  Con- 
ference, May,  1903,  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  was  ordained 
deacon  at  that  session  by  Bishop  Lee.  He  was  ordained 
elder  by  Bishop  Lee,  May  7,  1905,  at  Cumberland,  Mid. 
Dr.  Hunter  has  held  the  following  appointments :  Sandy 
Mission,  Md.,  1902-03 ;  Washington  City  Mission,  D.  C, 
1903-04;  assistant  pastor  of  Metropolitan,  Washington, 
D.  C,  1904-05;  State  superintendent  A.  C.  E.  League, 
Baltimore  Conference,  1905-09;  Third  Street,  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  1909-11;  St.  John's,  Norfolk,  Va.,  191 1  to 
date.  In  Richmond  he  paid  a  debt  of  $1,000  in  1909-10. 
In  Norfolk  he  paid  mortgage  of  $10,000,  freeing  this  his- 
toric church  from  all  indebtedness.  He  was  voted  for 
for  the  office  of  financial  secretary  at  Kansas  City,  in 
1912.  Rev.  Hunter  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife 
was  Miss  Mary  L.  Russell,  to  whom  he  was  married  De- 
cember 26,  1S89.  After  her  death  he  was  married  a 
second  time,  June  18,  1903,  to  Miss  Jennie  M.  Spears,  of 
Memphis,  Tenn.  He  has  a  daughter,  Miss  Evangeline 
Hunter,  who  is  deaf  and  blind,  but  who  is  quite  an  ac- 
complished young  woman,  a  devout  Christian  and  a 
source  of  inspiration  in  spite  of  her  affliction.  He  has 
contributed  to  many  papers  and  magazines,  as  local  pa- 
pers of  Raleigh,  Washington,  D.  C.  Richmond,  Norfolk, 
A.  M.  E.  Review,  New  York  Evening  Post  and  New  York 
Tribune,  etc.,  and  has  made  addresses  on  many  important 
occasions.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masons  and  Odd  Fel- 
lows.    He  attended  the  national  Republican  convention 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


in  1900.  Before  entering  the  active  ministry  he  taught 
school  and  became  principal  of  school  in  Raleigh,  spent 
19  years  in  civil  service,  practiced  law  in  the  courts  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  and  is  now  eligible  to  practice  in 
U.  S.  Supreme  Court.  He  was  actively  associated  with 
the  Charities  of  D.  C,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  social  settlement  organization  of  Washington,  D.  C. 
He  was  very  active  in  the  fight  against  tuberculosis  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  which  gave  impetus  to  the  organized 
national  crusade  against  this  dreaded  disease.  He  has 
always  been   prominently   identified   with   the   Christian 


REV.  EDWARD  HUGHES  HUNTER,  D.D. 

Endeavor  work,  both  nationally  and  locally.  He  was  at 
one  time  vice  president  of  the  Union  of  Christian  En- 
deavor Societies  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  which  in- 
cluded all  societies,  without  regard  to  race. 

Rev.  Hunter  is  a  good  example  of  a  successful  earn- 
est minister  of  the  Gospel,  who  is  able  to  take  his  proper 
place  of  leadership  in  any  community  to  which  he  is 
sent. 


Hunter,  Mrs.  Jennie  M.  (Spears),  wife  of  Rev. 
E.  H.  Hunter,  pastor  St.  John's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Nor- 
folk, Va.,  was  born  November  17,  1865,  in  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  and  went  to  Washington,  D.  C,  when  a  small 
child,  under  the  care  of  her  elder  sister,  Mrs.  Amelia 
Bennett ;  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Wash- 
ington, Hampton  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute, 
Virginia,  and  the  Spencerian  Business  College,  Wash- 
ington, taking  high  rank  for  scholarship  in  all,  and 
winning  honors.  She  has  added  to  her  academic  train- 
ing by  private  instruction,  correspondence  courses  and 
large  literary  research. 

She  began  teaching  at  seventeen  years  of  age  and 
taught  twenty-one  years,  nineteen  of  which  were  in 
the  school  system  of  Washington,  D.  C,  where  she 
won  distinction  and  became  a  blessing  during  all  those 
years,  because  of  the  self-sacrificing,  intelligent,  effec- 
tive work  done  in  starting  and  shaping  the  lives  of 
hundreds.  She  served  in  every  grade  of  the  educa- 
tional work,  closing  her  teaching  career  in  1903,  as 
Principal  of  one  of  the  largest  and  most  important  of 


the  public  schools  of  Washington,  the  Mott  School, 
by  her  marriage. 

Mrs.  Hunter  accepted  Christ  at  nine  years  of  age, 
and  joined  the  M.  E.  Church.  She  has  always  been 
active  in  Sunday  School  and  the  other  auxiliary 
branches  of  church  work.  Her  missionary  zeal  seems 
most  intense,  as  if  born  of  an  unsatisfied  desire  to  give 
herself  to  foreign  work.  She  has,  however,  wisely  har- 
nessed that  zeal  and  through  the  years  of  her  life 
turned  it  into  practical  channels  on  the  great  mission- 
ary fields  about  her  door.  She  works  modestly  but 
most    effectively,    everywhere;    and    is    consequently 


MRS.  JENNIE  M.  HUNTER. 

more  loved  and  honored  by  the  humble,  poor  and 
ignorant  than  the  ambitious  great,  who  fail  to  under- 
stand and  often  question  her  motives.  Though  often 
called  to  positions  of  command  and  executive  manage- 
ment in  her  work,  she  never  seeks  office  and  frequent- 
ly shuns  it.  For  this  reason  her  career  is  not  so  gen- 
erally known  along  missionary  lines,  as  it  should  be 
and  is,  in  the  particular  localities  where  she  has 
labored. 

In  1890,  believing  that  her  best  opportunity  for 
service  was  in  the  church  of  Richard  Allen,  she  joined 
Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Washington,  D.  C, 
becoming  immediately  one  of  its  most  active  workers, 
began  her  career  as  a  strong  but  quiet  force  in  African 
Methodism.  Since  her  marriage  in  1903,  it  has  been 
discovered  that  her  career  as  a  pastor's  wife  has  been 
the  crowning  work  of  her  life.  She  is  filling  this,  prob- 
ably the  most  delicate  and  difficult  of  all  relations  in 
life,  in  a  way  that  not  only  does  credit  to  her  fine  in- 
tellect, broad  experience,  keen  judgment,  good  sense 
and  loving  heart,  but  makes  her  a  blessing  to  every 
community,  so  fortunate  as  to  have  the  pastoral  ser- 
vices of  her  husband.  She  really  becomes  an  exam- 
ple to  the  other  women  of  the  flock  and  stirs  in  them 
such  missionary  zeal  as  they  in  many  cases  have  not 
known  before. 

Through  her  leadership,  both  the  Richmond  and 
Norfolk  Mite  Societies  more  than  doubled  their  an- 
nual contributions  to  missionary  work.  St.  John's  So- 
ciety furnished  $150,  three-fourths  of  the  scholarship 
fund  required  to  prepare  a  South  African  girl,  who  is 


121 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


now  teaching  under  Bishop  Johnson.  A  native  girl 
of  West  Africa  is  also  being  trained  at  Kittrell, 
through  the  efforts  of  this  Society.  Other  educational 
efforts  at  Kittrell,  South  and  West  Africa  have  also  re- 
ceived generous  aid  from  this  Society,  all  under  the 
leadership  and  direction  of  this  wide-awake  woman. 


Hunter,  William  Hammett,  business  manager  of 
the  Book  Concern  1872- 1876,  was  born  in  Raleigh,  N. 
C,  June  21,  1 83 1,  of  slave  parents,  but  became  free 
in  early  childhood,  his  father  purchasing  his  family 
and  removing  to  Brooklyn,  X.  Y.,  where  William  re- 
ceived his  elementary  education.  In  the  meantime  he 
worked  in  a  jewelry  establishment  in  Newark,  N.  J., 
assisting  in  smelting  and  refining.  Not  satisfied  with 
his  limited  education,  he  entered  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity, where  he  remained  three  years,  and  later  was 
ordained  as  a  minister  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  In 
September,  1803,  while  filling  the  charge  at  Water's 
Chapel,  Baltimore,  he  was  appointed  by  President 
Lincoln,  chaplain  of  the  Fourth  U.  S.  Colored  Troops, 
Colonel  Samuel  Duncan,  the  second  colored  chaplain 
commissioned  in  the  United  States.  He  served  until 
the  end  of  the  war,  being  mustered  out  in  May,  1866, 
and  then  resumed  his  ministerial  duties,  first  in  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  and  later  in  many  important  charges  of 
his  church.  In  1872  he  was  elected  manager  of  the 
Book  Concern  and  served  until  1876.  At  the  close  of 
the  war  he  married  Miss  Henrietta,  daughter  of  Rev. 
John  Jordan,  of  Baltimore.  Me  died  at  Hunter's 
Heights,  Anacostia,  D.  C.  October  16,  1908.  His 
widow  died  July  9,   1912. 


Hurley,  Rev.  Robert  French,  was  born  at  Gaines- 
ville, Prince  William  County,  Va.,  September  16,  1846. 
His  father's  name  was  Rubin  Hurley  and  his  mother's, 
Catherine  Lambert.  His  father  was  killed  by  two  slave 
men  in  1859.  His  mother  died  a  member  of  the  South 
Street  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Zanesville,  O.,  October  1,  1908, 
aged  96  years. 

At  the  age  of  seven  years  the  family  moved  to  Lou- 
den County,  near  Leesburg,  where  he  lived  until  he  was 
sixteen  years  of  age.  Then  he  left  home  with  the  2nd 
N.  Y.  Cavalry,  with  which  he  remained  about  9  months. 
He  enlisted  in  the  1st  U.  S.  Co.  Infantry  and  was  as- 
signed to  Company  B.,  June  21,  1863,  at  Washington, 
D.  C.  He  was  honorably  discharged,  September  29, 
1865.  During  his  absence  from  his  Virginia  home  his 
people  moved  to  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  located  in  Zanes- 
ville. On  being  mustered  out  of  the  service,  he  joined 
them  at  their  Ohio  home. 

He  was  converted  in  November  1865,  and  united 
with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Zanesville.  He  was  mar- 
ried to  Rosa  Ann  Tate,  April  25,  1867,  at  Zanesville; 
was  licensed  to  preach  April  25,  1868;  admitted  on  trial 
in  the  Ohio  Conference  and  was  appointed  to  Delaware 
Station,  Delaware,  Ohio,  April  25,  1869.  His  appoint- 
ment to  Delaware  was  designed  to  give  him  the  benefit 
of  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University.  This  he  had  for  two 
years  only,  but  kept  himself  under  the  instruction  of 
private  masters  wherever  he  was  sent  for  many  years. 
He  has  served  as  pastor  of  several  of  the  most  important 
churches  in  the  connection.  Among  them  are  Avery  Chap- 
el, Memphis,  Tenn. ;  St.  James,  New  Orleans ;  Bethel, 
New  York  ;  Charles  Street,  Boston  ;  New  Bedford,  Mass. ; 
Springfield,  111.;  Bethel,  Detroit;  Allen  Chapel,  Indian- 


apolis; Trenton,  Camden,  and  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  Wylie 
Ave.,  Pittsburgh.  He  served  several  districts  as  presid- 
ing elder. 

He  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  conference  from 
1880  to  1904.  He  has  served  as  a  member  of  the  educa- 
tional, missionary  and  C.  P.  A.  boards.  He  has  been  a 
trustee  of  Wilberforce  University  for  over  forty  years, 
and  was  a  trustee  of  Paul  Quinn  College,  Waco,  Tex., 
for  several  years.  He  was  honored  by  the  above  named 
college  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.     He  has 


REV.  ROBERT  FRENCH  HURLEY. 

been  a  contributor  to  the  Christian  Recorder  for  more 
than  forty-five  years,  also  to  other  race  papers.  He  is 
the  author  of  two  publications,  "The  Negro  in  America," 
and  "The  Church  and  Politics,  or  Practical  Christian- 
ity." He  also  has  quite  a  list  of  lectures  which  he  has 
delivered  at  various  times  and  places. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
and  a  past  department  chaplain  of  the  department  of 
New  York,  and  served  as  aide-de-camp  on  the  staff  of 
both  department  commanders  and  commanders-in-Chief. 
He  was  presidential  elector  for  the  Tenth  Congressional 
District  of  Tennessee  on  the  Garfield  ticket,  in  1880.  He 
was  selected  to  open  the  LTnited  States  Circuit  Court  in 
Boston  by  prayer. 

He  is  a  prominent  Mason.  He  is  now  serving  his 
third  year  as  pastor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Clarks- 
burg, W.  Va.  Of  his  nine  children,  seven  have  died. 
He  buried  his  wife  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  in  January,  1909. 


Hurst,  Bishop  John,  thirty-sixth  bishop  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Sylvanie  Hurst, 
was  born  May  10,  1863,  at  Port-au-Prince,  Haiti.  He 
was  one  of  five  children  of  his  parents,  who  were  both 
members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  began  attending 
school  when  six  years  of  age  and  spent  about  sixteen 
years  in  school,  attending  chiefly  the  combined  primary 
and  grammar,  high  school,  Lycee  National,  Port-au- 
Prince,  and  Wilberforce  University.     He  is  a  graduate 


122 


<B 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


of  the  Lycee  National  and  Wilberforce  University,  hav- 
ing received  the  degree  B.D.  from  Wilberforce  in  1886. 
He  was  converted  in  1877  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  the  same  year.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1883  at  Wilberforce,  O.,  by  Bishop  B.  F.  Lee;  was  or- 
dained deacon  in  1886  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  by  Bishop 
Wayman,  and  ordained  elder  in  1887  at  Port-au-Prince, 
Haiti,  by  Bishop  Campbell.  He  joined  the  annual  con- 
ference in  1882  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  under  Bishop  Payne, 
and  had  the  following  appointments :  St.  Paul's  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  1886-89:  Superintendent  of  Missions  in  Hai- 
ti ;  Crowdensville  Circuit,  Md. ;  Baltimore  Conference, 
1893-1894;  Waters  A.  M.  E.,  Baltimore,  Md.,  1894-1898; 


on  Federation  of  Methodism  ;  member  of  Federal  Coun- 
cil of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America.  He  was  elect- 
ed financial  secretary  of  A.  M.  E.  Church,  1908,  and 
bishop,  1912,  and  assigned  to  the  eleventh  episcopal 
district,  embracing  the  State  of  Florida.  Upon  the 
death  of  Bishop  Derrick  he  was  given  the  supervision 
of  the  West  Indian  field  and  of  British  and  Dutch 
Guiana.  He  organized  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Ja- 
maica, receiving  9  congregations  with  1100  members 
and  property  valued  at  $10,000.  The  general  confer- 
ence of  1916  reassigned  him  to  Florida. 

He  married  Mrs.  K.  Bertha  Hurst,  of  Abbeville,  S. 
C,  in  1890.    Their  son,  Benoni  Price  Hurst,  age  23,  is  a 


BISHOP  JOHN  HURST. 


MRS.  K.  BERTHA  HURST. 


Bethel,  Baltimore,  1898-1903;  Waters,  1903-1908;  St. 
John's,  1908.  He  built  Gaines  Chapel,  Md.,  at  a  cost  of 
$1,200,  in  1893;  Home  for  Aged,  at  Baltimore,  at  a  cost 
of  $12,000,  in  1902.  He  reduced  the  mortgage  on  Waters 
from  $24,000  to  $14,000.  He  has  taken  about  645  peo- 
ple into  the  church,  baptized  about  280  and  married  about 
300.  He  has  been  delegate  to  all  general  conferences 
from  1892  to  1916;  was  a  member  of  the  financial  board, 
1901  to  1908,  and  financial  secretary,  1908  to  1912;  was 
recording  secretary  of  the  financial  board,  1904-1908; 
delegate  to  Ecumenical  Conference,  1901,  London,  Eng., 
and  Ecumenical  Conference,  191 1,  at  Toronto,  Canada; 
secretary  of  Bishops'  Council ;  member  of  Commission 


graduate  of  Amherst  College  and  also  of  the  Medical 
Department,  Harvard  University.  He  has  contributed 
to  many  periodicals.  He  made  an  address  at  the  Anni- 
versary of  the  Bible  Society,  Port-au-Prince,  Haiti,  and 
before  the  Literary  Society,  Wilberforce  University.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  F.  and  A.  M.,  Epsilon  Boule,  Sigma 
Pi  Phi.  He  is  independent  in  politics.  He  was  secretary 
of  the  Haitian  Legation,  Washington,  D.  C,  1889-92. 
He  was  president  North  Eastern  Board,  Federated  Char- 
ities, Baltimore,  Md.,  for  twelve  years.  He  is  associated 
with  National  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Col- 
ored People,  the  Academy  Social  and  Political  Science, 
and  National  Kindergarten  Association. 


VERSON,  J.  OSCAR,  was  born  for- 
ty-six years  ago  in  Barbour  County, 
Ala.  His  mother  was  a  devoted 
Christian.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  and  graded  schools  of  Georgia. 
Took  special  courses  under  private 
teachers.  R.  R.  Wright,  Sr.,  was  his 
second  teacher;  converted  in  1886; 
has  been  preaching  ever  since  he  was  a  boy.  He  has 
built  several  churches,  among  them  Bethel,  at  Little 


Rock,  Ark.,  which  will  forever  speak  for  him.  D.D. 
conferred  by  Payne  University,  Ala. ;  has  been  a  mem- 
ber to  two  general  conferences  and  was  voted  for  the 
bishopric  without  any  efforts  on  his  part.  Read  New 
Testament  Greek  under  Prof.  Alfred  A.  Wright,  of  Bos- 
ton University.  He  is  gifted  in  song.  "Whatsoever  ye 
would  that  men  would  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them," 
is  his  motto.  His  family  consist  of  a  wife  and  four  chil- 
dren. He  is  now  presiding  elder,  and  a  member  of  the 
Centennial  General  Conference. 


123 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


JACKSON,  ARTHUR  SMITH,  son  of 

Smith  Jackson  and  Amanda  (Brown) 
Jackson,  was  born  at  Waco,  Texas, 
January  i,  1873,  the  only  boy  and 
youngest  of  four  children  of  his  par- 
ents. He  attended  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  town  and  showed  desire 
and  ability  for  learning.  He  was  a 
youthful  leader  among  his  schoolmates.  Early 
"in  young  Jackson's  school  life  he  manifested 
marked  ability  for  science  and  mathematics,  and 
became  schoolyard  authority  upon  problems  in 
these   branches.      In    1888   he   finished    the    grammar 


PROF.  A.  S.  JACKSON,  LL.D. 


school  course  under  Prof.  A.  J.  Moore,  at  that  time 
principal  of  the  Waco  city  schools.  In  1890  Arthur's 
mother  died  and  then  the  struggle  began.  His  first 
occupation  was  bootblacking,  which  he  followed  for 
two  or  three  years,  and  finally  was  persuaded  by  a 


MRS.  A.  S   JACKSON 

Methodist  preacher,  the  late  Dr.  P..  W.  Roberts,  to 
enter  Paul  Quinn  College.  Auctioning  off  his  boot- 
black outfit,  our  subject  crossed  the  river  and  matric- 
ulated in  Paul  Quinn  and  graduated  at  the  head  of 
his  class  in  1895!    After  teaching  in  the  rural  districts 


for  six  years,  he  was  called  to  the  chair  of  mathe- 
matics in  his  alma  mater,  which  he  held  for  twelve 
years.  On  the  death  of  Dr.  T.  C.  Denham  he  was 
appointed  by  Bishop  Tyree  treasurer  of  the  institu- 
tion and  held  this  position  six  years  in  conjunction 
with  his  professorship.  He  has  been  frequently  hon- 
ored by  his  associates,  having  been  president  of  the 
Texas  State  Teachers'  Association,  grand  officer  in 
Knights  of  Pythias,  supreme  representative  for  six 
terms  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Calanthe.  The  follow- 
ing degrees  have  been  conferred  upon  him :  Paul  Quinn 
College,  LL.D.;  Wilberforce  University,  M.S.  and 
LL.D.  In  1912  he  was  elected  by  the  general  con- 
ference convening  in  Kansas  City  as  secretary  of  edu- 
cation to  succeed  Prof.  John  R.  Hawkins.  He  is  a 
pleasing  speaker  and  ranks  among  the  best  thinkers 
of  the  race.  The  conduct  of  the  educational  depart- 
ment was  so  satisfactory  during  his  first  term  that 
the  Centennial  General  Conference  suspended  the 
rule  and  elected  him  to  succeed  himself  by  acclama- 
tion. In  1897  he  was  married  to  Miss  M.  C.  Denham, 
daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  T.  C.  Denham.  To  them 
one  child  was  born,  Louise.  He,  his  wife  and  baby 
live  happily  at  Waco,  Texas. 

Jackson,  Edward  G.,  was  born  in  Racine,  Wis., 
October  3,  1858.  His  father,  Wesley  Jackson,  was 
pastor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  from  1857  to  1861. 
After  the  death  of  his  father  the  family  moved  to 
Chicago,  111.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
and  graduated  from  the    high    school,    Class  of  1877.. 


REV.  E.  G.  JACKSON. 

For  seventeen  years  after  graduation  he  was  employed 
as  clerk  with  the  tea  and  coffee  importing  firm  of 
Fitch  &  Howland.  The  quarterly  conference  of  St. 
Tohn's  A.  M.  E.  Church  granted  him  a  local  preacher's 
license  in  1895,  under  Rev.  F.  J.  Peterson,  presid- 
ing elder,  at  Aurora,  111.  He  was  ordained  deacon 
at  Mt.  Pleasant,  la.,  September,    1897,    and    elder   at 


124 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3> 


Chicago,  111.,  September,  1899,  both  by  Bishop  Arnett. 
He  has  served  the  Iowa  (now  Chicago)  Conference  at 
Marshall,  as  recording  secretary  and  chief  secretary  at 
different  times.  He  entered  the  traveling  ministry 
and  was  sent  to  Superior,  Wis.,  by  Bishop  Arnett. 
Here  he  served  five  years,  being  the  first  five-year  pas- 
tor in  the  Iowa  Conference.  He  was  then  assigned  to 
Albia,  la.,  where  he  served  one  year,  and  then  two 
years  at  Sioux  City,  la.  He  was  then  assigned  to 
Buxton,  la.,  from  1904  to  1907,  inclusive.  His  next 
assignment  was  Burlington,  la.,  1908.  Bishop  C.  T. 
Shaffer  appointed  him  as  presiding  elder  of  the  St. 
Paul  district  of  the  Iowa  Conference  in  1908,  which 
position  he  filled  for  five  years.  He  was  then  assigned 
to  St.  Peter's  Church,  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  and  the 
next  year  was  assigned  to  Des  Moines,  la.  In  191 5  he 
was  transferred  from  the  Iowa  Conference  to  the  Illi- 
nois Conference,  and  assigned  to  Champaign,  111.  He 
was  married  to  Miss  Josephine  R.  Hodges,  of  Aurora, 
111.,  in  December,  1891.  Two  children  were  the  fruit 
of  this  marriage.  He  has  been  identified  with  Sunday 
school  and  church  work  from  childhood,  and  has  been 
active  also  as  a  race  man,  holding  various  positions  of 
honor  from  time  to  time,  and  is  widely  known  because 
of  his  loyalty  to  all  that  pertains  to  the  race  and  to  the 
Church. 


Jackson,  G.  L.,  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Ten- 
nessee annual  conference  and  one  of  the  leading  min- 
isters of  the  same.  He  has  served  acceptably  as  pas- 
tor from  the  smallest  to  the  largest  and  most  import- 


REV.  G.  L.  JACKSON,  D.D. 


ant  charges  in  the  conference  and  has  been  a  presiding 
elder,  which  office  he  now  holds,  for  a  number  of 
years,  giving  faithful  and  satisfactory  service.  He 
has  helped  to  receive  into  the  traveling  connection  of 
the  conference  every  active  minister  now  in  it  but  one. 
He  has  received  two  of  his  own  sons  into  the  church 


and  helped  to  receive  them  into  the  Tennessee  con- 
ference and  assisted  in  their  ordination,  one  of  whom, 
Rev.  G.  L.  Jackson,  Jr.,  is  a  graduate  of  Talladega 
College,  Talladega,  Ala.,  and  a  graduate  of  Meharry 
Medical  College,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  is  now  pastor 
of  Trinity  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Nashville,  Tenn.  The 
other  son,  Rev.  M.  E.  Jackson,  was  graduated  from 
Fisk  University,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  from  Payne 
Theological  Seminary,  Wilberforce,  Ohio.  Rev.  G.  L. 
Jackson  has  been  a  member  of  the  general  conferences 
for  many  years,  beginning  in  1884,  and  has  served  on 
some  of  the  important  committees.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  Sunday  School  Union,  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  and  a  trustee  of  the  same  for  many  years.  He 
received  his  educational  training  at  Fisk  University 
and  graduated  from  theology  at  Walden  University, 
known  then  as  Central  Tennessee  College,  Nashville, 
Tenn.  He  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Turner 
College,  Shelbyville,  Tenn.  His  wife  is  a  graduate 
of  Talladega  College  and  a  great  and  earnest  church 
worker. 


Jackson,  Mrs.  G.  L.,  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
Connectional  W.  H.  and  F.  Missionary  Society  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  Mrs.  Jackson  is  a  graduate  of  Talla- 
dega College,  Talladega,  Ala.,  the  wife  of  Rev.  G.  L. 
Jackson,  D.D.,  who  is  one  of  the  leaders  and  pioneers 


MRS.  G.  L.  JACKSON. 

of  the  Tennessee  Conference.  She  is  president  of  the 
Tennessee  Conference  Missionary  Society;  she  has 
been  twice  elected  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
Connectional  Society ;  she  is  a  woman  of  great  in- 
fluence and  a  leader  among  women  in  all  things  per- 
taining to  the  uplift  of  her  people. 

Jackson,  Rev.  James  Denham,  was  born  February 
23,  1865,  at  Washington,  D.  C,  the  son  of  William  F. 
and  Annie  E.  Jackson.  He  attended  the  public  school  of 
the  city  until  14  years  of  age ;  was  converted  in  January, 


125 


•B 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


1873,  at  Israel  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  under  the  pastor- 
ate of  Rev.  Dr.  George  T.  Watkins.  He  was  sent  as 
messenger  and  sword-bearer  to  General  U.  S.  Grant  dur- 
ing his  famous  tour  around  the  world.  On  his  return 
home,  he  went  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  connected  himself  with 
Bridge  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Rev.  J.  B.  Stansberry, 
pastor.  Having  discovered  some  gifts  and  grace  in  him, 
the  pastor  and  his  good  wife  persuaded  him  to  enter 
Wilberforce  University  and  prepare  for  his  calling.  In 
1884  he  entered;  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Dr.  (now 
Bishop)  B.  F.  Lee,  who  was  then  pastor  of  Holy  Trinity 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  presiding  elder  and  president  of  the 
college.  During  his  years  in  school,  he  served  at  Cedar- 
ville,    Ohio ;    South   Charleston,   Ohio,   and   finished   the 


REV.  JAMES  DENHAM  JACKSON. 

church  building  at  Jeffersonville,  Ohio.  He  came  out 
with  the  class  of  1892;  was  sent  by  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne 
to  the  charge  at  Parkersburg,  W.  Ya.  At  the  close  of 
that  year,  by  request  of  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner,  transferred 
to  the  New  York  Annual  Conference.  He  served  and 
built  churches  at  the  following  named  places  in  New 
York  :  Cosmopolitan  Mission  ;  Pluntington  Station  ;  Bay 
Shore  Station  (built  new  church)  ;  St.  Johns,  Brooklyn; 
Oswego  and  Richfield  Springs;  Elmira  Station  (enter- 
tained the  annual  conference,  1900,  Bishop  W.  B.  Der- 
rick, presiding)  ;  Olean  Station  (built  new  church)  ; 
Westbury,  L.  I.,  Station ;  Setauket  Station ;  Port  Jeffer- 
son (built  new  church)  ;  Elmhurst  Station  (here  finished 
a  fine  edifice  in  1911-12,  the  dedication  of  which  was~the 
last  official  work  done  in  the  district  by  the  late  Bishop 
W.  J.  Gaines,  November  5,  1912).  He  transferred  to 
the  Baltimore  Annual  Conference,  April  17,  1912,  and 
served  two  years  at  Cumberland ;  went  to  Baltimore,  re- 
building Wayman  Memorial  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Jackson,  John  Edgar,  son  of  Zachariah  and  Pris- 
cilla  Jackson,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  October  15,  1874,  at  Pittsboro,  N.  C,  one  of 
eight  children;  began  attending  school  at  six  years  of 


age  and  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools, 
P.  E.  parochial  school  and  Hampton  Institute;  receiv- 
ed degrees  from  Kittrell  and  Livingston  Colleges; 
was  converted  in  1890  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
the  same  year,  and  has  held  nearly  every  office  in  the 
church;  was  licensed  to  preach  May,  1896,  at  Pitts- 
boro, N.  C,  by  Rev.  J.  S.  Derry  and  'joined  the  annual 
conference  the  same  year  at  Morganton,  N.  C.,  under 
Bishop  Handy;  was  ordained  deacon  November,  1899, 
at  Durham,  N.  C,  by  Bishop  Handy;  elder,  Novem- 
ber, 1901,  at  Lenoir,  N.  C,  by  Bishop  Lee;  has  held 


REV.  J.  E.  JACKSON,  D.D. 

the  following  appointments :  St.  Paul,  Chapel  Hill, 
1896;  Pligh  Point*  1896-98;  Guilford  College  Ct.,  1S98- 
1901 ;  Emanuel,  Durham,  1901-2 ;  St.  Stephen's,  Wil- 
mington, N.  C,  1902-7;  St.  Joseph,  Durham,  1907-12; 
P.  E.,  Raleigh  district,  1912-14;  Greensboro  district, 
1914  to  date.  He  rebuilt  St.  Joseph  at  Durham  at  a 
cost  of  $15,000  in  1909-11  and  remodeled  St.  Stephens 
at  Wilmington,  X.  C,  at  a  cost  of  $3000  in  1905.  He 
lifted  a  mortgage  on  St.  Stephens  at  AYilmington, 
N.  C,  to  the  amount  of  $1200  in  1903.  He  has  taken 
about  1500  into  the  church,  baptized  1200  and  mar- 
ried 150.  He  was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences 
of  1908,  1912  and  1916.  He  was  a  member  of  the  pub- 
lication board  1908-1912,  and  A.  C.  E.  board  1912-16. 
He  married  Maria  Womack,  of  Pittsboro,  N.  C,  May 
5,  1899.  He  addressed  the  literary  society  at  Kittrell 
in  1904  and  made  the  commencement  address  at  Kit- 
trell in  191 1.  Me  is  connected  with  the  F.  and  A.  M. 
and  Noble  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  ;  has  held  offices  in 
each  of  these,  and  is  a  home  owner. 

Jackson,  Thomas  H.,  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  March  13,  1844.  Plis  father,  George  Jackson,  was 
lost  at  sea.  His  mother,  Elizabeth  Williams  Jackson,  was 
of  Wrightville,  Pa. 

In  the  early  50's  the  mother  and  son  went  West, 
living  for  a  time  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  East  Alton,  111. 
From  thence  they  moved  to  New  Orleans,  La.,  where 
Thomas  H.  began  to  attend  school.  Rev.  John  M.  Brown, 
afterward  bishop,  who  was  then  pastor  of  St.  James  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  one  of  his  teachers.    From  New  Or- 


126 


£■ 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


leans,  in  1852  he  moved  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  continued 
in  school.  In  1857-58  he  attended  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity. From  the  fall  of  1858  through  to  1864  he  worked 
on  the  river,  steamboating  from  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  New- 
Orleans,  from  St.  Louis  to  Memphis,  up  the  Missouri 
and  Illinois  rivers.  In  the  fall  of  1864  returned  to  Wil- 
berforce LTniversity.  He  was  converted  January  28, 
1865,  and  joined  the  church  next  day.  When  the  main 
building  of  Wilberforce  burned  down  in  1865,  he 
brought  in  the  first  $100  to  help  rebuild  it.  He  also  as- 
sisted J.  P.  Shorter  in  teaching.  As  a  teacher  he  taught 
Bishops  Lee,  Salter,  Jones,  Hurst,  at  Wilberforce,  and 
Conner,  at  Shorter  College ;  general  officers  R.  C. 
Ransom  and  J.  C.  Caldwell,  and  hundreds  of  others. 
In  June,  1865,  he  was  licensed  to  exhort.  On  March 
23,  1866,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  E.  D. 
Davis.     He  received  the  first  appointment  to  preach 


DR.  T.  H.  JACKSON. 

as  an  itinerant  preacher  under  Bishop  W.  P.  Quinn, 
in  April,  1868,  and  was  sent  to  Danville,  Ky.,  from  Co- 
lumbus, O.,  that  part  of  Kentucky  then  being  in  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Ohio  Conference.  In  September,  1868, 
the  first  session  of  the  Kentucky  Annual  Conference  was 
held  in  the  city  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  Quinn  Chapel, 
Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne  presiding,  assisted  by  Bishops 
Campbell  and  Shorter.  Rev.  T.  H.  Jackson  was  elected 
the  first  secretary  of  this  conference  and  was  regularly 
admitted  on  trial  with  Daniel  Tucker  and  George  Meaux, 
and  was  returned  to  Danville,  Ky.,  as  pastor.  At  the  sec- 
ond session  of  the  Kentucky  Conference,  at  Lexington, 
Ky.,  he  was  continued  secretary,  and  was  elected  and  or- 
dained a  deacon,  with  Brother  Robt.  Johnson.  At  the  third 
session  of  the  Kentucky  Conference,  in  Bowling  Green, 
August,  1870,  he  was  re-elected  secretary  and  he  was 
elected  and  ordained  elder  with  George  H.  Shaffer  and 
J.  Gilson  Francis,  and  received  into  full  membership 
with  Revs,  (now  Bishop)  B.  F.  Lee  and  George  Parker, 
Kev.  B.  F.  Lee  being  ordained  deacon  at  this  session.  In 
JS  AS  ?raduatTeTd.from  the  Theological  Depart- 
ment of  Wilberforce  University,  and  was  married  the 
evening  of  graduation  to  Miss  Julia  Frances  Early,  of 
it.  Louis,  Mo.,  a  niece  of  the  wife  -of  Bishop  Shorter 


127 


Was  elected  by  the  Trustee  Board  of  Wilberforce 
in  1870  to  the  chair  of  Hebrew  and  the  general  oversight 
of  the  Theological  Department  in  connection  with  the 
pastorate  of  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Xenia,  Ohio. 
In  1871  he  was  professor  at  Wilberforce  University  and 
assistant  secretary  to  the  Ohio  Conference  to  which  he 
had  been  transferred  from  the  Kentucky  Conference.  In 
the  conference  of  1872,  was  continued  assistant  secretary 
and  as  professor  at  Wilberforce  University.  In  1873 
transferred  to  the  South  Carolina  Conference  and  sta- 
tioned at  Bethel  Church,  Columbia,  S.  C,  and  elected 
secretary  for  three  consecutive  sessions,  remaining  there 
until  1876,  when  he  was  transferred  to  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference, stationed  at  Allen  Temple,  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

He  has  been  elected  to  every  general  conference 
since  1872,  as  follows:  1872,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  from  the 
Ohio  Conference;  1876,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  from  the  Ohio 
Conference;  1880,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  from  the  N.  Ohio  Con- 
ference; 1884,  Baltimore,  Md.,  from  the  N.  Ohio  Con- 
ference; 1888,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  from  the  N.  Ohio 
Conference;  1892,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  from  the  N.  Ohio 
Conference;  1896,  Wilmington,  Del,  from  the  W.  Ark- 
ansas Conference;  1900,  Columbus,  Ohio,  from  the  S. 
Arkansas  Conference;  1904,  Chicago,  111.,  from  the  Ark- 
ansas Conference ;  1908,  Norfolk,  Va.,  from  the  Arkan- 
sas Conference;  1912,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  from  the  Ark- 
ansas Conference;  1916,  Philadelphia,  from  the  North 
Ohio  Conference.  Dr.  Jackson  was  a  member  of  the 
educational  board  16  years  and  trustee  of  Wilberforce 
University  since  1871,  and  was  elected  a  member  by  the 
executive  board  of  the  Combined  Normal  and  Industrial 
Board,  February,  1915. 

Dr.  Jackson  was  a  delegate  to  the  Ecumenical  Con- 
ference in  London,  England,  leaving  this  country  early 
in  August,  1901,  going  up  through  France,  Belgium,  Lon- 
don and  Scotland,  attending  the  Ecumenical  Conference 
in  September,  returning  home  about  the  middle  of  Oc- 
tober. 

Served  the  following  churches  in  Ohio:  Xenia, 
1871-1872;  Cincinnati,  Allen  Temple,  April,  1876,  to 
September,  1878;  Cleveland,  1878  to  1881 ;  Toledo,  1881 
to  1883;  Springfield,  Ohio,  1883  to  1884.  Then  he  re- 
turned to  Wilberforce  as  professor  of  theology,  where  he 
served  until  1892,  when  he  was  transferred  to  the  Ark- 
ansas Conference  and  stationed  at  Bethel  Church,  Little 
Rock,  Ark.,  1895.  From  1895  to  1898  Visitor's  Chapel, 
Hot  Springs,  Ark.  Was  elected  president  of  Shorter 
College,  going  to  Arkadelphia  on  Tuesdays  and  returning 
to  Hot  Springs  on  Saturday  afternoons.  Resigned  the 
presidency  of  Shorter  College,  1898.  1898- 1900  trans- 
ferred to  the  South  Arkansas  Conference  and  stationed 
at  St.  John's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  where  he  remained  for 
two  years,  when  he  was  again  elected  president  of  Short- 
er College,  which  position  he  filled  until  1904,  during 
which  time  Tyree  Hall  was  built.  He  also  spent  three 
months  as  lecturer  on  John  C.  Martin  Educational 
Course  for  the  State  of  Arkansas. 

Served  as  dean  of  the  Theological  Department  and 
vice  president  of  Shorter  College  until  1912,  having  serv- 
ed in  the  meanwhile  at  Quinn  Chapel  at  Fort  Smith, 
Ark.,  a  few  months.  In  191 2  at  the  meeting  of  the  board 
of  directors  of  Payne  Theological  Seminary,  at  Wilber- 
force, he  was  elected  one  of  the  professors  in  Payne 
Seminary,  and  is  now  serving  his  fourth  year. 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


Jacobs,  Isaiah  Daniel,  one  of  five  children  of  John 
Allen  and  Mary  Margaret  Jacobs,  both  members  of 
the  Moravian  Church  in  the  British  West  Indies,  was 
born  in  Newfield,  Antigua,  B.  W.  I.,  March  7,  1850. 
He  received  his  education  in  Buxton  Grove  College, 
Antigua,  and  the  honorary  degree  of  D.D.  from  Mor- 


REV.  ISAIAH  D.  JACOBS,  D.D. 

ris  Brown  College,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  in  1907.  Converted 
in  1862,  he  joined  the  Moravian  Church  and  later  pre- 
pared for  its  ministry,  being  licensed  to  preach  in  1874 
by  the  Moravians  in  Lebanon,  Antigua ;  ordained  dea- 
con in  1883  and  elder  in  1885  at  St.  Johns,  Antigua, 
by  Bishop  G.  W.  Westerby.  Coming  to  this  country 
in  1892  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  New  England  conference  in  1893  at 
Springfield,  Mass.,  Bishop  Turner  presiding.  From 
1875  to  1892  he  held  the  appointments  under  the  Mo- 
ravian Church  ;  since  then  the  following  in  the  New 
England  conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church:  Norwalk, 
Conn.,  August,  1892,  to  June,  1893;  Lynn,  Mass.,  1893- 
95;  Worcester,  Mass.,  1895-8;  Greenwich,  Conn.,  1898- 
1900;  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  19002;  presiding  elder,  1902- 
1905;  Bridgeport,  1905-7;  Greenwich,  1907-10;  St. 
Paul,  Cambridge,  1910-13.  Dr.  Jacobs  was  an  alter- 
nate to  the  general  conference  in  1908.  Two  of  his 
sons,  Revs.  Ira  S.  and  Rev.  Burchell  G.  Jacobs,  are 
members  of  the  New  England  conference.  He  has 
been  interested  in  the  young  people's  society  work, 
temperance  and  other  organizations  for  moral  and 
spiritual  improvement.  He  is  a  Mason  and  a  K.  of  P., 
but  not  active  in  politics. 


Jacobs,  Ira  Stanley,  son  of  Rev.  Isaiah  and  Mary 
Somers  Jacob,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  February  21,  1890,  at  Antigua,  B.  W.  I.,  one 
of  nine  children.  He  entered  school  in  1895  and  spent 
seventeen  years  in  school,  receiving  his  education  in 
the  grammar  schools  of  Greenwich,  Conn.,  high 
schools  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and  Cambridge,  Mass., 
and  Wilberforce,  receiving  the  degree  of  B.D.  from 
Wilberforce.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  at   IJridgeport,  Conn.,  in   1902,  served  as 


steward,  trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher 
and  Sunday  school  teacher;  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1908  at  Greenwich,  Conn.,  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Burrell  and 
joined  the  annual  conference,  July,  1908,  at  New  Bed- 
ford, Mass.,  under  Bishop  Gaines ;  was  ordained  dea- 
con in  191 1  at  Wilberforce  University  by  Bishop 
Gaines  and  elder,  July,  1912,  at  Providence,  R.  I.,  by 
Bishop   Tyree.      He   has   held   the  following  appoint- 


REV.  IRA  S.  JACOBS,  B.D. 

ments :  Fall  River,  Mass.,  191 1;  Lynn,  Mass.,  1912, 
and  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  1913.  He  made  an  addition  to 
the  church  at  Lynn,  Mass.,  at  a  cost  of  $600  in  1913. 
He  was  an  alternate  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ence of  1916.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Blanche  Lelia  Jacobs, 
was  born  in  Lynchburg.  Ya.  They  were  married  in 
1914  and  have  one  child,  Morris.  Rev.  Jacobs  won 
the  Rush  prize  at  Wilberforce  in  June,  1910. 


Jarvis,  Rev.  Joseph  Wentworth,  was  born  July  11, 
1873,  in  St.  Johns,  Antigua,  B.  W.  I.,  of  Mary  Parker, 
daughter  of  Alexander  Parker,  shipbuilder,  and  Alex- 
ander M.  Jarvis,  one  of  the  pioneer  Mico  teachers.  His 
early  life  was  spent  in  St.  Kitts,  St.  Lucia,  Tobago,  Trin- 
idad and  Grenada,  where  his  father  was  a  school  teacher 
with  a  wide  reputation.  His  father  died  in  Grenada, 
October  13,  1883.  The  family  returned  to  Antigua, 
where  Joseph  continued  his  schooling  at  Spring  Gardens 
and  All  Saints.  He  passed  the  pupil  teachers'  examina- 
tion and  then  went  to  learn  the  art  of  seamanship.  One 
year  abroad,  in  South  America,  satisfied  his  wanderlust, 
and  he  returned  home,  finished  his  trade  of  shoe-making 
and  started  in  business. 

In  1893  he  was  converted  and  immediately  began  a 
systematic  study  of  the  Bible  and  took  two  years  of  the- 
ology, working  in  the  meantime  to  support  his  mother, 
preaching  the  Gospel  in  all  parts  of  his  home;  in  1898 
he  was  led  to  Porto  Rico.  With  the  Rev.  G.  S.  Swenson, 
he  opened  the  first  Protestant  Mission  at  the  close  of 
the  war.  The  Christian  Herald  of  October,  1899,  publish- 
ed this  fact.  Owing  to  his  travel  in  early  childhood,  he 
had  a  working  knowledge  of  various  languages  and  be- 
came an  economic  quantity  in  the  religious  life  of  Porto 


128 


€> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Rico.  The  American  Bible  Society  immediately  asked 
for  his  services  as  Colporteur.  He  served  this  Society 
for  two  years.  The  demand  for  missionaries  grew  and 
he  was  called  upon  to  accept  a  church  in  the  Marina,  of 
San  Juan.  His  life  was  a  busy  one,  as  he  was  Spanish 
principal  of  the  Presbyterian  school  at  the  same  place, 
was  English  teacher  at  Rio  Piedras ;  was  interpreter,  the 
meantime,  for  the  Christian  Church  and  had  a  lucrative 
position  as  private  teacher  between  times.  Owing  to  his 
general  fitness  the  Presbyterians  arranged  for  the  com- 
pletion of  his  theological  training  and  for  meritorious 
service  he  was  granted  S.  T.  B.,  on  the  field. 

He  came  to  the  United  States  in  1903  and  located  in 
Boston.  He  has  been  a  consistent  minister  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  a  missionary  of  some  ability  and  at  present 
is  band  master  of  the  Cartagenian  Cadets  of  Lansing,  an 
organization  organized  by  him  in   191 3,  which  is  doing 


church  which  was  named  Jenifer's  Chapel.  His  next  ap- 
pointment, from  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner,  was  to  the  Vicks- 
burg Circuit.  In  191 1  Bishop  J.  M.  Conner  appointed 
him  to  the  U.  B.  Circuit.    He  was  ordained  elder  Decem- 


REV.  JOSEPH  WENTWORTH  JARVIS,  D.D. 

effective  work  Bishop  C.  S.  Smith,  in  1914,  commended 
him  in  open  conference  for  his  work  among  the  boys. 
At  the  general  conference  of  1912,  Kansas  City,  he  was 
elected  member  of  the  board  of  education  for  the  15th 
District.  He  was  private  secretary  to  Bishop  Derrick,  who 
was  his  cousin.  During  his  travels  South  he  spoke  at 
Allen,  Georgia  State  College,  Morris  Brown  and  Edward 
Waters  University.  Morris  Brown  conferred  upon  him 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  in  191 5.  Dr.  Jarvis  at- 
tended the  Escuela  Normal  of  San  Juan  and  taught  in 
one  of  the  Presbyterian  Colleges  of  Mayaguez,  P.  R. 

He  is  now  serving  his  fourth  year  at  Lansing,  Mich. 
He  has  served  under  Bishops  Handy,  Shaffer,  Derrick, 
Turner  and  Smith.  He  writes  under  the  caption,  "Min- 
erals from  Michigan." 


Jenifer,  Rev.  B.  J.,  was  licensed  to  preach  on  April 
4.  1899,  by  Rev.  P.  H.  Fisher,  presiding  elder  on  the 
Chatard  Circuit,  Ossaquira  County,  Miss.  He  was  or- 
dained a  deacon  by  Bishop  M.  B.  Salter,  January  21, 
1906,  at  Leland,  Miss.  He  held  the  appointment  at  Lar- 
inger,  Miss.,  from  1904  to  1905.  He  next  received  an 
appointment  to  serve  under  Bishop  Lampton,  which  he 
held  from  November  27,  1908,  to  1909.  Here  he  built  a 
9  129 


REV.  B.  J.  JENIFER. 

ber  7,  1912,  by  Bishop  Conner,  at  Indianola,  Miss.,  and 
was  sent  to  St.  James  in  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  where  he  now 
is.  In  1912  Rev.  Jenifer  built  a  church  at  Shiloh  on  the 
Vicksburg  Circuit. 

Jenifer,  Rev.  John  Thomas,  the  son  of  Catherine 
and  John  H.  Jenifer,  was  born  a  slave  at  Upper  Marl- 
borough, Prince  George  County,  Maryland,  March  10, 
1835.  He  went  with  his  owners  to  Baltimore  in  1853, 
and  there  worked  as  porter  for  a  period  of  five  years  in 
the  store  of  his  young  master,  Truman  Dorsey,  who  was 
in  /the  dry  goods  business.  For  two  years  he  then  work- 
ed as  receiving  and  shipping  clerk  in  the  dry  goods  house 
of  J.  Edward  Bird  &  Bros.,  for  the  sum  of  $16  and  board. 

He  was  converted  in  Sharp  Street  M.  E.  Church, 
April  4,  1856,  and  in  October  1859  he  went  to  New  Bed- 
ford, Mass.,  in  search  of  freedom  and  education.  He 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  under  Rev.  Henry  J.  Young. 
He  studied  at  Taylor's  Commercial  College,  in  New  Bed- 
ford, with  the  aim  of  going  into  the  dry  goods  business. 
But  he  was  licensed  by  Rev.  William  W.  Grimes,  pastor 
of  Kempton  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church,  on  February  5. 
1862.  He  set  sail  for  California  on  July  21,  1862,  and 
was  appointed  by  Missionary  Elder  T.  M.  D.  Ward  to 
Sacramento  City  Station,  October  8,  1862.  In  1863  he 
was  assigned  to  Placerville  Circuit,  Eldorado  County, 
having  six  preaching  points,  including  the  town  of  Colo- 
ma,  where  the  first  nugget  of  gold  was  discovered  in 
Suter's  mill  race  in  1848.  At  Placerville,  he  purchased 
a  lot  for  a  parsonage,  also  a  lot  upon  which  he  built  a 
church  at  a  cost  of  $2,^00,  leaving  only  an  indebtedness 
of  $80  when  he  left.  During  this  time  he  taught  the  city 
school  for  colored  children.  Bishop  J.  P.  Campbell  or- 
ganized the  California  Conference,  April  10,  1865,  at 
San  Francisco,  Rev.  Jeremiah  B.  Sampson,  secretary;  J. 
T.  Tenifer.  assistant.  At  that  session,  on  April  13,  Rev. 
J.  T.  Tenifer  was  ordained  deacon. 

From  this  conference  he  was  transferred  to  the  Ohio 


e- 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


Conference,  having  saved  $1,000  in  order  to  enter  Wil- 
berforce  University.  After  supplying  Virginia  City  Sta- 
tion four  months,  he  entered  Wilberforce  University, 
Tanuary  22,  1866.  He  studied  under  Bishop  Payne  for 
rive  years,  by  whom  he  was  ordained  elder  on  April  22, 
1869.  While  at  Wilberforce,  he  served  as  pastor  of 
Selma  Circuit,  Lebanon  Circuit,  the  College  Church,  Sec- 
retary of  the  Trustee  and  Executive  Boards,  and  has  been 
permanent  trustee  since  1874.  From  Ohio  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  Arkansas  and  stationed  at  Bethel  Church,  Lit- 
tle Rock,  serving  two  terms,  of  four  years  each ;  next  to 
St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Pine  Bluff,  two  years  between. 
At  Little  Rock,  he  built  a  new  brick  church  costing 
$22,000,  leaving  only  $1,500;  and  gathered  in  many  souls. 
He  served  as  a  member  of  the  board  of  examiners  for 


REV.  JOHN  THOMAS  JENIFER. 

the  public  schools  of  the  city  and  secured  the  appointment 
of  colored  teachers.  He  served  as  secretary  of  the  Ark- 
ansas Conference  for  eight  years. 

In  1880  he  was  transferred  to  Charles  Street,  Bos- 
ton. Mass.,  where  he  found  a  mortgage  of  $32,000  and  a 
floating  debt  of  $1,700,  with  a  membership  of  about  300. 
He  served  this  charge  for  six  consecutive  years,  built  it 
up  and  collected  $48,000  for  all  purposes,  and  in  1883 
collected  $21,115  in  one  year,  paid  $7,000  interest  on  the 
mortgage  debt,  leaving  on  $9,300  to  be  paid  at  three  per 
cent  interest.  While  he  was  in  Boston,  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Di- 
vinity. 

He  was  next  appointed  to  Meeting  Street  Station,  at 
Providence,  serving  one  year,  during  which  he  was  elect- 
ed financial  agent  for  Wilberforce  University,  and  was 
appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  New  England  Confer- 
ence. After  serving  in  this  capacity,  he  was  appointed  to 
Turo  Chapel,  Newport,  R.  I.,  where  in  six  weeks  he 
raised  $741.41,  and  paid  off  all  the  floating  debts.  After 
three  months  at  Newport,  he  was  transferred  to  take 
charge  of  Quinn  Chapel  at  Chicago,  111.  Here  he  sold 
the  old  property  on  Fourth  Avenue  for  $50,000  cash, 
paid  off  $11,000  mortgage,  purchased  lots  upon  which  he 
had  erected  the  present  magnificent  stone  edifice  at  a 
rust  of  $70,000,  leaving  an  enrolment  of  1,500  members 
and  1,100  Sunday  school  scholars,  and  a  property  value 
of  $100,000,  putting  African  Methodism  in  a  representa- 
tive position  for  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  in 
1893.  After  serving  here  for  four  years,  he  was  selected 
by  the  bishops  for  the  Metropolitan  Church,  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  where  he  served  four  years  with  success.  His 
next  charges  wire  in  Baltimore  at  St.  John's  Church  and 
Waters  Chapel,  which  he  served  two  years  respectively. 

About  this  time  he  was  chosen  by  the  Council  of 

130 


Bishops  as  secretary  of  the  Connectional  Preachers'  Aid ; 
wrote  its  constitution  and  certificates  and  had  it  chartered 
and  organized  October  4,  1897,  m  St.  John's  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Baltimore,  of  which  he  was  then  pastor,  Bishop 
James  A.  Handy,  presiding,  John  W.  Beckett,  secretary. 

Rev.  Jenifer  served  the  C.  P.  A.  as  secretary  for  six 
years,  without  salary  from  the  connectional  treasury, 
visited  27  annual  conferences  in  one  year  and  17  during 
the  succeeding  year,  collected  $3,200  during  his  term,  in 
aid  of  the  families  of  deceased  itinerant  preachers.  At 
the  general  conference  at  Chicago,  he  gave  up  the  C.  P. 
A.,  and  was  appointed  by  Bishop  B.  F.  Lee  as  presiding 
elder  of.  the  Eastern  District  of  the  Baltimore  Confer- 
ence, which  he  served  two  years,  and  served  five  years 
over  the  Baltimore  District.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term 
he  was  assigned  to  Mt.  Moriah  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Anna- 
polis, Md. 

During  his  47  years  of  active  service  he  has 
secured  $250,000  in  cash  and  property  to  the  A.  M.  E. 
Connection,  traveled  200,000  miles  and  has  been  in  every 
State  in  the  Union  except  eight ;  in  Canada  and  Central 
America ;  has  preached  more  than  six  thousand  sermons, 
held  revivals  in  each  charge  and  has  gathered  hundreds 
of  souls  into  the  church.  He  has  served  in  seven  confer- 
ences and  under  thirteen  bishops,  and  never  marked.  He 
has  been  a  member  of  the  general  conference  since  1872. 

He  has  served  as  chairman  of  the  executive  commit- 
tee from  the  Arkansas  Conference,  in  the  erection  of  the 
monument  in  Fairmount  Park,  Philadelphia,  in  memory 
of  Bishop  Allen,  at  the  Centennial  in  1876,  and  on  this 
occasion  he  delivered  the  address.  He  was  secretary  of 
Commission  of  1880  on  organic  union  with  the  B.  M.  E. 
Church ;  was  chairman  of  the  Commission  upon  organic 
union  with  the  A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church ;  was  a  member 
of  the  advisory  board  of  the  Auxiliary  Congress  of  Afri- 
can Ethnology  of  the  World's  Fair  in  1893  at  Chicago. 

The  general  conference  of  1912,  at  Kansas  City, 
elected  him  historiographer  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  since 
which  time  he  has  prepared  and  published  the  Centennial 
Retrospect  History  of  African  Methodism. 

Jennifer,  William,  was  born  in  Cambridge,  Mary- 
land, but  knows  little  or  nothing  of  his  birthplace  as 
he  was  carried  further  south  during  infancy  by  his 
parents,  James  and  Henrietta  Jennifer.  Much  of  his 
childhood  life  was  spent  at  and  near  Chotard,  Miss. 
He  entered  the  Christian  fold  in  his  teens,  joining  the 
A.  M.  F.  Church,  of  which  he  has  been  a  faithful  mem- 
ber ever  since.  Early  in  his  career  and  while  teach- 
ing in  the  town  of  Lake  Providence,  La.,  he  was  in- 
duced by  Bishop  Grant  to  accept  the  principalship 
of  the  Delhi  Normal  School  and  Agricultural  Insti- 
tute, at  Delhi,  La.  Nearing  the  end  of  his  six  years' 
pedagogic  work  in  this  town  he  met  and  married 
Miss  Syme  Louis  Jones,  an  accomplished  and  beau- 
tiful young  woman  of  Mt.  Herman  Seminary,  Clin- 
ton, Miss.  Five  children  have  blessed  this  union, 
four  of  whom  are  still  living  and  have  won  distinc- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Washington,  D.  C.  On  account 
of  the  superior  inducement  for  school  work  in  Texas 
Prof.  Jennifer  afterwards  went  to  that  State,  where 
he  became  principal  of  the  school  at  Milford.  Soon 
after  his  arrival  in  the  State  he  was  elected  president 
of  the  Colored  Teachers'  County  Association.  In 
1900  he  took  the  examination  in  New  Orleans,  La., 
for  a  clerkship  in  the  Twelfth  U.  S.  census  and  pass- 
ed with  an  exceptionally  high  average,  and  was  sub- 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


sequently  appointed  to  the  position  he  now  holds  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  In  two  years  after  entering  the 
Census  Bureau  as  clerk,  he  held  the  record  in  his 
section  for  "quality  work,"  having  tabulated  600 
schedules  in  one  day  without  an  error.  In  1903  he 
matriculated  in  the  medical  department  of  Howard 
University.  After  three  years  he  was  interrupted  in 
his  studies  there  by  his  detail  to  field  work  for  the 
U.  S.  Census  Bureau  in  connection  with  the  census 
of  religious  bodies.  In  1907  he  received  the  honorary 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy  from  Paul  Quinn 
College  at  Waco,  Tex.  In  1914  he  was  given  super- 
visory work  in  the  U.  S.  Census  Bureau,  being  one 
of  the  clerks  selected  to  do  the  tabular  work  for  the 
"Negro  Bulletin"  and  for  the  subsequent  "Report  on 
Negroes  in  the  United  States  and  its  Outlying  Pos- 
sessions." He  was  ordained  to  the  deaconate  by 
Bishop  Salter,  and  is  an  eloquent  pulpit  and  plat- 
form orator  and  a  versatile  writer  and  essayist.  He 
was  a  lay  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of  1904 
and  1908,  and  in  1916  was  favorably  mentioned  for 
connectional  statistician. 

Johnson,  Andrew  Jackson,  son  of  Andrew  and 
Mattie  Johnson,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  January  31,  1S76,  at  Thomasville, 
Ga.,  one  of  six  children.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  Thomasville  and  Morris 
Brown  University,  receiving  degrees  A.B.  and  A.M. 
from  the  latter.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1894;  has  served  as  steward,  trus- 
tee, class  leader,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  superin- 
tendent. He  was  lay  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ences of  1904  and  1916.  He  married  Miss  Mattie  J. 
Smith,  daughter  of  Rev.  L.  H.  Smith,  Sr.,  September 
9,  1902.  They  had  four  children :  Harold,  Agell, 
Minnie  and  Mattie.  He  has  contributed  to  the  At- 
lanta (Ga.)  Independent;  is  author  of  "International 
Law"  and  "The  Law  of  Social  Problems."  Address- 
ed the  Alumni  Association  of  Morris  Brown  Univer- 
sity and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  of  Charleston,  S.  C. ;  was  editor 
of  the  East  Coast  Herald,  of  St.  Augustine,  Fla.,  and 
principal  of  the  Junior  High  School.  He  is  connect- 
ed with  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  Masons,  K.  of  P.,  Court 
of  Calanthe  and  Sublime  Order  of  Archery,  and  has 
held  the  office  of  chancellor  commander  in  the  K.  of 
P.,  Banking  Archer  in  the  S.  O.  of  A.,  and  is  actively 
associated  with  Johnson  Home  Industrial  College, 
Plains,  Ga.,  and  owns  real  estate. 


Johnson,  Prof.  Charles  Henry,  was  born  in  Ash- 
land, Ohio,  1874.  He  attended  Wilberforce  University 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1893.  He  received  the  de- 
gree A.M.  from  Morris  Brown  University.  He  gradu- 
ated from  the  Art  Institution  of  Chicago  in  1900.  He 
was  converted  in  1887  and  joined  the  A.  M  E.  Church 
the  same  year.  He  taught  Sunday  school  at  Wilberforce 
for  ten  years.  Taught  at  State  College,  Normal,  Ala., 
one  year;  taught  five  years  at  Kittrell  College,  and  at 
Wilberforce  since  1900.  He  was  elected  in  1912  at  Kan- 
sas City,  general  secretary  of  the  Laymen's  Missionary 
Movement  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  married  Miss 
Costello  Carr,  of  Kentucky,  who  was  born  in  Abingdon, 
Ohio,  in  1915.  Mrs.  Johnson  was  principal  of  the  Kirks- 
ville,  Ky.,  school  before  marriage.  He  has  contributed  to 
the  church  papers  and  the  local  papers  of  Green  County, 

131 


Ohio.  He  wrote  the  pamphlet,  "Men  at  Work,"  and 
"Laymen  Missionary  Movement."  He  campaigned  in 
the  Laymen's  Movement  in  Memphis  and  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  Little  Rock,  Ark.,  New  Orleans,  La.,  Jackson, 
Miss.,  Birmingham  and  Huntsville,  Ala.,  Atlanta,  Colum- 
bus, Americus,  Savannah,  Millen,  Thomasville,  Haharra 
and  Bainbridge,  Ga.,  Louisville  and  Paducah,  Ky.,  Me- 
tropolis, Springfield,  and  Chicago,  111.,  Indianapolis,  Ind., 
Cleveland,  Toledo,  Cincinnati,  Dayton  and  Columbus, 
Ohio,  and  Charleston,  West  Virginia.  He  was  govern- 
ment official  at  Jamestown  Exposition,  1907,  custodian 
of  Ohio  Exhibit  at  Lincoln  Jubilee  in  Chicago,  1915.  He 
is  associated  with  the  Teachers'  Association  of  Western 
Drawing  and  Art  Teachers'  Association. 

Johnson,  Rev.  David  Templeton,  was  born  in 
Morristown,  N.  J.,  November  29,  1867.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  New  York,  and  returned 
to  his  native  town  in  1884,  at  which  time  he  entered 
the  employ  of  W.  F.  Day,  one  of  Morristown's  most 
prominent    business    men,    and    learned    the    catering 


REV.  DAVID  T.  JOHNSON. 

business,  himself  becoming  a  popular  caterer  and  suc- 
cessful restauranteur.  In  1892  he  married  Miss  Mary 
V.  Smith,  of  Virginia. 

In  1897  he  was  converted  and  became  an  active 
member  of  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Morristown.  In 
1904  he  became  totally  blind,  and  has  since  mastered 
the  letter  system.  In  191 3  he  was  ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  Evans  Tyree.  He  is  a  Sunday  school  teacher 
of  ability  and  a  good  preacher,  and  possesses  a  good 
library. 

His  great  grandfather,  with  his  two  brothers,  was 
brought  to  New  York  direct  from  Africa.  His  own 
father  was  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War,  being  honor- 
ably discharged  and  pensioned  by  the  Government. 
His  mother  was  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  un- 
til her  death. 

Johnson,  Rev.  David  Henry,  the  eldest  son  of  the 
late  Griffin  C.  Johnson  and  Henrietta  Johnson,  was 


E> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


born  five  or  six  years  before  the  Civil  War,  in  Jacks 
township,  Laurens  County,  S.  C. 

His  educational  advantages  were  limited,  in  early 
life,  to  attendance  for  three  weeks  in  the  settlement 
school  and  to  home  instructions  by  his  father,  and 
such  information  as  he  could    pick    up    from    time  to 


REV.  DAVID  HEXRY  JOHNSON,  D.D. 

time  until  after  the  death  of  his  father,  when  he  began 
the  struggle  in  life  for  himself.  He  went  to  town, 
worked  in  the  office  of  the  clerk  of  the  court,  who  was 
a  cousin,  Ira  W.  Rice,  working    mornings    and    after- 


when  the  Democrats  took  the  Government  and  turned 
colored  students  out  of  the  institution.  David  Henry 
continued  to  teach  and  study  under  the  direction  of 
private  schools  and  teachers.  He  studied  Greek  and 
theology  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Alfred  A. 
Wright. 

He  was  taken  early  and  given  work  in  the  Church 
as  clerk  to  the  stewards,  while  he  was  yet  in  his  teens, 
then  was  placed  on  the  steward  board  to  fill  a  vacancy 
caused  by  death ;  was  made  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  school,  leader  of  the  choir,  class  leader,  local 
preacher ;  taken  up  and  appointed  to  Kelton  Mission 
in  1881 ;  was  admitted  into  the  Columbia  Conference, 
in  1882,  and  served  Sandy  Run  Circuit  three  years;  St. 
Matthew's  Station,  three  years ;  Cokesbury,  four 
years;  Abbeville,  five  years;  Warrenton  Circuit,  one 
year ;  president  Allen  University,  five  years;  Sumter 
Station,  one  year ;  Spartanburg  Station,  four  years ; 
Abbeville  District,  four  years;  Greenwood  District, 
one  year;  Greenville  Station  present  charge. 

He  is  a  Republican,  and  has  filled  such  positions 
as  manager,  commissioner  and  supervisor  of  county 
elections.  Member  of  the  General  Conference  of  1892, 
Philadelphia;  1904,  Chicago;  1908,  Norfolk,  and  1912, 
Kansas  City,  and  the  Centennial  General  Conference 
of  1916.  Trustee  for  years  of  Allen  University  and 
treasurer  of  the  same  from  1913  to  1916.  When  the 
Piedmont  negotiated  for  the  Sterling  College  property 
he  was  selected  the  acting  president  and  treasurer  of 
same. 

In  1896  Allen  University  conferred  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity  upon  him.  Rev.  F.  Y.  Dendy  writes 
of  him:  "Dr.  Johnson  is  one  of  the  most  pious  and 
scholarly  men  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  South  Caro- 
lina, and  has  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all  who 
know  him." 


MRS.  D.  II.  JOHNSON. 

noons  and  attending  school  of  the  city,  of  which  Rev. 
Benjamin  F.  McDowell  was  principal. 

At  the  close  of  the  term  young  Johnson  received 
a  certificate  and  taught  in  the  public  school  during 
the  summer  of  1873:  in  the  fall  he  entered  the  normal 
department  of  the  then  South  Carolina  College,  and 
continued  in  this  department  until  the  spring  of  1877, 


Johnson,  Rev.  George  Clyde,  is  the  son  of  Rev. 
Ivory  and  Laura  Johnson,  both  members  of  the  A.  M. 
E.    Church,    Rev.    Lory    Johnson    being    one    of    the 


REV.  GEORGE  CLYDE  JOHNSON. 

pioneer  preachers  of  South  Carolina.  He  was  born 
September  7,  1877,  at  Helena,  S.  C,  and  was  one  of 
eight  children.     He  attended  the  public  schools,  and 


<*    .132 


» 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


in  1892  entered  Allen  University,  where  he  spent  four 
years,  graduating  in  1896.  He  was  converted  in  1892, 
joining  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1900,  at  Sumter,  S.  C. ;  was  or- 
dained deacon  in  1901,  at  Manning,  S.  C,  by  Bishop 
Gaines,  and  elder  in  1904,  at  Marion,  by  Bishop  Cop- 
pin.  He  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1900,  at  Sum- 
ter, under  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines,  and  has  held  the  fol- 
lowing appointments :  Zion  Hill  Mission,  1901  ;  Russell 
Mission,  1902-1904;  Faneston  Circuit,  1905;  Good 
Hope  Circuit,  1906;  St.  Peter's  Station,  1907-10;  Fel- 
denville,  1911-1914;  presiding  elder  of  Columbia  Dis- 
trict, 1915  to  date. 

He  built  Alderman's  Chapel,  Alcoln,  at  a  cost  of 
$5000,  in  1904 ;  lifted  a  mortgage  on  St.  Peter's 
Church,  at  Cameron,  to  the  amount  of  $200,  in  1908. 
He  has  been  secretary  of  the  Northern  and  Southern 
Conferences,  and  treasurer  of  the  Missionary  Board 
of  the  Columbia  Conference. 

He  married  Mrs.  Emma  Lela  Johnson,  of  Bishop- 
ville,  S.  C,  in  1901.  He  has  contributed  to  the  several 
Recorders,  and  wrote  the  "History  of  the  Life  of  the 
late  Nathaniel  Chiles."  He  is  connected  with  the  K.  of 
P.,  F.  and  A.  M.,  Knights  of  King  David,  Eastern  Star 
and  Calantha.  He  has  held  prominent  offices  in  each. 
He  is  a  property  owner.  Rev.  Johnson  is  a  member 
of  the  Centennial  General  Conference. 

Johnson,  George  F.,  was  born  in  Elizabethtown, 
N.  J.,  March  15,  1842.  His  childhood  days  were  spent 
in  Williamsburg,  L.  I.,  N.  Y.  Through  the  Christian 
influence  of  his  mother  he  became  a  preacher,  and  has 
been  the  means  of  bringing  many  souls  to  Christ.  He 
served  in  the  U.  S.  Army  during  the  Civil  War  as 
second  sergeant    of    Company    C,    Fourteenth  Rhode 


REV.  GEORGE  F.  JOHNSON 

Island  Heavy  Artillery;  Eleventh  Regiment  United 
States  Colored  Troops.  He  is  past  commander  and  ad- 
jutant of  I.  M.  Tucker  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  and  past  chap- 
lain of  the  Morning  Star  Lodge,  No.  15,  F.  and  A.  M. 
He  was  converted  in  1867  and  joined  the  U.  A.  M.  E. 
Church ;  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  in  1869.  In 
1877  he  was  licensed   to   preach;   ordained    deacon  in 


1880,  and  ordained  elder  in  1888.  He  held  many  ap- 
pointments in  the  U.  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  New  York. 
In  1902,  while  president  of  the  second  Episcopal  dis- 
trict, he  withdrew  from  that  Church  and  joined  the 
Baptist  Church.  In  1909  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  at  Asbury  Park,  and  joined  the  annual  confer- 
ence the  following  year,  and  has  pastored  Mt.  Teman, 
Elizabeth,  N.  J.;  Greenfield,  Mass..  Me  was  sent  back 
to  New  Jersey  by  the  annual  conference,  in  191 5,  be- 
cause of  ill  health. 

Johnson,  Bishop  John  Albert,  son  of  John  and 
Mary  Johnson,  both  members  of  the  Church  in  their 
community,  was  born  October  20.  18^7,  at  Oakville, 
Ont.,  Canada.     He  was  one  of  four  children.     Began 


BISHOP  J.  ALBERT  JOHNSON. 

attending  school  at  four  years  of  age.  and  spent  in 
all,  sixteen  years  in  school,  receiving  his  education 
at  the  High  School,  Hamilton  Institute  and  Upper 
Canada  College.  He  was  converted,  and  joined  the 
British  M.   E.   Church,  in   1874.     He   was  licensed  to 


MRS.  J.  ALBERT  JOHNSON. 

preach  in  1874,  at  Toronto,  by  Rev.  S.  D.  Smith,  and 
joined  the  annual  conference  in  1875,  under  Bishop 
Nazrey ;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1876,  at  Halifax,  N. 
S.,  by  Bishop  Disney,  and  elder  in  1880  by  Bishop  Dis- 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


■3 


ney.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to  every  general  confer- 
ence sines  1880;  was  a  fraternal  delegate  to  the  M.  E. 
General  Conference,  Cleveland,  1896,  and  delegate  to 
two  ecumenical  conferences  of  1891  and  1901.  He  was 
voted  for  the  bishopric  in  1908,  in  Norfolk,  Va.,  and 
elected  bishop  for  South  Africa,  where  he  has  served 
very  successfully  for  eight  years,  coming  to  America 
only  twice  in  that  time  to  attend  the  general  confer- 
ences of  1912  and  1916.  He  is  now  presiding  bishop 
of  the  second  episcopal  district.  He  was  a  member  of 
two  ecumenical  conferences. 

He  married  Minnie  S.  Goosley,  of  Liverpool, 
N.  S.,  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  in  1880.  They  have 
two  children — Roland  R.  and  Percival  Courtland 
Johnson.  The  elder,  Roland  R.,  is  a  successful  physi- 
cian in  New  York,  while  the  younger  practices  den- 
tistry in  Philadelphia,  Pa.     He  owns  a  home. 

Johnson,  Rev.  John  Quincy,  whose  father,  An- 
drew Johnson,  was  a  member  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
and  whose  mother,  Jackette  Johnson,  was  a  member 
of  the  Christian  Church ;  was  born  May  30,  1870,  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  one  of  eleven  children.  He  began 
school  at  the  age  of  six  and  attended  until  the  age  of 
twenty-five,  going  principally  to  the  Keys  School, 
Belleview  School  and  Fisk  University,  in  Nashville ; 
Princeton  University,  N.  J.,  and  Hartford  Divinity 
School,    Hartford,    Conn.      He    received    B.A.    degree 


REV.  JOHN  QUINCY  JOHNSON,  D.D. 

from  Fisk ;  B.D.  from  Hartford,  and  D.D.  from  Mor- 
ris Brown,  and  took  two  years'  post-graduate  work  in 
the  Princeton  Theological  Seminary.  He  joined  St. 
John's  Church,  Nashville,  in  1878,  and  has,  therefore, 
been  an  African  Methodist  nearly  all  of  his  life.  In 
his  Chruch  he  served  as  trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter, 
local  preacer,  and  Sunday  school  teacher.  Held  ap- 
pointments at  the  following  places :  Mt.  Pisgah, 
Princeton,  N.  J. ;  St.  John's,  Montgomery.,  Ala.,  1895- 
1898;  St.  John's,  Birmingham,  Ala.,  1898-1900;  St. 
Paul's,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  1900-1903;  presiding  elder 
of  Columbia  District,  1905-1910;  pastor  at  Woodfork 
Chapel,  Shclbyville,  1910-1911;  presiding  Elder  of 
North  Nashville  District,   191 1   to  date,  and  dean  of 


theology,  Turner  College,  since  1914.  Was  delegate 
to  general  conference  at  Columbia,  O.,  1900;  Chicago, 
1904;  Norfolk,  1908,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Centen- 
nial General  Conference  of  1916;  was  a  member  of  the 
Education  Board,  1904  to  1908,  and  president  of  Allen 
University,  Columbia,  S.  C,  1894-5 ;  fraternal  delegate 
to  C.  M.  E.  General  Conference,  at  Nashville,  1902. 

Married  Miss  Hallie  Tanner,  daughter  of  Bishop 
Tanner,  in  1894,  and  their  children  were  four — -John 
O.,  Jr.,  Benjamin  T.,  Henry  T.,  Sadie  T.  Miss  Sadie  T. 
Johnson  is  a  graduate  of  Fisk  University.  Benjamin 
T.  Johnson  is  a  graduate  of  West  High  School,  Penn- 
sylvania. After  the  death  of  Mrs.  Hallie  T.  Johnson, 
Dr.  Johnson  married  Miss  Quintella  Hall,  the  daugh- 
ter of  J.  Q.  Hall  and  Mrs.  Priscilla  Hall  of  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, Tenn.,  and  they  had  one  daughter,  Ruth  Johnson. 
Dr.  Johnson  has  been  a  newspaper  correspondent  for 
twenty-five  years.  He  wrote  "The  Fifth  Tuskegee 
Negro  Conference''  for  the  John  F.  Slater  Fund ;  de-  ' 
livered  an  address,  "The  New  Emancipation,"  at  Ala- 
bama State  Normal  School,  Morris  Brown  College, 
Fisk  University,  and  Meharry  Medical  College,  and 
at  one  time  taught  mathematics  at  Tuskegee  Insti- 
tute. He  is  a  member  of  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  F.  and  A. 
M.,  K.  of  P.  Has  been  more  or  less  connected  with 
politics,  and  has  been  independent.  Owns  his  home. 
He  is  a  trustee  of  Wilberforce  University,  of  Turner 
College  and  a  member  of  Southern  Sociological  Con- 
gress. 

Johnson,  King  S.,  son  of  Pendleton  and  Rebecca 
Johnson,  was  born  less  than  40  years  ago  in  the  State 
•  of  Texas,  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  home 
town,  Brazoria,  graduated  from  Tuskegee  Normal 
School  in  1903  ;  taught  a  year  in  Hungcrford  Indus- 
trial School,  Eatonville,  Fla.  He  had  a  desire  to  try 
the  business  field  and  went  to  Sanford,  Fla.,  and 
opened  a  general  merchandise  store,  which  after  work- 
ing five  years  was  destroyed  by  fire.  He  then  opened 
an  undertaking  establishment,  and  at  the  same  time 
took  a  course  in  theology,  entered  the  ministry,  and 
was  appointed  to  Stone  Bridge  mission  near  Sanford, 
Fla.  His  wife  was  Miss  Lizzie  Johnson,  of  Sanford, 
Fla.  They  have  five  children.  Brother  Johnson  was 
a  lay  delegate  to  the  general  conference  of  1916,  elect- 
ed from  the  South  Florida  Conference. 


Johnson,  Rev.  L.  J.,  was  born  in  Vicksburg,  Miss., 
April  1,  1865;  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  at  Burlington,  Kan.,  in  18.^6;  was  admitted 
into  the  itinerancy  in  1890,  at  Wichita,  Kan.  He  has 
served  the  following  named  places :  Elwood  and 
Tracy,  White  Cloud  and  Highland,  Ellsworth,  Kan. ; 
Beatrice,  Neb.;  Quindaro,  Kan.;  St.  James,  Lawrence, 
Kan. ;  was  manager  of  the  boarding  department  of 
Quindaro,  Kan.,  for  three  years;  Cheyenne,  Wyoming; 
Jackson,  Mo. ;  Perry,  Okla. ;  El  Reno,  Okla ;  Enid, 
Okla.,  six  years,  at  which  place  a  neat,  modern  church 
was  built  and  paid  for  during  his  jurisdiction.  He  is 
now  serving  the  third  year  as  presiding  elder  of  the 
Guthrie  District.  Faithful  service  has  been  rendered 
at  all  of  the  afore-named  places,  and  much  good  was 
accomplished  for  the  Church.  In  the  meantime  he  has 
secured  four  houses  and  ten  lots  in  the  beautiful  little 
city  of  Enid,  at  which  place  he  has  resided  for  the  past 
ten  years.    He  is  blessed  by  having  for  his  companion 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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a  cultured  lady,  Mrs.  Lalla  M.  Johnson,  a  teacher  for 
several  years  in  the  public  schools  of  the  state.  He 
studied  for  the  ministry  at  Western  University,  Quin- 


REV.  L.  J.  JOHNSON,  B.D. 

daro,  Kan.  He  served  in  the  Kansas  Conference 
eleven  years;  Colorado  Conference,  one  year;  Mis- 
souri Conference,  two  years ;  Oklahoma  Conference, 
ten  years. 

Johnson,  Moses  G.,  a  steward  in  Mother  Bethel 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  June 
9,  1855.  His  parents,  Mr.  George  and  Mrs.  Mary  Ann 
Johnson,  were  both  members  of  Mother  Bethel 
Church,  and  his  grandmother   was   a   member   of   the 


MR.  MOSES  G.  JOHNSON. 

■  first  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  during  the  days  of  Bishop 
Richard  Allen,  hence  he  has  more  than  ordinary  at- 
tachment to  this  cradle  of  African  Methodism.    He  at- 


tended school  from  the  age  of  seven  for  about  nine 
years,  attending  principally  Bird's  School,  at  Sixth, 
above  Lombard  street,  Philadelphia.  He  was  con- 
verted in  January,  1897,  and  joined  Bethel  Church,  in 
which  he  is  steward,  Sunday  school  teacher  and 
church  marshal.  His  wife  is  Mrs.  Rosa  E.  Johnson,  to 
whom  he  was  married,  in  1908.  He  is  founder  and 
president  of  Bethel  Historical  Commission,  and  au- 
thor of  the  centennial  souvenir  of  Mother  Bethel ;  a 
charter  member  and  secretary  of  Allen  Guards,  the 
custodian  of  Bishop  Allen's  tomb,  charter  member  of 
Sarah  Allen  League,  founder  of  Bethel's  Young  Peo- 
ple's Association,  former  president  of  Bethel  A.  C.  E. 
League.  Mr.  Johnson  has  been  a  member  of  the  Cen- 
tral Committee  of  Colored  Republicans,  a  contributor 
to  several  periodicals  and  is  a  lay  delegate  to  the  Cen- 
tennial General  Conference,  representing  the  Philadel- 
phia Conference. 

Johnson,  Mrs.  Rosa,  was  born  in  1861,  in  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  the  seventh  of  twelve  children  of  Wil- 
liam and  Jane  Budd.  She  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Washington,  D.  C,  graduating  from  the 
High  School  in  1879,  and  taught  for  awhile  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Washington.  She  was  married  to  Mr. 
James  Johnson,  and  moved  to  Cleveland,  O.,  where 
she  continued  to  reside. 

In  1897  she  received  a  definite  call  to  the  mission- 
ary work,  and  offered  herself  to  her  Church  as  a  mis- 


MRS.  ROSA  JOHNSON. 

sionary  to  Africa,  but  the  thought  that  her  health 
would  not  permit  the  test  of  the  African  climate  pre- 
vented this  much  coveted. service.  Since  the  death  of 
Mr.  Johnson,  in  1905,  she  has  given  her  entire  time 
to  the  missionary  work  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  She 
gave  ten  years  of  service  in  the  slums  of  Cleveland, 
and  scores  of  young  men  and  women  are  now  living 
strong  Christian  lives,  who  were  rescued  from  the 
thraldom  of  sin  through  her  efforts.  She  has  been 
elected  president  of  the  Woman's  Mite  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  the  North  Ohio  Conference  for  twenty-five ' 
consecutive  years,  and  has  traveled  constantly  through 
the  conference  organizing  and  strengthening  the 
Junior  and  Woman's  Mite  Missionary  Societies.  In 
1903,  at  Pittsburgh,  she  was  elected  field  agent  for  the 
parent  body,  and  traveled  extensively  when  in  that  of- 
fice, lecturing  on  various  topics  relative  to  the  mis- 
sionary work.  She  has  been  elected  for  the  third  term 
first  vice-president  of  the  parent  Mite  Society.     She 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<s° 


edited  the  Missionary  Circular  for  the  North  Ohio 
missionary  societies.  When  the  Woman's  Missionary 
Recorder  was  issued  the  Circular  was  abolished,  and 
she  is  now  a  constant  contributor  to  this  journal. 

She  is  also  interested  in  the  temperance  work, 
having  served  as  president  for  eight  years  of  the  Thur- 
man  Union,  of  Cleveland,  O.,  and  also  as  county  evan- 
gelist. At  the  annual  conference,  held  at  Oxford,  O., 
Bishop  Arnett  requested  her  to  deliver  an  address  on 
temperance  to  the  students  of  Miami  College,  of  that 
town,  during  this  session  of  conference,  and  when  the 
appointments  were  given  he  said  to  her,  "Take  this," 
and  it  was  her  evangelistic  license,  so  that  with  her 
other  duties,  she  entered  the  field  as  an  evangelist,  and 
has  held  meetings  in  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  Kentucky, 
Tennessee  and  North  Carolina,  winning-  hundreds  of 
souls  for  the  Master. 

Johnson,  Samuel  James,  one  of  nine  children  of 
Green  and  Sarah  Johnson,  both  members  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  February  22,  1877,  at  Nel- 
sonville,  Tex. ;  began  attending  school  in  1885 ;  re- 
ceived degree  of  D.D.  from  Campbell  College,  Jack- 
son, Miss. ;  attended  Bible  school  at  Tillottson  Col- 
lege, at  Austin,  Tex.,  two  years ;  was  converted  April 
28,  1895;  joined  Sealine  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church  1895; 
held  offices  of  steward,  trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter, 
local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher,  Sunday  school 
superintendent ;  was  licensed  to  preach  1899  at  Chapel 


REV.  S.  J.  JOHNSON,  D.D. 

Hill,  Tex.,  by  Rev.  G.  E.  Taylor;  was  ordained  dea- 
con 1902  in  Victoria,  Tex.,  by  Bishop  Salters;  ordain- 
ed elder  1904  at  Smithville,  Tex.,  by  Bishop  Tyree ; 
joined  the  annual  conference  1901  at  Bostrop,  Tex., 
under  Bishop  Salter ;  held  the  following  appoint- 
ments, all  in  Texas:  Colvin  mission,  1901  ;  Somer- 
ville  mission,  three  years;  Bostrop  station,  two  years; 
Tunis  mission,  one  year;  Samey  Chapel  circuit,  two 
years;  Chapel  Hill  station,  three  years;  now  in  his- 
fourth  year  at  Metropolitan  station,  Austin  ;  built 
churches  at  King  Chapel,  at  Colvin,  Tex.,  $200,  1901 ; 


Chapel  Hill,  $2000,  1906;  Samuel  Chapel,  Buckhorn, 
$200,  1907;  parsonage,  Chapel  Hill,  $1200,  1912;  has 
taken  over  700  people  into  church;  baptized  259;  was 
delegate  to  general  conferences  of  1908,  1912,  1916; 
member  educational  board  1908-1912;  secretary  West 
Texas  Conference  four  years ;  trustee  of  Paul  Ouinn 
College  six  years ;  member  of  executive  board  of  Paul 
Ouinn  College  four  years ;  chairman  of  the  general 
conference  delegation  of  Tenth  Episcopal  District, 
1916.  He  was  twice  married,  first  in  1899  and  second 
in  1912,  his  first  wife  having  died.  He  has  had  three 
children:  Roberta  Camoler,  Bessie  Burgan  (deceas- 
ed), Coppin  Roosevelt.  Dr.  Johnson  is  a  member  of 
the  following  secret  orders :  K.  of  P.,  G.  U.  O.  O. 
F..  A.  O.  O.  P.,  I.  O.  O.  C.  F.  and  A.  M.;  held  offices 
of  junior  grand  warden  of  G.  L.  F.  and  A.  Masons  of 
Texas;  past  grand  chaplain,  past  grand  Joshua 
Heroines  of  Jericho,  of  Texas.     He  owns  his  home. 

Johnson,  Rev.  Samuel  M.,  was  born  July  7,  1857, 
in  Burkettsville,  Md.,  the  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James 
Johnson.  He  was  reared  in  a  mountain  valley,  in  pure 
atmosphere  and  picturesque  scenes,  amidst  beautiful 
landscapes.  His  father  and  mother  nourished  his 
mind  with  the  milk  of  Gospel  grace,  and  taught  him 
that  by  humilitv  and  fear    of    the    Lord    were  riches, 


REV.  SAMUEL  M.  JOHXSON,  D.D. 

honor  and  li.'e.  In  the  year  1872  he  was  converted, 
and  joined  "Serious"  Bethel  Church,  a  church  in  the 
Petersville  Circuit,  in  the  Iialtimore  Conference  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1876, 
by  Rev.  J.  R.  Henry ;  admitted  into  the  itinerancy  in 
1879,  at  Washington,  D.  C. ;  ordained  deacon  at  Ha- 
gerstown,  Md.,  in  1883 ;  ordained  elder  at  Havre  de 
Grace,  Md.,  in  1885;  entered  Howard  University, 
Washington,  D.  C,  in  1880,  graduating  from  the  pre- 
paratory and  theological  departments.  For  twenty-five 
years  he  served  in  the  state  of  his  nativity  acceptably 
and  successfully.  He  was  one  of  those  faithful  men 
who  never  had  to  explain  why  he  did  not  have  confer- 
ence claims  or  neglected  other  things  in  his  pastoral 
work.  Morris  Brown  College,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  conferred 
upon  him  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity  in  1904.  He 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


Bishop  Lee,  and  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the 
was  transferred  to  the  Virginia  Conference  in  1903  by 
Portsmouth  District,  and  served  five  years.  Bishop 
Gaines  appointed  him  presiding  elder  of  the  Norfolk 
District,  and  he  served  one  year.  He  was  then  appoint- 
ed to  St.  John's  Church,  Norfolk,  Ya.,  and  served  two 
years,  and  was  transferred  back  to  the  Baltimore  Con- 
ference in  191 1  by  Bishop  Coppin,  and  appointed  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  Hagerstown  district,  and  served 
three  years  ;  then  sent  to  his  present  charge,  Trinty  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  Baltimore,  Md.  Dr.  Johnson  was  a 
delegate  to  the  general  conference  of  1912,  and  is  an 
alternate  to  the  Centennial  General  Confrence  of  1916. 


Johnson,  W.  B.,  was  born  of  Christian  parents  at 
Cheshire,  Ohio.  He  graduated  from  the  High  School 
of  Middleport,  Ohio.  After  having  taught  four  years 
in  Ohio  and  one  year  in  West  Virginia  he  entered 
Wilberforce  University,  graduated  from  this  institu- 
tion with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science  and  with 
first  honors.  After  serving  as  principal  of  Tullibody 
Academy,  Greensboro,  Ala.,  for  one  year,  he  resigned 
to  become  the  first  president  of  our   school  work  at 


REV.  W.  B.  JOHNSON,  B.S.,  D.D. 

Selma,  Ala.,  Payne  University,  which  position  he 
creditably  filled  for  seven  years.  He  entered  the 
ministry  in  1889,  under  Bishop  Gaines  and  was  or- 
dained by  Bishop  Grant  at  Mobile,  Ala.  He  has  been 
elected  as  a  ministerial  delegate  to  five  consecutive 
general  conferences.  He  has  pastored  for  the  full 
time  the  leading  charges  of  Alabama,  and  has  served 
as  presiding  elder  for  seven  years ;  first  the  Birming- 
ham District  and  now  the  South  Birmingham  Dis- 
trict. He  received  the  master's  degree  from  his  Alma 
Mater  in  1900,  and  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity 
was  conferred  upon  him  in  1903  by  Allen  University. 
Dr.  Johnson  is  earnest  and  convincing  in  argument 
and  is  much  in  demand  as  a  platform  speaker.  He 
has  an  exemplary  wife  and  three  children  and  a  nice 
home. 


Johnson,  Rev.  William  Decker,  former  commis- 
sioner and  secretary  of  education  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  Calvert  County,  Md.,  March  19, 
1842.  He  was  the  son  of  George  Hamilton  and  Eliza- 
beth Johnson.  He  attended  both  private  and  public 
school.  He  was  converted  in  1861.  He  entered  Lin- 
coln University  in  1862,  and  graduated  in  1868,  receiv- 
ing the  degree  of  A.B.  In  1871  Lincoln  conferred 
upon  him  A.M.,  and  in  1880  D.D.  He  was  always  a 
student.  He  was  a  member  of  the  general  conferences 
since  1876.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  at  Oxford,  Pa., 
in  1863,  by  Rev.  Andrew  Till.  He  was  ordained  dea- 
con in  Philadelphia,  in  1867,  by  Bishop  Wayman,  and 
ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Brown,  in  1872.  He  held  ap- 
pointments at  St.  Paul's,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Talla- 
hassee, Fla. ;  Apalachicola,  Fla. ;  Eatonton,  Ga. ;  Atlan- 
ta, Savannah,  Macon,  Columbus,  Athens,  and  was  pre- 
siding elder  of  Marietta  and  Griffin  Districts,  He  was 
commissioner  of  education  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
from  1884  to  1896,  and  president  of  Allen  University 
from  1904  to  1908.  He  was  several  times  voted  for  the 
bishopric,  and  came  within  a  very  fe*v  votes  of  elec- 
tion.   He  died  at  Athens,  Ga.,  April  10,  1909. 

Johnson,  Rev.  William  Decker,  was  born  at  Glas- 
gow, Thomas  County,  Ga.,  November  15,  1869.  His 
father,  Rev.  A.  J.  Johnson,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  South  Georgia.  His  mother, 
Mattie  McCullough  Johnson,  was  of  good  old  Method- 
ist parentage.  William  was  placed  in  school  at  the  age 
of  four,  and  always  had  good  teachers.    He  was  an  apt 


REV.  WILLIAM  DECKER  JOHNSON,  D.D. 

student.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  years  he  was  granted 
a  first  grade  certificate  to  teach  in  the  public  schools, 
and  began  teaching  in  Ware  County,  Ga.-  It  was  while 
teaching  in  this  county  that  his  father  died,  leaving  to 
his  care  a  mother  and  five  young  children. 

In  1879  he  was  converted,  and  united  with  the 
church  at  Whigham,  Ga.  He  was  licensed  to  exhort 
in  1887,  by  Rev.  W .  H.  Powell,  and  in  October  of  the 
same  year  he  was  granted  a  license  to  preach  by  Dr. 
J.  B.  Lofton.  In  July,  1889,  he  was  assigned  by"  Rev. 
W.  O.  P.  Sherman  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  Westonia 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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Mission,  and  was  admitted  into  the  Georgia  Confer- 
ence in  December  of  the  same  year,  at  Brunswick,  Ga. 
During  the  year  1890  he  served,  as  district  Sunday 
school  superintendent  of  the  Thomasville  District. 

The  Conference  of  1890  met  in  Dawson,  Ga.,  and 
here  Rev.  Johnson  was  assigned  to  the  pastoral  charge 
of  Dawson  Mission.  Here  he  built  the  church  at  Graves 
Station,  teaching  school  for  the  money  to  pay  for  the 
same.  Here  also  he  met  Miss  Winnifred  E.  Simon,  a 
young  lady  of  ability  and  culture,  to  whom  he  was  mar- 
ried, December  3,  1891,  by  Rev.  A.  W.  Lowe.  In  1893 
he  was  assigned  to  the  Cuthbert  Circuit;  in  1894-95, 
Blakely  Station;  1896-97,  Arlington  Circuit;  1S98-99, 
Albany  Station;  ic.co-1903,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Bainbridge  District.  In  three  years  he  had  so  de- 
veloped the  work  that  it  became  necessary  to  form  a 
new  district,  the  Blakely  District.  Rev.  Johnson 
would  often  walk  to  his  appointments,  regardless  of 
distance,  would  lift  collections,  giving  all  to  the  pas- 
tors and  then  walk  home  again.  During  1904-05  he 
served  as  pastor  of  Americus  Station;  1906-07,  presid- 
ing elder  of  the  Thomasville  District;  1908,  presiding 
elder  of  the  Columbus  District;  1909-11,  was  pastor  of 
St.  James  Station,  one  of  the  largest  in  the  state; 
1912-16,  presiding  elder  of  the  Cuthbert  District. 

Rev.  Johnson  served  as  secretary  of  the  Georgia 
Conference  for  three  years ;  has  served  the  Southwest 
Georgia  Conference  in  a  like  capacity  for  nineteen 
years ;  has  served  as  secretary  of  the  trustee  board  of 
Morris  Brown  University  for  twelve  years.  The  de- 
gree of  doctor  of  divinity  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
Morris  Brown  College  in  1904. 

He  is  a  prominent  Maron,  Odd  Fellow,  Pythian, 
Circler,  Archer  (being  the  founder  of  the  Order),  and 
in  many  other  organizations  of  his  state.  He  is  the 
founder  of  Johnson  Home-Industrial  College,  located 
at  Archery,  Ga.,  a  little  village  founded  by  him  for  the 
education  of  the  poorest  of  the  poor.  He  is  a  fluent 
and  interesting  speaker,  and  a  hard  student  and 
worker.  He  has  kept  abreast  with  the  times  by  pri- 
vate study  and  wide  reading,  having  taken  several 
correspondence  courses. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  general  conferences  of 
1900,  1904,  190S  and  [912,  and  served  as  chief  secre- 
tary of  the  last  two  sessions.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
Ecumenical  Conference  of  191 1,  in  Toronto,  Ontario, 
Canada,  and  is  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General 
Conference  of  1916.  He  is  the  recognized  leader  of 
the  Southwest  Georgia  Conference. 

Johnson,  W.  T.,  was  born  August  4,  1S81,  in 
Tallahachic  County,  Miss. ;  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  1898;  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Der- 
rick, at  Greenville,  Miss.,  in  1900.  He  attended  pub- 
lic school  <>f  his  home  and  Zion  College,  Winona, 
Miss.;  Rust  University,  Holly  Springs,  Miss.;  Bap- 
tist College.  Muskogee,  Okla.,  and  Campbell  College, 
Jackson,  Miss.;  traveled  13  years  as  pastor,  and  is 
now  serving  as  presiding  elder  of  Yazoo  City  (Miss.) 
District  of  East  Mississippi  Conference.  The  degree 
of  D.D.  was  conferred  by  Campbell  College  in  1915. 
He  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  conference  of  1916. 

Joiner,  Edwin  Carrol,  was  born  April  14,  1841,  in 
St.  Clair  County,  111.,  and  died  at  Springfield,  III, 
January  26,  188S.  He  was  one  of  six  children.  He 
entered  school  in  1848  and  received  about  eight  years' 


schooling.  After  he  became  of  age  he  entered  the  min- 
istry and  taught  in  evening  classes  and  to  private  stu- 
dents, always  being  very  studious  and  ambitious,  not 
only  to  help  others,  but  also  to  advance  himself  intel- 
lectually as  well  as  spiritually.  He  was  converted  in 
1S53  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Bloomington, 
111.,  the  same  year.  He  held  almost  every  'office  in 
the  church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1858  at 
Peoria,  III,  by  J.  W.  Davis,  joined  the  Annual  Confer- 
ence in  1858,  and  was  often  called  the  "Boy  Preach- 
er."    He  held  appointments  at  Richmond,  Ind. ;  Des 


REV.   E.  C.  JOINER. 

Moines,  la. ;  Muscatine,  Keokuk,  Bloomington,  Lin- 
coln, Decatur,  Bcllville,  Alton,  Cairo,  Springfield, 
Ouincy,  Metropolis,  Peoria,  Danville,  Pontiac,  East  St. 
Louis  and  Chicago.  He  built  the  following  churches: 
Quinn  Chapel,  Chicago,  at  a  cost  of  $50,000,  in  1876-7; 
St.  John,  at  Springfield ;  one  church  at  Decatur  and 
one  at  Bellville. 

He  paid  off  many  church  debts.  He  took  over 
2500  people  into  the  church,  baptized  about  2,000  and 
married  550.  He  was  delegate  to  the  General  Con- 
ferences of  1880  and  '84.  He  married  Francis  Badgett, 
of  Muscatine,  la.,  July  1862.  They  had  four  children: 
Laura,  William,  Ida  and  Harry.  Laura  E.  Joiner  is  a 
graduate  of  Springfield  High  School  and  Howard  Uni-' 
versity  Medical  School.  William  A.  Joiner  is  a  grad- 
uate of  High  School,  Wilberforce  and  Howard  Uni- 
versities. ■  Rev.  E.  C.  Joiner  was  a  Mason  and  a  Re- 
publican and  property  owner.  He  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Joiner,  William  A.,  the  son  of  Rev.  E.  C.  and 
Frances  F.  (Badgett)  Joiner,  both  of  whom  were 
members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  at  Alton, 
111.,  July,  1867,  the  second  of  seven  children,  all  of 
whom  died  before  reaching  maturity  except  himself 
and  one  sister,  Dr.  Laura  E.  Joiner,  now  residing  in 
Washington,  D.  C. 

William  A.  Joiner  completed  the  common  schools 
of  Illinois,  attending  in  many  cities  as  is  the  lot  of  a 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


Methodist  minister's  children.  In  the  high  school  at 
Springfield,  111.,  he  showed  evidence  of  superior 
ability.  During  three  years  of  the  course  he  worked  on 
a  newspaper,  reporting  at  3  A.  M.  for  duty;  waiting 
two  meals  a  day  at  a  hotel  for  his  board  and  the  extra 
he  could  make,  at  the  same  time  learning  the  photogra- 
pher's trade,  doing  this  to  save  money  with  a  view  of 
going  to  college.  Notwithstanding  these  six  to  seven 
teams  of  the  school,  and  graduated  third  in  a  large 
class,  all  white,  except  himself  and  sister. 

Winning  a  scholarship   on   the    George  Washing- 
ton fund,  out  of  a  half  dozen  colleges  (including  Har- 


PROF.  WILLIAM  A.  JOINER,  LL.M. 

vard,  Michigan,  Oberlin  and  University  of  Illinois),  he 
chose  Wilberforce,  and  entered  scientific  course  with 
advanced  standing.  Not  finding  enough  work  in  this 
course  he  took  studies  in  the  normal  department,  com- 
pleted both  courses,  graduating  with  B.S.  and  a  Nor- 
mal diploma,  1888,  being  the  first  student  to  take  both 
these  courses  at  one  time.  He  taught  school  at  Jer- 
seyville,  111.,  two  and  a  half  years.  In  1890  he  entered 
a  competitive  examination  with  600  applicants,  in 
Sangamon  County,  and  with  his  sister,  passed  at  the 
head  of  the  list,  both  being  appointed  to  clerkships 
in  Washington.  Entered  Howard  University  Law 
School,  1891  ;  again  demonstrated  exceptional  ability 
by  completing  the  two  year  law  course  in  one  year, 
graduating  in  1892  as  valedictorian  in  class  of  thirty- 
three  ;  took  post  course  next  year,  graduating  LL.M 
cum  laude.  Passed  bar  examination ;  was  admitted  to 
practice  before  Supreme  Court,  District  of  Columbia; 
admitted  to  bar  of  Illinois,  1894. 

Was  in  great  Ford  Theatre  disaster;  escaped  un- 
hurt. Went  out  of  office  under  Cleveland  administra- 
tion. Opened  and  successfully  managed  confectionery 
business  for  four  years,  while  studying  in  Teachers' 
College,  How?rd  University.  Taught  Latin,  M  Street 
High  School,  Washington,  D.  C,  1898  to  1904;  Super- 
visor of  Training  School,  Teachers'  College,  Howard 
University,  1^04  to  1910.  Superintendent  combined 
normal  and  industrial  department  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity, since  1910. 

Converted  in  childhood,  he  has  been  a  member  of 


A.  M.  E.  Church  ever  since.  Has  been  steward, 
trustee,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  superintendent; 
served  on  building  committee,  and  raised  large  part  of 
funds  for  building  church  at  Jerseyville,  111;  served 
several  years  on  educational  and  examining  commit- 
tee of  the  Illinois  Annual  Conference,  rendering  good 
service  in  interest  of  an  educated  ministry.  Perma- 
nent aluminal  trustee  of  Wilberforce.  Organized  Wil- 
berforcian  Society  of  Washington;  was  twelve  years 
its  president.  Projected  and  presided  at  the  great  na- 
tional meeting  for  Wilberforce,  March  8,  1910,  Presi- 
dent Taft  being  the  principal  speaker,  with  Justice 
John  M.  Harlan,  Senator  Dick,  Bishop  Hurst,  Dr. 
Scarborough  and  W.  T.  Vernon. 

In  interest  of  purer  athletics  among  Negro 
schools  he  organized  the  Interscholastic  Athletic 
Association  and  as  the  president  of  that  organization 
he  edited  the  first  Spaulding  Guide  giving  athletic 
records  and  accomplishments  of  Negro  youth.  Took 
a  year's  post-graduate  work  in  School  of  Education, 
University  of  Chicago,  where  he  is,  credited  with  de- 
gree of  Ph.B.  in  education.  His  best  work  has  prob- 
ably been  done  as  superintendent  and  financial  officer 
of  Normal  and  Industrial  Departments  of  Wilber- 
force University,  where  he  now  is.  In  six  years  he 
added  two  years  to  the  Normal  Course,  standardized 
the  work,  accrediting  the  department  so  that  graduates 
may  now  receive  lite  certificates  in  the  state  without 
examination ;  increased  the  salaries  of  all  instructors 
40  to  60  per  cent. ;  added  new  positions ;  revolution- 
ized processes  of  the  library,  placed  trained  librarian 
in  charge ;  completed  senior  girls'  home  where  girls 
with  trained  nurse  in  charge,  to  care  for  sick  students ; 
placed  physical  training  under  medical  director;  se- 
cured preceptress  for  social  instruction  of  girls ;'  im- 
proved living  conditions  of  teachers  by  building  model 
homes  with  all  modern  improvements;  secured  legis- 
lation permitting  buildings  to  be  erected  with  student 
labor,  thus  paying  out  to  students  about  ten  thousand 
dollars  annually  and  enabling  them  to  learn  trades  un- 
der working  conditions,  at  the  same  time  supporting 
themselves;  secured  up-to-date  equipment  for  all  de- 
partments; installed  a  wireless  station,  the  only  radio 
station  controlled  by  a  Negro  institution;  induced 
Legislature  to  appropriate  funds  to  complete  $42,- 
OOO  girls'  dormitory,  and  to  construct  mechanic  arts 
building,  a  $40,000  gymnasium,  a  $60,000  recitation 
building,  an  adequate  water  system,  hospital  build- 
ing, five  teachers'  residences  and  generally  improve 
buildings  and  grounds.  He  secured  in  less  than 
state.  (See  Auditor's  report,  1914  and  1915.)  He  es- 
tablished the  first  summer  school  at  Wilberforce  in 
1916. 

Teachers  are  required  to  take  one  month  each 
year  on  pay  for  self-improvement.  The  compensation 
paid  to  the  college  department  of  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity for  teaching  service*  was  increased  from  $3500  to 
$5000  annually,  and  the  University  now  shares  bene- 
fits directly  and  indirectly  amounting  to  from  $15,000 
to  $20,000  a  year,  and  Mr.  Joiner  is  making  the  at- 
tempt to  organize  his  teaching  force  in  such  manner 
as  to  help  the  University  secure  such  collegiate  recog- 
nition in  the  state  as  the  normal  department  now  has. 
His  vision  for  Wilberforce  is  that  of  the  greatest  Ne- 
gro educational  center  in  the  country,  with  higher  ed- 
ucation and  vocational  training  working  hand  in  hand. 
He  spent  summer  of  1913  in  Europe  studying  school 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


systems  of  France,  Germany,  Belgium  and  England,  and  is  now  the  pastor  of  St.  Paul,  Nashville,  Term., 
He  has  published  "Brief  History  Development  of  Ne-  one  of  the  largest  churches  of  the  connection.  He 
gro  Schools  of  the  District  of  Columbia,"  "Half  Cen-  was  presiding  elder  of  Shelbyville  and  Columbia  dis- 
tury  of  Freedom  of  Negro  in  Ohio,"  a  middle  epic  on  tricts  six  years.  He  built  Payne  chapel,  Nashville, 
Frederick  Douglas,  and  much  other  readable  verse,  one  of  the  most  modern  church  edifices  in  Tennessee, 
Class  Song  of  '88.  and  School  Song,  "Dear  Old  Wil- 
berforce."  He  is  a  Mason,  Knight  Templar  degree, 
member  of  National  Educational  Association,  National 
Geographic  Society,  Ohio  State  Superintendents'  As- 
sociation, I.  S.  A.  A. 

Jones,  G.  W.,  was  born  February  4,  1870,  near 
Alton,  in  Madison  County,  111.  He  received  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  this  county  and  Beloit 
College,  Beloit,  Wis.  He  was  c  .nverted  in  1894  in 
Edwardsville.  111.,  and  licensed  to  preach  and  entered 
the  itinerate  work  in  1895.  He  married  in  1898  and 
was  transferred  the   same   vear   to  the   Iowa   Confer- 


RFY.  G.  W.  JONES. 

ence,  now  known  as  the  Chicago  Conference,  where 
he  pastored  eight  years  very  successfully.  In  1908 
he  was  transferred  back  to  the  Illinois  Conference,  of 
which  he  is  now  a  member,  and  for  seven  years  pas- 
tored some  of  the  leading  charges  in  his  conference. 
He  is  now  serving  his  third  year  as  presiding  elder 
of  the  Ouincv  District  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  Cen- 
tennial General  Conference,  at  Philadelphia,  May, 
1916. 


Jones,  H.  L.  P.,  was  born  June  21,  1S74,  in  Giles 
County,  near  Pulaski,  Tenn. ;  was  converted  and  join- 
ed the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Boone  Hill,  Lincoln 
County,  Tenn.,  in  [893;  was  licensed  to  preach  under 
Dr.  G.  L.  Jackson,  then  presiding  elder  of  the  North 
Nashville  District;  joined  the  Tennessee  Conference 
at  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  under  Bishop  Salter  in  1893, 
and  was  ordained  deacon  under  the  missionary  rule 
the  same  year.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Bob- 
bin Fannon,  of  Fayetteville,  Tenn.,  January  9,  1895. 
He  has  pastored  successfully  the  following  charges: 
Relleview,  Delbrose.  Aspen  Hill,  Hartsville,  Mt. 
Pleasant    station,    Payne    chapel,    Nashville     'renn.F 


RFA".  H.  L.  P.  JONES,  D.D. 

at  a  cost  of  $20,000.     He  is  a  graduate  of  Turner  Col- 
lege, Shelbyville.  Tenn.,  of  which  he  is  now  a  trus- 
tee ;  he  is  also  chief  secretary  of  the  Tennessee  Con- 
ference, and  delegate  to  general  conference,   1916. 
i860,    in    Maury    County,    near    Mt.    Pleasant,    Tenn. 

Jones,  James  A.,  was  born  of  humble  parents  in 
His  father  was  a  North  Carolinian,  having  come  to 
Tennessee  with  his  owners  when  quite  a  young  man. 
His  mother  was  the  daughter  of  a  half-breed  Indian, 
her  mother  having  died  while  she  was  quite  a  child. 
Dr.  Jones  was  the  fourth  child  born  into  a  family  of 
thirteen  children.  Farly  in  life  he  imbibed  a  strong 
desire  to  learn  to  read  and  write.  His  mother  was 
his  first  teacher.  He  attended  such  schools  as  were 
available  during  that  early  period  of  freedom,  the 
teachers,  for  the  most  part,  being  scarcely  above  the 
third  grade  themselves.  He  would  walk  ten  miles  a 
day,  going  to  and  from  school  through  a  period  of 
five  months,  and  many  a  day  rode  twenty  miles  on 
horseback.  He  entered  Fisk  University  at  the  age  of 
12  years  and  during  his  whole  career  in  school,  was 
regarded  as  a  brilliant  student.  He  was  converted 
af  the  age  of  17  while  in  college,  and  immediately 
joined  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church,  where  he  was  at 
that  time  a  member  of  the  Sunday  school.  He  was 
licensed  to  exhort  and  preach  by  Rev.  George  H. 
Shaffer,  who  was  pastoring  the  church  in  1880.  In 
1881  he  joined  the  Tennessee  annual  conference  at 
Payne  Chapel,  Nashville,  Bishop  Campbell  presiding. 
His  first  charge  was  Mt.  Pleasant  circuit,  which  was 
in  reality  a  mission,  for  the  congregation  had  no 
property  of  its  own.  In  the  second  year  of  his  ad- 
ministration, he  bought  the  lot  and  church  building 
in  which  his  congregation  had  been  worshipping  al- 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


ternately,  or  in  partnership  with  another  denomina- 
tion for  a  number  of  years.  This  is  now  one  of  the 
most  important  charges  in  the  conference.  He  af- 
terwards served  the  following  charges :  Tullahoma, 
Murfreesboro,  Shelbyville,  Fayetteville,  Chattanooga, 
Pulaski  and  St.  Paul,  Nashville.  From  St.  Paul  he 
was  elected  president  of  Turner  College,  located  at 
Shelbyville.  His  appointment  to  Shelbyville  the  first 
time  had  a  twofold  meaning — to  pastor  the  church 
and  serve  as  second  principal  of  the  school  under 
Dr.  B.  A.  J.  Nixon.  The  f<  flowing  year  he  was  pro- 
moted to  the  principalship.  in  which  position  he  serv- 
ed acceptably.  He  built  Warren  Chapel  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Chattanooga,  during  his  four  years'  pastor- 
ate in  that  city,  and  dedicated  the  building.  He  has 
been    serving    Turner    College    as    its    president    for 


REV.  JAMES  A.  JONES,  A.M.,  D.D. 

eleven  years,  and  during  that  period,  the  property 
valuation  has  increased  from  about  $1000  to  about 
540,000;  and  a  student  body  from  not  more  than  25, 
all-day  students,  to  an  enrollment  of  150,  40  per  cent, 
of  whom  are  boarders  in  the  buildings  of  the  institu- 
tion, representing  several  different  States.  Dr.  Jones 
is  frequently  in  demand  to  address  public  gatherings. 
He  has  twice  delivered  commencement  addresses  at 
the  A.  and  M.  College,  Normal,  Ala.,  and  delivered 
a  course  of  lectures  at  the  same  institution.  He  has 
preached  baccalaureate  sermons  at  Morris  Brown 
and  Payne  Universities.  The  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  was  conferred  upon  him  by  Turner  College, 
and  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  by  Morris  Brown. 
He  has  been  a  prominent  candidate  for  the  editorship 
of  the  Southern  Christian  Recorder  for  the  last  three 
general  conferences.  He  was  assistant  editor  of  this 
journal  under  Dr.  M.  E.  Bryant.  Dr.  Jones  married 
in  1880  to  Miss  Gazella  C.  Roberts,  of  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  and  from  that  union  eight  children  were  born, 
five  of  whom  are  living.  His  wife  has  been  a  con- 
stant support  to  him  in  all  his  labors  both  in  the  pas- 
torate and  in  his  school  work.  She  now  serves  as 
matron  of  Turner  College. 


Jones,  Bishop  Joshua  H.,  38th  bishop  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  was  born  in  Lexington  County,  South  Caro- 
lina, June  15,  1856.  He  was  converted  at  the  age 
ot  ten  years  and  immediately  joined  the  Shady  Grove 
A.  M.  E.  Church  of  the  Bull  Swamp  Circuit,  Colum- 
bia Annual  Conference,  South  Carolina.  At  the  age 
of  fourteen  years  he  was  made  Sunday  school  teacher, 
and   at  the  age  of   sixteen   years  he   was   made   super- 


BISHOP  JOSHUA  II.  JONES,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

intendent.  By  the  time  he  was  eighteen  years  old  he 
had  served  ir  ■.•11  of  tK  local  spiritual  and  temporal  of- 
fices of  his  church  and  was  then  licensed  as  a  local  preach- 
er. He  was  a  hard  student,  pursuing  his  studies  into 
the  late  hours  of  the  night  by  the  pine-torchlight. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  he  entered  the  Nor- 
mal and  College  Preparatory  Course  of  Claflin  Univer- 
sity, Orangeburg,  South  Carolina,  finishing  the  course  in 

1880.  He  then  went  out  to  teach  and  preach  one  year; 
returning  to   Claflin   he   entered   the   College   Course   in 

1881,  graduating  with  the  degree  B.A.,  in  1885.  He  then 
entered  Howard  University,  Washington,  D.  C,  and 
studied  for  awhile,  leaving  to  enter  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity, from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1887,  receiving  the 
degree  BD.  And  after  leaving  the  university  walls  he 
still  prosecuted  his  studies.  He  served  eight  years  on 
the  School  Board  of  Columbus,  ( >hio,  where  he  acquired 
a  large  experience  in  school  management.  In  1900  he 
was  elected  president  of  Wilberforce  University,  where 
he  served  for  eight  years.  Thence  he  returned  to  the 
pastorate  and  presiding  eldership  for  four  years.  At  the 
general  conference  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  he  was  elected 
one  of  the  bishops  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  was  as- 
signed to  the  Ninth  Episcopal  District,  including  Tennes- 
see and  Alabama.    He  now  is  bishop  of  Texas. 


Jones,  J.  J.,  was  born  July,  1867;  attended  the 
public  school  in  North  Carolina  and  the  Christian 
Theological  Seminary  in  Franklin,  N.  C. ;  went  to 
Boston,  Mass.,  and  was  at  the  unveiling  of  Crispus 
Attucks'  monument;  joined  the  church  August  15, 
1881,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  March,  iqoo;  or- 
dained elder  May  20,  1907;  transferred  to  Virginia 
and  stationed  at  Bedford  City,  and  paid  a  large  part 
of  the   debt;  was  appointed  to   New   Bethel  circuit, 


141 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


sold  the  old  church,  bought  two  lots  in  the  town  of 
South   Hill   and  had  the  church  rebuilt  at  a  cost  of 


REV.  J.  J.  JONES. 

$1325   in  three  months,  and  was  transferred  back  to 
the  Baltimore  conference,  where  he  now  is. 

Jones,  Otho  Eli,  one  of  three  children  of  Philip 
and  Esther  Elizabeth  Jones,  was  born  April  20,  1870, 
at  Winton  Place,  Cincinnati,  Ohio ;  began  attending 
school  at  the  age  of  seven,  and  attended  Winton  Place 
Grammar  School,  Gaines  High,  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity and  Payne  Theological  Seminary  ;  received  nor- 
mal and  industrial '  diplomas,  Wilberforce  ;  the  de- 
grees of  B.  D.  and  D.  D.  from  Payne  Theological  Sem- 
inary ;  also  teacher's  diploma  from  Kentucky  Reading 
Circle;  was  converted  in  1888  and  joined  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Wilberforce,  1890;  held  offce  of  steward, 
trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher  and  Sun- 
day school  teacher;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1894,  at 
Elmwood  Place  Mission,  Rev.  W.  J.  Johnson,  pastor; 
Chas.  Bundy,  P.  E. ;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1897 
at  Columbus,  Ohio,  by  Bishop  Lee;  ordained  elder 
1899  at  Mt.  Vernon,  (  )hio,  by  Bishop  Lee;  joined  the 
annual  conference  in  1895  at  Washington  C.  PL,  Ohio, 
under  Bishop  Arnett ;  held  the  following  appoint- 
ments: South  Charleston  Mission,  Ohio,  1895-98; 
Toledo  Station,  Ohio,  1898-99;  Cedarville,  Ohio,  1900- 
1901  ;  Oakland.  Cal.,  1901-1907;  Kansas  City,  Kansas, 
1907-13;  presiding  elder  Hannibal  district,  North 
Missouri  conference,  1913 ;  pastor,  Lexington,  Ky., 
1913  to  date;  also  professor  at  Payne  Theological 
Seminary,  1898-1901  ;  at  present  chairman  of  board  of 
examiners  of, Kentucky  conference;  taught  in  district 
and  city  schools  of  Kentucky;  remodeled  Fifteenth 
Street  church,  Oakland,  Cal.,  at  cost  of  $8000  in  1906; 
lifted  mortgage  on  Fifteenth  Street  church,  Oakland, 
Cal.;  also  on  First  A.  M.  E.  church,  Kansas  City, 
Kansas.  Dr.  Jones  is  a  member  of  Federal  Council 
of  Churches  of  Christ,  of  America.  He  married  Miss 
Susannah  Wesley  Coleman,  daughter  of  Rev.  John 
Coleman,  of  Wilberforce,  Ohio,  in  1905.  They  have 
four  children:  Julia  Esther,  Kathryn  L.  Lorence  (de- 


ceased), Otho  Eli,  Jr.,  and  John  Gazaway  Jones.  He 
has  contributed  to  the  Recorder,  Review  and  many 
secular  papers ;  made  many  addresses  to  fraternities 
and  missionary  societies  (one  time  member  of  West- 
ern Federation  of  Missions  as  lecturer),  and  Chautau- 
qua addresses  at  various  places,  alumni  address  of 
Wilberforce  University ;  addresses  school  commence- 
ments, emancipation  addresses,  etc.  He  was  one  of 
the  committee  in  the  erection  of  a  monument  to  Jno. 
Brown  on  the  campus  of  Western  University,  Quin- 
daro,  Kansas ;  was  treasurer  of  Douglas  hospital,  Kan- 
sas, Mo.,  for  several  years ;  a  member  of  Emancipa- 
tion Organization,  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  and  act- 
ive in  charitable  work.  Was  a  member  of  the  gen- 
eral conferences  of  1912  and  1916. 

Jones,  Scott  B.,  one  of  ten  children  of  James  and 
Elizabeth  Brown,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
church :  was  born  in  Huntsville,  Alabama,  Septem- 
ber 2,  1870.  He  began  school  at  the  age  of  eight  years 
and  was  for  some  time  a  student  at  the  Cook  county 
normal  school,  Chicago ;  the  State  University,  St. 
Paul,  Minn.,  and  Beloit  (Wis.)  College.  In  1882  he 
was  converted  and  joined  Allen  Temple,  Cincinnati, 
Ohio.  He  held  offices  as  steward,  class  leader,  trus- 
tee, Sunday  school  teacher,  exhorter,  and  was  licens- 
ed to  preach  in  1886  at  St.  Mary's  church,  Chicago,  by 
Rev.  J.  M.  Henderson.  In  1887  he  joined  the  annual 
conference  at  Chicago  under  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown, 
who  ordained  him  deacon  in  1888  at  Oskaloosa,  Iowa. 
In  1892  he  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Wayman  at 
St.  Paul,  Minn.  He  has  held  the  following  appoint- 
ments: Helena,  Mont.,  1889;  Macomb,  111.,  1890; 
Rockford,  111.,  1891  ;  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  1892-3;  Oska- 
loosa, 1894;  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  1895-6;  Quinn  Chapel, 
Louisville,  Ky.,  1900-01  ;  presiding  elder  Bowling 
Green  district,  W.  Kentucky  conference,  1902-3  ;  Ver- 
sailles, Ky.,  1904;  Paris,  111.,  1905;  Mattson,  111.,  1906; 
Decatur,  111.,  1907-08;  E.  St.  Louis,  1909-12;  Peoria, 
111.,  Ward  Chapel,  1912  to  present.  He  built  St. 
James  at  Helena,  Mont.,  at  a  cost  of  $4000;  St.  Peter's, 
Ottumwa,  $6000;  Allen  Chapel,  Rockford,  111.,  $3000; 
and  paid  mortgages  at  Decatur  ($900),  Oskaloosa 
($800),  Terre  Haute,  Ind.  ($1000),  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
($1200),  and  Louisville,  Ky.  ($Soo)  ;  has  received  into 
the  church  about  1000  people  and  baptized  about  300: 
was  leader  of  delegation  to  the  general  conference  of 
1912  and  appointed  on  the  Allen  League  Connection- 
al  Board  (1912-16).  He  was  married  in  1891.  His 
wife,  Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Jones,  was  born  in  Frederick,  Md. 
He  has  been  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  daily  papers 
in  the  cities  in  which  die  has  resided.  He  wrote  "An 
Appeal  to  President  Taft  in  Reference  to  the  Exposi- 
tion ;"  has  delivered  many  important  addresses  on 
public  occasions ;  is  a  Mason,  Odd  Fellow,  K.  of  P.  and 
K.  of  T.,  a  Republican  and  home  owner  and  was  fi- 
nancial agent  of  the  Negro  exposition  at  Chicago  in 

T9I5- 

Jordan,  Augustus  Moses,  son  of  Robert  and  Amy 
Jordan,  was  born  in  1865  in  Wilberforce  county,  Ga., 
one  of  five  children.  He  began  to  attend  school  when 
six  years  of  age.  receiving  his  education  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  Morris  Brown  University.  He  took 
a  correspondence  course  from  Professor  Wright  and 
also  from  Boston  School     of     Correspondence,    from 


142 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


9 


which  he  received  a  diploma.  He  was  converted  in 
1882  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year. 
He  has  held  nearly  every  office  in  the  church.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1883  by  Rev.  A.  W.  Lowe ;  join- 
ed the  annual  conference  in  1S91  at  Macon,  Ga.,  un- 
der Bishop  Gaines;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1892  at 
Forsyth,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  Grant;  ordained  elder  in  1894 
at  Eatonton,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  Grant ;  has  held  the  fol- 
lowing appointments :  St.  James',  Holly  Bluff,  Oc- 
mulsree  Circuit,   Haddox     Circuit,     Tennille     Circuit, 


REV.  A.  M.  JORDAN,  D.D. 

Dublin,  Monticello,  Griffin,  Cosmopolitan,  Atlanta, 
Milledgeville,  Bethel,  Augusta;  P.  E.  of  Sandersville 
District.  He  built  churches  at  Dublin  and  Haddox  at 
a  cost  of  $500  each,  a  small  church  at  Holly  Bluff  at 
a  cost  of  $100;  has  taken  over  1300  people  into  the 
church ;  was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of 
1904,  1908,  1912  and  1916.  He  married  Nancy  Jor- 
dan, of  Jasper  Co.,  Ga.,  in  1886.  They  have  eight 
children,  two  of  them  graduates.  He  has  made  many 
Emancipation  Day  addresses  and  addresses  to  many 
schools  and  societies.  He  is  connected  with  the  G.  U. 
O.  of  O.  F.  and  I.  B.  O.  and  owns  his  home. 

Jordan,  Prof.  D.  J.,  was  born  October  18,  1866,  at 
Cuthbert,  Ga.  His  father.  Rev.  Giles  D.  Jordan,  was  a 
well  known  and  highly  respected  minister  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  in  the  Georgia  Conference  for  twenty-four 
years.  His  mother,  Julia  White- Jordan,  is  a  woman  of 
strong  personality  and  marked  Christian  piety. 

Prof.  Jordan  was  educated  at  Payne  High  School 
(now  Payne  College),  Cuthbert,  Ga.,  and  Allen  Univer- 
sity, Columbia,  S.  C.  He  has  earned  the  degrees  of  B.S., 
M.S.,  LL.B.  Was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  South  Caro- 
lina in  1892,  and  in  Georgia  in  1904.  His  life  has  been 
given  to  teaching  and  he  has  held  numerous  important 
positions  in  the  line  of  his  profession.  Among  these  may 
be  mentioned  the  following :  Twelve  years  a  professor 
in  Morris  Brown  College  (now  Morris  Brown  Univer- 
sity), Atlanta,  Ga.,  serving  much  of  that  time  as  vice 
president  also ;  president  of  Edward  Waters  College, 
Jacksonville,  Fla.,  and  of  Kittrell  College,  Kittrell,  N.  C. ; 
for  several  years  president  State  Teachers'  Association 


of  Georgia;  now  director  of  the  teacher  training  depart- 
ment of  the  Agricultural  and  Technical  College  of  North 
Carolina,  at  Greensboro. 

Has  always  taken  a  keen  interest  in  all  affairs  of  his 
church,  and  was  a  member  of  the  General  Conferences  of 
1896,  1904  and  1912.  Enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the 
author  of  the  law  providing  for  lay  representation  in  an- 
nual conferences,  which  was  passed  at  Chicago  in  1904. 
Was  strongly  supported  for  secretary  of  education  at 
the  general  conference  at  Kansas  City,  in  1912.  He  rep- 
resented the  church  at  the  Fourth  Ecumenical  Confer- 
ence of  Methodism  held  in  1911  at  Toronto,  Canada,  and 
was  honored  with  a  prominent  place  on  the  official  pro- 
gram. He  addressed  the  conference  on  the  subject,  "The 
Work  of  the  Young  People  of  the  Church,"  and  the  effort 
was  highly  spoken  of.  Dr.  J.  A.  Bray,  of  the  C.  M.  E. 
Church,  said  in  a  note  to  the  speaker : 

"My  dear  Prof.  Jordan  : — 

"Your  address  last  night  was  up  to  the  demand  of 
the  occasion.  It  was  a  splendid  address  splendidly  de- 
livered and  every  Afro-American  felt  proud  of  you.  It 
was  good — not  good  as  a  Negro  production,  but  good  as 
the  production  of  a  man.  I  hear  only  praise  on  every 
side.     Congratulations. 

"Yours  sincerely, 

J.  A.  Bray." 

Prof.  Jordan  married,  December  31,  1895,  Miss 
Carrie  J.  Thomas,  daughter  of  Rev.  Lawrence  Thomas 
(see  sketch),  one  of  the  most  prominent  ministers  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Georgia.  She  was  at  the  time  princi- 
pal of  one  of  the  city  schools  of  Atlanta.  They  have  four 
promising  children :  Edwin  Adolphus,  Frederick  Doug- 
lass, Frances  Marie  and  Alice  Julia,  to  all  of  whom  the 
parents  are  most  fondly  devoted. 

Jordan,  Rev.  Patrick  James,  the  son  of  Willis  and 
Frances  Jordan,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  in  1862  near  Wilmington,  N.  C.  His  parents 
had  eleven  children.  He  spent  several  years  at  Shaw 
University,  but  is  largely  self-made,  so  far  as  education 
is  concerned.  He  received  D.D.  from  Kittrell  College, 
North  Carolina.  He  was  converted  when  quite  a  boy 
and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  In  his  local  church  he 
was  always  active,  serving  as  steward,  trustee,  class  lead- 
er, Sunday  school  teacher,  exhorter,  etc.  He  was  licens- 
ed to  preach  in  1885  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  by  Dr.  J.  G. 
Fry;  joined  the  North  Carolina  Conference  in  1886,  at 
Newburn ;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1888,  by  Bishop 
Campbell,  at  Greensboro,  N.  C. ;  ordained  elder  in  1892, 
at  Kinston,  N.  C,  by  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines.  He  has  held 
the  following  appointments  in  North  Carolina :  South 
Port,  Richlands,  Lincolnville,  Hillsboro,  Favetteville, 
Greensboro,  Ashville  and  Washington,  D.  C.  Built 
churches  at  Lincolnville,  at  cost  of  $350;  Favetteville,  at 
a  cost  of  $4,000 ;  at  Ashville,  at  a  cost  of  $5,000.  Re- 
modeled churches  at  Hillsboro,  at  a  cost  of  $1,500;  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  Lifted  mort- 
gages on  churches  at  Favetteville,  Hillsboro  and  at 
Greensboro  to  the  amount  of  $500.  He  has  taken  hund- 
reds of  people  into  the  church.  Was  delegate  to  the 
general  conference  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in  1912.  Mar- 
ried Mrs.  L.  A.  Jordan,  of  Newbern,  N.  C,  in  1888.  He 
is  a  property  owner,  and  a  substantial  and  highly  respect- 
ed citizen,  always  to  be  counted  with  the  progressive 
forces  in  any  community  in  which  he  is  located. 


143 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


® 


EALING,  PROF.  H.  T.,  president 
Western  University,  Ouindaro,  Kan- 
sas, was  born  1859  at  Austin,  Tex., 
educated  in  Austin  public  schools. 
Straight  University,  New  Orleans, 
La.,  and  Tabor  College,  Tabor,  Iowa. 
He  was  converted  in  New  Orleans 
in  1875  ;  joined  the  church  and  serv- 
ed as  Sunday  school  superintendent;  secretary  to  pre- 
siding elder  in  Texas,  and  assistant  in  church  pastor- 
ates. He  was  principal  of  Paul  Ouinn  College 
from  the  beginning  in  1881  to  1883  ;  assistant  principal  of 
Prairie  View  State  Normal  School,  1883  to  1886;  princi- 
pal grammar  school,  Austin,  Tex.,  and  organized  the  col- 
ored high  school  of  Austin  in  1887;  was  supervisor  all 
colored  schools  from  1890  to  1892;  president  of  Paul 
Ouinn  College  from  1892  to  1896,  and  at  the  general  con- 
ference at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  in  1896,  was  elected  editor 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Review,  serving  till  1912.  In  1910  he 
was  chosen  president  of  Western  University,  Quindaro, 
Kansas,  which  position  he  now  holds. 

He  has  been  a  member  of  all  general  conferences 
since  1884;  was  a  member  of  Ecumenical  Conference  in 


PROF.  H.  T.  KEALING,  LL.D. 

London,  England,  in  1901,  and  elected  spokesman  of  the 
delegation  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  delivered  one  of 
the  principal  addresses;  member  Federal  Council  of 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  fraternal  delegate  to 
M.  E.  Church,  South,  Dallas,  Texas.  Member  National 
Educational  Association,  American  Academy  of  Social 
and  Political  Science,  American  Negro  Academy,  Na- 
tional Negro  Business  League,  National  Association  for 
the  Advancement  of  Colored  People.  Author  of  "Hosea;' 
and  editor  of  "Minor  Prophets,"  "How  to  Live  Long- 
er." "Church   Problems"  and  numerous  pamphlets. 

He  has  been  married  twice:  first  to  Miss  Selina 
Saucier,  of  New  Orleans,  in  1887;  last,  in  Austin,  Tex., 
in  1891,  to  Miss  Celia  G.  Shaw.  They  have  six  children, 
five  girls,  one  boy.  Miss  Goldie  E.  Kealing  attended 
Fisk  University,  and  graduated  from  the  Philadelphia 
Girls'  High  School,  the  Philadelphia  Normal  School, 
specializing  in  kindergarten  work,  in  1916.  Miss  Frances 
F.  Kealing  attended  Fisk  University,  graduated  from 
Kansas  State  University,  Lawrence,  Kansas,  majoring  in 
mathematics,  1915,  and  now  teaches  in  Tuskegee  Insti- 
tute. Miss  Carrie  I.  Kealing  graduated  from  Western 
University,  in  i<;io\  Prof.  Kealing  was  ordained  elder 
in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  by  Bishop  Parks,  assisted  by  Bishop 
Tyree,  in  1909.    He  received  the  A.M.  degree  from  Ta- 


bor college,  1904;  Ph.D.  from  Morris  Brown  College, 
Atlanta;  LL.D.  from  Wilberforce  University,  Wilber- 
force,  Ohio,  191 1. 


Kinch,  Emily  Christmas,  daughter  of  Rev.  Jor- 
dan C.  H.  Christmas,  was  born  in  Orange,  N.  J. ;  ed- 
ucated in  public  schools  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsyl- 
vania and  is  an  undergraduate  of  the  Institute  for 
Colored  Youth,  of  Philadelphia.  She  is  a  pioneer 
Sunday  school  worker  in  the  advance  movement  of 
later  methods,  the  first  graduated  colored  Sunday 
school  teacher  in  X.  J.,  founder  and  first  president  of 
the  New  Jersey  conference  Sunday  school  institute. 
She  was  the  only  colored  delegate  elected  to  repre- 
sent the  State  of  New  Jersey,  with  48  whites,  in  1905 
to  the  International  Sunday  School  Convention  in  To- 
ronto, Canada.     She  has  been  identified  with  the  mis- 


MRS.  E.  C.  KINCH. 

sionary  work  in  New  Jersey  ever  since  its  organiza- 
tion, served  as  organizer  [or  four  years,  organizing  an 
auxiliary  in  every  charge  in  the  New  Jersey  confer- 
ence ;  served  as  secretary  of  the  New  Jersey  confer- 
ence branch  three  years  and  president  of  the  New 
Jersey  conference  Sunday  school  institute  1906-08.  In 
December.  1908,  she  sailed  as  missionary  to  West  Af- 
rica and  began  the  work  of  the  Eliza  Turner  primary 
school  at  Monrovia  with  20  pupils,  which  grew  to  be 
one  of  the  acknowledged  educational  forces  of  the 
Liberian  Republic.  She  is  a  trained  musician,  popu- 
lar lecturer,  correspondent  and  writes  for  the  differ- 
ent church  periodicals,  which  she  frequently  repre- 
sents before  the  different  conferences. 

Kincheon,  Lula  Brackett,  was  born  in  Kincheon- 
ville,  Texas,  in  1876,  the  son  of  Francis  Marion  and 
Emily  Wiley  Kincheon.  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  There  were  three  other  children.  Lula  be- 
gan attending  school  at  the  age  of  nine  and  continued 
till  1892  when  he  was  compelled  to  leave  Paul  Quinn 
College  in  his  senior  year  on  account  of  the  death  of 
his  father.  He  received  the  degree  of  A.M.  from  Paul 
Ouinn  and  holds  a  first  grade  state  certificate  to  teach 


144 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Q 


in  Texas.  He  takes  pride  in  his  well-read  library.  He 
has  read  courses  in  law  and  in  business,  having  also 
taught  the  latter.  In  18S9  Mr.  Kincheon  was  convert- 
ed and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Buda,  Texas. 
He  has  served  his  church  as  steward,  trustee,  class 
leader,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  secretary.  He  was 
a  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  in  1912  and  1916; 
a  member  of  the  Western  Christian  Recorder  board 
1912-1916;  is  a  trustee  of  Paul  Ouinn  College  and  has 
frequently  represented  the  church  at  conventions.  His 
wife,  Mrs.  Necia  Luline  Gramlin  Kincheon,  whom  he 
married  in  1896,  is  a  native  of  Beaumont,  Texas.  The 
children  are:  L.  B.,  Jr.,  Ian  Brackett,  Francis  Gram- 
lin, Alexander  Johnson  Moore,  Edna  Marguerite,  and 
Ollie  Harris  Kincheon.  L.  B.  Kincheon,  Jr.,  has  fin- 
ished the  high  school  and  is  pursuing  the  scientific 
course  at  Paul  Quinn  College.  All  of  Mr.  Kincheon's 
children  have  been  given  places  of  honor  in  Sunday 
school  and  church  work.  He  has  contributed  to  the 
ian  Journal,  besides  writing  several  pamphlets.  Among 
his  public  addresses  are  one  delivered  at  the  emanci- 
pation celebration  in  Austin,  Texas,  in  1900;  and  one 
delivered  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  entitled  "Delivered 
From  Bondage."  He  is  a  pleasing  speaker.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Odd  Fellows,  Ma- 
sons, FriendsTn-Need,  American  Woodmen.  For 
eight  years  he  was  supreme  deputy  chancellor ;  for 
sixteen  years  grand  lecturer,  jurisdiction  of  Texas ; 
supreme  recorder  of  D.  O.  D.  O.  of  Knights  of  Pyth- 
ias. He  is  connected  with  the  Texas  State  Teachers' 
Association  and  the  American  Civic  League.  He  was 
in  politics,  at  one  time  associated  with  the  late  Nor- 
ris  Wright  Cuney. 


King,  Rev.  C.  H.,  was  born  in  Georgia  over  fifty 
years  ago,  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  1874;  licensed  to  exhort  in  1875;  licensed  to  preach 
in  1877.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  Georgia  and 
studied  theology  under  Dr.  Ashley,  a  Northern  minister, 
and  under  Rev.  R.  A.  Hall,  in  Atlanta,  Ga.  He  served 
successfully  his  church  as  Sunday  school  teacher,  class 
leader,  steward  and  trustee. 

At  the  request  of  Bethel  Church,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Rev. 
(later  Bishop)  W.  J.  Gaines,  pastor,  he  was  ordained  a 
deacon  by  Rt.  Rev.  William  F.  Dickerson,  January  15, 
1882.  He  joined  the  Tennessee  Conference  in  1884  un- 
der Bishop  Turner.  His  first  charge  was  at  Knoxville, 
Tenn.,  where  he  served  for  two  years,  and  built  a  church 
valued  at  $6,000.00,  which  was  the  first  A.  M.  E.  church 
built  in  that  city.  It  is  said  he  constructed  most  of  the 
building  with  his  own  hands.  He  was  ordained  elder,  by 
Bishop  Turner,  in  Pulaski,  Tenn.,  Nov.  1,  1885,  and 
transferred  to  the  North  Carolina  Conference,  succeed- 


ing Rev.  W.  H.  H.  Butler  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Wil- 
mington District.  He  has  since  remained  in  North  Caro- 
lina, where  he  has  attained  a  high  place  among  his 
brethren.  He  has  served  also  as  presiding  elder  of  the 
Raleigh,  Greensboro,  Durham  and  Morganton  Districts. 
During  this  long  service  as  presiding  elder  a  number  of 
new  churches  were  built,  and  many  old  ones  were  re- 
modelled. 

He  pastored  at  Greensboro,  N.  C,  where  he  built 
the  present  brick  church,  during  the  panic  in  1893,  which 
caused  the  entire  community  to  marvel.  He  pastored 
four  years  at  St.  Joseph  Church,  Durham,  N.  C,  and 
remodeled  the  church.  He  was  a  member  of  the  general 


REV.  C.  H.  KING,  DD. 


conferences  in  1888,  1892,  1896  and  19 12.  He  has  been 
a  trustee  of  Kittrell  College  for  over  twenty-five  years. 
Kittrell  conferred  the  degree  of  D.D.  upon  him  in"i90i. 
Dr.  King  is  one  of  the  leading  officers  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  St.  Luke,  having  served  the  Order  in  the  ca- 
pacity of  Right  Worthy  Grand  Chief,  and  is  now  a  mem- 
ber of  its  executive  board. 

In  1907  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  World's 
Sunday  school  Convention,  Rome,  Italy,  by  the  National 
Sunday  school  Convention.  He  was  the  only  member  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  who  was  elected  and  was  present  at 
this  great  gathering  of  Sunday  school  workers  from  all 
parts  of  the  world.  During  Dr.  King's  trip  abroad  he 
visited  Italy,  Switzerland,  France,  England  and  Ireland, 
and  other  countries  of  the  Old  World,  being  cordially 
received  everywhere.  In  1887  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Ella  M.  Pope,  the  ceremony  being  performed  by  Rev. 
(now  bishop)  J.  S.  Flipper. 


10 


145 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


ACEY,  REV.  WILLIAM,  was  born  in 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  October  7,  1869. 
He  attended  several  schools  in  his 
native  city.  At  the  early  age  of  12 
he  went  with  his  parents  to  Topeka, 
Kans.,  where  he  continued  his  school- 
ing until  he  had  spent  a  year  in  high 
school,  then  worked  a  year  and  sav- 
ed money  with  which  to  go  to  college.  He  completed 
the  normal  course  in  Clark  University,  Atlanta,  Ga., 
pursued  the  classical-  course  and  graduated  in  theol- 
ogy- from  Gammon  Theological  Seminary  in  May,  1895. 
He  was  converted  when  sixteen  years  of  age  under  Evan- 
gelist Fields,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  F.  Peck,  in 
1886,  in  Topeka,  Kans.  While  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  he  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  Big  Bethel  Church,  under  Rev.  L. 
Thomas,  pastor,  and  R.  A.  Hall,  presiding  elder,  in  1892, 
and  admitted  to  the  North  Georgia  Conference  the  fol- 
lowing year,  after  he  had  pastored  several  months.  His 
second  charge  was  Moor's  Mill,  some  ten  miles  below 


first  amount  ever  paid  on  the  principal.  The  church  was 
renovated  and  beautified  inside  and  outside ;  side-walk 
put  in  by  himself ;  new  lights,  etc.  Sickness  and  death 
entered  his  family  during  the  year  of  his  Chatham  pastor- 
ate. He  was  then  transferred  to  New  England  Confer- 
ence, and  stationed  at  New  Haven,  where  he  has  been 
three  years.  Here  he  has  beautified  the  church/;  put  in 
new  lights ;  added  quite  a  few  members,  and  is  arranging 
to  complete  the  church.  He  is  also  taking  a  course  in  the 
Yale  School  of  Religion.  Dr.  Lacey  received  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Morris  Brown  College  in 
1904. 

Lampton,  Bishop  Edward  Wilkinson,  thirty-first 
bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  at  Hopkinsville, 
Ky.,  October  21,  1857,  the  son  of  Albert  R.  Lampton, 
who  lived  at  Bowling  Green,  Ky.,  for  some  time  before 
moving  to  Miliken's  Bend,  La.  Bishop  Lampton  was 
converted  September  18,  1874.  He  was  admitted  into 
the  conference  in  1886;  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Ward 
in  1886;  and  ordained  elder  by  the  same  bishop  in  1888. 
He  was  a  delegate  to  every  general  conference  from  18921 
to  1908.     Upon  the  death  of  Dr.  P.  A.  Hubbard,  Rev. 


REV.  WILLIAM  H.  LACEY,  D.D. 

South. Atlanta,  and  from  which  he  usually  walked.  He 
declined  to  take  another  charge  till  he  had  finished  col- 
lege, but  taught  school  during  the  vacation  and  one  month 
during  the  winter.  In  December,  1895,  he  was  chosen 
president  of  the  Wayman  Institute,  at  Harrodsburg,  Ky., 
and  served  two  years.  He  resigned  the  presidency  to  ac- 
cept mission  work  in  the  Sommer's  Islands,  where  he 
spent  five  years,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Ada  A.  Parker, 
the  eldest  daughter  of  John  James  Parker,  who  published 
"The  People's  Journal,"  of  Hamilton,  Bermuda.  The 
great  debt  for  erecting  the  new  church  at  Southampton 
was  nearly  cleared ;  a  lot  purchased  and  nearly  enough 
stone  cut  and  paid  for  with  which  to  build  a  new  church 
at  Somerset,  Sandy's  Parish. 

On  returning  to  America  he  entered  the  New  York 
Conference  and  was  stationed  at  Olean.  He  subsequently 
i- a  stored  at  Glen  Cove,  Flushing,  Brooklyn  and  Chat- 
ham, N.  Y.  In  Glen  Cove  he  improved  the  church  and 
parsonage  ;  paid  off  the  standing  debt.  At  Flushing  he 
put  in  new  pews ;  paid  for  the  same ;  painted  the  church, 
and  did  much  carpentry  work  himself.  In  Brooklyn  he 
paid  $200.00  on  the  mortgage  of  Bethel,  which  was  the 


BISHOP  E.  W.  LAMPTON. 

Lampton  was  made  financial  secretary  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  His  secular  education  was  acquired  at  Bowling 
Green,  Ky.  He  received  D.D.  from  Shorter  College,  and 
LL.D.  from  Alcorn  State  College,  Miss.  His  works, 
"Analysis  on  Baptism"  and  "Digest  and  Decisions  of  the 
Bishops  of  A.  M.  E.  Church,"  have  had  a  wide  circula- 
tion. 

Elected  bishop,  May,  1908,  Norfolk,  Va.,  and  as- 
signed to  the  Eighth  Episcopal  District,  comprising  Mis- 
sissippi and  Louisiana.  He  died  in  1910  in  Michigan, 
and  is  buried  in  Mississippi.  He  was  Grand  Master  of 
the  Masons  of  Mississippi  for  many  years.  He  was 
twice  married  and  had  four  daughters.  When  he  died  he 
was  rated  very  high  financially. 

Lawrence,  Theodore   Houston,   son   of  Peter  W. 

and  Harriet  Lawrence,  was  born  in  N.  Y.  City,  N.  Y., 
December  27th,  1889;  he  grew  up  in  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Sunday  school,  his  parents  being  members  of  that 
church,  and  was  converted  in  1877.  He  entered  the 
public   school  of  New  York  at  the  age  of  9  years, 


146 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<5° 


graduated  at  the  age  of  17,  and  entered  the  College 
of  the  City  of  New  York,  remaining  three  years ;  stud- 
ied medicine  two  years  under  Dr.  William  M.  Live- 
ley,  of  New  York ;  then  began  in  Salem  county,  N. 
J.,  a  successful  career  as  a  public  school  teacher  for 
twenty  years,  teaching  during  this  time  at  Fenwick, 
N.  J. ;  Yorktown,  N.  J. ;  at  Hendon  Hill,  Md. ;  Belair, 
Md. ;  Freehold,  N.  J.;  Havre  de  Grace,  Md. ;  Ellicott 
City,  Md. ;  Frederick,  Md.  While  teaching  in  Ellicott 
City  in  1897  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  L.  M. 
Beckett.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Baltimore  confer- 
ence at  Cambridge,  Md.,  in  1898,  and  received  his  first 
appointment  from  Bishop  James  A.  Handy  to  St. 
Mark's  A.  M.  E.  church,  Baltimore,  in  1899.     During 


Misses  Ethel  B.,  Maud  E.  and  Peter  S.  Rev.  Law- 
rence has  successfully  pastored  the  following  charges : 
St.  Mark,  Baltimore,  1899;  West  River  Circuit,  Md., 
1900-01  ;  Crisfield,  Md.,  1902-03 ;  Elkton,  Md.,  1904- 
05;  Pottstown,  Pa.,  1906;  Elmwood,  Philadelphia, 
1907;  Shippensburg,  Pa.,  1908;  Malvern  Circuit,  Pa., 
1908-09;  Amityville,  N.  Y.,  1910-14;  Glen  Cove,  N.  Y., 
1915-16. 

Laws,  William  Joseph,  son  of  John  and  Anna 
Laws,  both  members  of  Bethel  A.  M.  E.,  Philadel- 
phia, was  born  in  Frederica,  Delaware,  one  of  four 
children.  He  entered  school  in  1859,  receiving  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  public  schools  and  Lincoln  University, 
from  which, he  graduated.  He  received  the  degree  of 
D.D.  from  Lincoln  University  and  Guadalupe  Col- 
lege, Sequin,  Texas.  He  was  converted  in  1864  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  church ;  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1868  at  Oxford,  Pa.,  by  Rev.  Cuff;  joined  the  annual 
Conference   in   1871    at   Boston,   Mass.,   under   Bishop 


REV.  T.  H.  LAWRENCE. 

that  year  he  attended  the  theological  school  of  Mor- 
gan College.  At  the  annual  conference  sitting  in  St. 
John's  A.  M.  E.  church,  Baltimore,  he  was  ordained 
deacon  April  22nd  by  Bishop  James  A.  Handy  and  on 
May  3rd,  1903,  was  ordained  elder  in  Allen  A.  M.  E. 
church,  Baltimore,  by  Bishop  B.  F.  Lee.  During  his 
pastorate  at  Galesville,  West  River,  at  the  request  of 
the  county  superintendent  he  organized  and  taught 
the  school  at  Tracey's  Landing,  Anne  Arundel  coun- 
ty, Md.,  and  later  took  charge  of  the  school  at  Gales- 
ville. In  the  church  he  has  served  as  Sunday  school 
superintendent,  local  preacher,  steward,  district  Sun- 
day school  superintendent,  of  both  the  Hagerstown 
and  Baltimore  districts.  As  a  young  man  in  New 
York  he  was  always  active  in  literary  circles  and  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  St.  Mark's  Lyceum,  of  St. 
Mark's  M.  E.  church,  which  has  become  the  leading 
literary  organization  of  the  city;  while  pastor  at  Am- 
ityville, N.  Y.,  he  organized  Zohar  Lodge,  G.  U.  O. 
of  O.  F.  He  is  a  Master  Mason,  was  recording  sec- 
retary of  the  Philadelphia  annual  conference  two 
years  and  has  been  chief  secretary  of  the  New  York 
annual  conference  for  five  years.  In  1890  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Ophelia  Williams,  of  Freehold,  N.  J., 
who  is  one  of  the  prominent  women  of  the  Women's 
Mite  Missionary  Society,  having  been  corresponding 
secretary  of  the  New  York  conference  branch  for  five 
years.  Three  children  have  resulted  from  their  union : 

147 


REV.  WM.  J.  LAWS,  D.D. 

Campbell;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1871  in  New  York 
by  Bishop  Campbell,  and  ordained  elder  in  1872  at 
Lynn,  Mass.,  by  Bishop  Shorter.  He  has  held  the 
following  appointments :  New  Haven,  Conn.,  1873- 
75;  Lynn,  Mass.,  1871-72;  Providence,  R.  I.,  1875-77; 
New  Bedford,  Mass.,  1877-79;  Albany,  1870;  Keokuk, 
Iowa,  1879-83;  Chicago,  1884-86;  Galesburg,  111., 
1887-89;  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  1890;  Des  Moines,  la., 
1891-92:  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  one  year;  Dallas,  Texas,  1894- 
98;  Corsicana,  Texas,  1899-1901 ;  Austin,  Texas,  1902- 
03 ;  president  of  Paul  Quinn  College,  five  years ;  P.  E. 
Beaumont  district,  two  years ;  pastor  Beaumont,  Tex- 
as, one  year,  and  San  Antonio,  Texas,  two  years.  He 
remodeled  churches  at  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  $2000  in 
1878;  New  Haven,  Conn.,  $3000  in  1874;  Galesburg, 
111.,  $2500  in  1884.  and  Dallas,  Texas,  $3800  in  1894. 
He  lifted  mortgages  on  Bethel  church,  Providence,  R. 
I.,  to  the  amount  of  $1500  in  1876,  and  on  St.  Paul,  at 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  to  the  amount  of  $1000  in  1890. 
He  has  taken  5000  into  the  church  and  baptized  2500. 
He  was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  at  St. 
Louis,   Indianapolis,   Norfolk,   Chicago  and   Philadel- 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


m 


phia  (1916)  ;  was  a  member  of  the  financial  board  in 
1888;  was  voted  for  for  the  Bishopric  at  Norfolk  and 
Kansas  City.  His  wife  is  Mrs.  Marguerite  Amelia 
Laws,  who  was  born  in  New  York  in  1871.  He  has 
contributed  to  the  church  and  secular  press,  and  made 
many  addresses  on  different  occasions.  He  is  con- 
nected with  the  F.  and  A.  M.  and  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F. 
and  has  held  important  offices  in  each ;  is  Republican, 
and  has  been  interested  in  all  movements  for  social 
and  religious  improvement  wherever  his  lot  has  been 
cast. 

Lawyer,  Rev.  Cornelius  Broughton,  was  born 
May  9,  1882,  at  Lorenzen,  Sharkey  County,  Mississippi. 
His  parents,  who  had  four  other  children,  were  both 
members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Cornelius  entered  school  in  1888,  attending  fifteen 
years  in  all.  He  wis  graduated  from  Lampton  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  Campbell  College,  Jackson,  Miss.,  and 
from  the  English  and  Normal  Department  of  Alcorn  H. 
and  M.  College,  Alcorn,  Miss.  Besides  this  he  took  a 
post  English  and  Normal  course  at  Campbell  College. 

Converted  in  1892,  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
the  same  year.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  steward,  trus- 
tee, class  leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school 


REV.  CORNELIUS  BROUGHTON  LAWYER,  D.D 

teacher,  Sunday  school  secretary  and  district  Sunday 
school  superintendent.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1901,  at  Rolling  Fork,  Miss.,  by  Rev.  W.  F.  Dangerfield. 
In  1905  Bishop  Salter  ordained  him  deacon,  at  Leland, 
Miss.,  and  in  1910  Bishop  Turner  ordained  him  elder  at 
Hollandale,  Miss.  He  joined  the  annual  conference  in 
1903  at  Jackson,  Miss.,  under  Bishop  Tyree. 

Rev.  Lawyer  has  held  the  following  appointments  in 
Mississippi:  Edwards  Mission,  St.  James,  Indianola 
Station,  and  Leland  Station,  where  he  is  serving  his 
fourth  year.  He  built  Bekingham  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at 
Edwards,  Miss.,  at  a  cost  of  $ioo:  remodeled  Bryant, 
Indianola,  at  a  cost  of  $3,000 ;  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $100 
on  St.  James,  Vicksburg;  a  mortgage  of  $700  on  Bryant 
Chapel,  Indianola,  and  a  mortgage  of  $900  on  St.  James, 
Leland,  Miss.    He  has  received  into  the  church  250  per- 

148 


sons,  has  baptized  100  and  married  100.  He  has  been 
secretary  of  the  Central  Mississippi  Conference  since 
1 912;  was  delegate  to  the  Young  People's  Congress,  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  in  1914,  and  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial 
General  Conference  in  191 6. 

His  wife  is  Mrs.  Susie  E.  Lawyer,  to  whom  he  was 
married  December  31,  1912.  He  has  contributed  to  many 
newspapers,  edited  the  "Leland  Bee,"  "Jackson  Record," 
and  "Theological  Journal,"  and  written  a  pamphlet  "The 
Aim  and  Object  of  the  Sunday  school."  He  wrote  the 
class  song  for  Campbell  College  in  1910;  delivered  the 
commencement  oration  at  Greenwood  Academy,  and 
preached  the  annual  sermon  at  Campbell  College.  He 
manages  a  100-acre  farm  of  his  father's  estate. 

Leak,  Rev.  R.  H.  W.,  former  business  manager 
of  Book  Concern,  was  born  in  Richmond,  N.  C,  about 
1842.  He  was  the  son  of  Richmond  and  Hannah  Leak. 
He  received  no  other  training  except  in  the  Sunday 
school  and  is  largely  self-made,  so  far  as  education  goes. 
He  was  always  a  hard  student.  He  was  converted  in 
1862,  was  licensed  to  preach  in  Wilmington,  N.  C,  April 
10,  1868;  was  received  into  the  itinerancy  in  1874.  He 
was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Campbell  and  ordained 
elder  by  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown.  He  held  the  following 
charges :  Kenansville,  Magnolia  Circuit,  Scott's  Hill  Cir- 
cuit, Kinston  Station  and  was  presiding  elder  of  the  Mor- 
ganton  District  and  Raleigh  Station,  and  other  import- 
ant points.  He  was  a  delegate  to  every  general  confer- 
ence since  1884,  and  in  1900  he  was  elected  general  busi- 
ness manager  of  the  Book  Concern.  He  is  now  presiding 
elder  in  the  Western  North  Carolina  Conference. 

Lebala,  John  Metiro  Pangone,  presiding  elder, 
prince  of  the  Matseke  Tribe,  was  born  in  1863  at  Hut- 
wene,  Kraal,  Spelonken,  Zoutpansburg,  District 
Transvaal,  South  Africa,  and  converted  July,  1887, 
in  the  Wesleyan  church,  Pretoria.  He  was  first  stew- 
ard and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  of  the 
Ethiopian  church,  founded  by  Rev.  Mangena  Make 
Mokone  in  November,  1892,  at  Pretoria,  Transvaal, 
South  Africa,  which  church  was  amalgamated  with 
the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  1896;  or- 
dained deacon  by  Bishop  Turner  April  8,  1898,  at  Pre- 
toria ;  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Coppin  February  27, 
1903,  at  Bruhgersdorp,  and  appointed  presiding  elder 
of  the  Pretoria  District  by  the  Bishop  Johnson  No- 
vember 10.  1910.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Trustee 
Board  of  the  Wilberforce  institution,  Evaton,  Trans- 
vaal, and  is  ministerial  book  steward  of  the  Transvaal 
and  Natal  Annual  Conferences.  He  was  a  delegate  to 
the  Centennial  General  Conference  May,  1916,  held 
in  Philadelphia.  Pa.,  and  while  in  United  States  of 
America  he  visited  many  places  of  interest,  and  was 
well  received  by  the  people. 

Lee,  Benjamin  Franklin,  twentieth  bishop  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  September  18,  1841,  near 
Bridgeton,  N.  J.  He  studied  at  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity, graduating  A.B.,  in  1872.  He  was  converted  in 
1865,  at  Wilberforce,  licensed  in  1868,  at  Xenia,  Ohio, 
by  Rev.  J.  P.  Underwood,  ordained  deacon  in  1870  and 
elder  in  1872.  He  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Ashe,  a 
graduate  of  Wilberforce,  December  30,  1872.  He 
taught  in  his  Alma  Mater  as  professor  of  homiletics, 
etc.,  1873  to  1875.    In  1876  he  succeeded  Bishop  Payne 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


3° 


as  president  of  Wilberforce,  remaining  in  this  position 
until  1883,  when  he  was  elected  editor  of  the  "Chris- 
tian Recorder,"  which  he  served  until  1892,  when  he 
was  elected  bishop  at  the  general  conference  in  Phila- 


BISHOP  E.  F.  LEE,  D.D.,  LL.D. 


Lee,  Israel  S.,  son  of  Charles  and  Ellen  Lee,  both 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  was  born  in 
Walterboro,  Colleton  County,  S.  C,  September  26, 
1852,  one  of  seven  children.  He  did  not  begin  to  at- 
tend school  until  he  was  12  years  of  age.  He  attend- 
ed Howard  University.  He  was  converted  at  20  years 
of  age  and  joined  the  Presbyterian  church  in  that 
year.  He  later  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1876  in  Fairfield,  S.  C,  by  Rev. 
Hiram  Young;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1882  in  St. 
Matthews,  S.  C,  and  elder  in  1884,  both  by  Bishop 
Dickerson.  He  joined  the  annual  conference  at  Co- 
lumbia, S.  C,  in  1878  under  Bishop  John  M.  Brown. 
He  has  built  several  churches,  taken  about  2500  people 
into  the  church ;  baptized  about  500  persons.  Has 
been  a  delegate  to  general  conferences  of  1884,  1888, 
1892  and  1896,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Mission- 
ary Board,  as  well  as  serving  as  a  trustee  of  both  Al- 
len and  Wilberforce  Universities.  He  has  represent- 
ed the  church  as  fraternal  delegate  to  the  M.  E. 
church,  and  member  of  the  commission  appointed  for 
organic  union  of  colored  Methodists.  He  married 
Miss  Harriet  A.  Duffield  in  1881.  Six  children  have 
blessed  their  union.  Wilberforce  University  confer- 
red the  degree  of  D.D.  upon  him. 


delphia.  He  has  served  over  the  tenth  Episcopal  dis- 
trict, the  third,  the  twelfth,  the  seventh,  the  second, 
the  fourth,  and  is  now  Bishop  of  Alabama  and  Ten- 
nessee, the  ninth  district.  Upon  the  death  of  Bishop 
Arnett,  1906,  he  was  elected  secretary  of  the  Bishops' 
Council,  and  served  till  the  death  of  Bishop  Turner, 


Lee,  Mrs.  Harriet  A.  (Duffield),  was  born  at 
Martin's  Ferry,  Ohio,  and  was  educated  in  Oberlin, 
Ohio,  and  Washington,  D.  C.  ■  She  is  the  daughter  of 
Major  and  Mrs.  Milton  B.  Duffield,  her  father  having 
served  under  Gen.  Freemont,  and  her  mother  being 
among  the  first  graduates  of  Oberlin.     She  married 


MRS.  MARY  E.  LEE 


MRS.  I.  S.  LEE. 


1915,  when  he  became  senior  bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  He  is  the  author  of  "Wesley,  the  Worker" 
and  "Causes  of  Success  of  Methodism."  He  lives  in 
his  home  at  Wilberforce  University.  Of  his  children, 
B.  F.  Lee,  Jr.,  is  a  teacher  in  the  high  school  at  Galli- 
polis,  Ohio ;  Addie  for  a  long  time  taught  Latin  and 
French  in  Wilberforce,  and  is  now  Mrs.  S.  W. 
Thomas,  wife  of  Professor  Thomas,  of  Payne  Semin- 
ary ;  Sarah  is  a  teacher  in  Kansas  City. 


Rev.  I.  S.  Lee  in  1881  and  is  the  joyful  mother  of  six 
sons  and  daughters.  Mrs.  Lee  has  faithfully  assisted 
her  husband  in  every  department  of  his  church  work 
and  has  been  active  in  club  work,  having  had  the 
honor  of  organizing  and  becoming  the  president  of 
the  first  Woman's  Suffrage  Club  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
having  been  sent  as  delegate  to  the  national  conven- 
tion. She  is  at  present  librarian  of  the  Colored  School 
Department  of  the  City  Library,  of  Memphis,  Tenn. 


149 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


& 


Lewis,  W.  Benjamin,  was  born  in  Louisiana,  Oc- 
tober 25,  1856;  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Conference  in  1891, 
in  Greenville,  Miss.,  under  Bishop  Tanner;  has  pas- 
tored  most  of  the  larger  charges  of  the  North  Missis- 
sippi and  East  Mississippi  Conferences  ;  was  appointed 


REV.  W.  B.  LEWIS. 

presiding  elder  by  Bishop  Derrick,  in  1899,  at  Gren- 
ada, Miss.;  assigned  by  Bishop  Conner  in  1914  to  St. 
Matthew's  Church,  Greenville;  at  present  pastor  of 
Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Mound  Bayou,  Miss. 

Lewis,  Rev.  Jeremiah,  was  born  a  slave,  February 
nth,  181 1,  in  Caroline  county,  Virginia,  his  parents  be- 
longing to  Judge  Pendleton,  of  that  county.  When  the 
judge  died  all  his  slaves  fell  into  the  hands  of  his  broth- 
ers and  sisters.  He  lived  in  Virginia  until  1825,  when  he 
was  sold  to  a  slave  trader,  who  took  him  to  Alabama, 
where  he  was  sold  to  one  Mr.  Leach.  Soon  afterwards 
Mr.  Leach  became  a  Christian,  and  believing  that  slavery 
was  wrong,  freed  all  of  his  slaves  and  removed  to  Indi- 
ana. Though  his  master  had  given  him  his  freedom,  yet 
he  had  to  pay  him  $400.  He  remained  in  Alabama  two 
years  when  he,  too,  went  to  Indiana,  but  he  found  that 
all  was  still  dark  and  gloomy — freedom  was  not  all  that 
he  thought  it  was,  but  he  never  gave  up  hope.  In  the 
year  1833  he  became  a  Christian  and  united  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  ;  in  1836  he  moved  to  Ox- 
ford, Ohio,  where  the  greater  part  of  his  life  was  spent. 
Here  he  joined  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
which  was  organized  by  Robert  Johnson,  of  Hillsboro, 
in  1842.  In  speaking  of  this  organization  he  once  said 
that  he  never  felt  as  much  like  a  man  as  he  did  there. 
In  1847  'le  heard  the  call  to  preach  and  was  licensed  to 
exhort.  In  1849  he  entered  the  itinerant  service  and  la- 
bored for  the  Master  until  1881.  He  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  African  Methodism  in  the  middle  west,  go- 
ing from  place  to  place  in  all  kinds  of  weather,  on  horse- 
back or  by  stage,  preaching  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Jesus  Christ.  He  first  served  in  the  Indiana  Conference 
and  afterwards  the  Ohio  Conference.  He  served  ac- 
ceptably churches  in  Urbana,  Bellefontaine,  Xenia 
(where  he  built  a  new  church),  Walnut  Hills,  Jonesville, 


Oxford,  Hamilton,  Cambridge,  New  Richmond,  Troy, 
Piqua,  in  Ohio,  and  Brownsville,  Washington,  Pitts- 
burgh and  Uniontown,  in  Pennsylvania.  At  one  of  his 
revivals  in  Brownsville,  the  late  Bishop  Arnett  was  con- 
verted. Many  were  the  souls  that  were  added  to  the 
church  during  his  ministerial  service.  He  was  no  elo- 
quent speaker,  but  a  plain  preacher  of  the  gospel,  preach- 
ing it  in  its  simplicity  and  purity.  He  was  well  liked  by 
his  brethren  and  counted  among  his  friends,  Bishops 
Nazrey,  Paul  Quinn,  Payne  and  Shorter,  Revs.  Under- 
wood, Johnson,  Tolliver  and  many  others.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  general  conferences  of  1856  and  1892. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  trustee  of  Wilberforce 


REV.  JEREMIAH  LEWIS. 

University.  He  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was 
Elizabeth  Shores,  of  Hanover,  Md.  Of  this  union  there 
were  three  girls,  only  one  of  whom  reached  the  age  of 
maturity.  Two  of  her  children  are  living  in  Indianapolis, 
Md.  In  1857  he  married  Mary  C.  King,  of  Brownsville, 
Penn.,  who  survived  him  thirteen  years.  Of  this  union 
there  were  three  children,  two  daughters  and  a  son,  all 
of  whom  are  living  today.  They  are  Mrs.  A.  L.  Ander- 
son, wife  of  Dr.  H.  P.  Anderson,  of  the  New  Jersey  Con- 
ference ;  Miss  Flattie  F.  Lewis  and  Prof.  G.  S.  Lewis,  a 
teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Birmingham,'  Ala.  He 
died  in  February,  1895,  at  84  years  of  age.  For  several 
years  before  his  death  he  was  blind,  but  bore  his  afflic- 
tion with  patience,  and  without  complaint. 

Lewis,  Theodore  Wright,  the  son  of  Isum  and  Delia 
Lewis,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
born  March  5,  1853,  in  Iroquois  County,  Illinois.  He 
was  one  of  eleven  children.  He  entered  school  at  the 
age  of  7  years  and  remained  for  7  or  8  years.  He  was 
converted  at  the  age  of  twenty.  He  has  held  several 
offices  in  the  church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  1886 
at  Great  Bend,  Kansas,  by  Rev.  B.  F.  Watson.  He 
was  ordained  deacon  in  1886  at  Great  Bend  by  Rev. 
B.  F.  Watson  and  ordained  elder  in  1891  at  Chicago, 
111.,  by  Bishop  Brown.  He  joined  the  Annual  Con- 
ference 1887  at  Emporia,  Kansas,  under  Bishop  Brown. 
He  held  the  following  appointments:  Great  Bend, 
1886;  Arkansas  City,  Kansas,  1887;  Olathe,  Kansas, 


150 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


1888;  Albia,  la.,  1891  ;  Washington,  la.,  1892;  Mt. 
Pleasant,  la.,  1893-94;  Oskaloosa,  la.,  1895;  Princeton, 
111.,  1896;  Newton,  la.,  1897;  Monmouth,  111.,  1898-99; 
Milwaukee,  Wis.,  1900-01;  Keokuk,  la.,  1902-06;  Mo- 
line,  111.,  .1907-09;  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  1910-12;  P.  E. 
St.  Paul  District,  1913-14;  Davenport,  la.,  1915. 

He  built  a  parsonage  at  Arkansas  City.    He  lifted 


REV.  THEODORE  W.  LEWIS. 

mortgages  on  Arkansas  City  $175  in  1887;  Albia,  la., 
$75  in  1891 ;  Monmouth,  $110  in  1898. 

He  married  Anna  Lewis  September  20,  1903.  He 
was  editor  of  a  local  church  paper.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  F.  and  A.  M.  and  Mystic  Shrine.  He  has  held 
offices  in  them.    He  is  a  property  owner. 


Lindsay,  Rev.  James  A.,  is  a  South  Carolinian  by 
birth,  and  spent  his  boyhood  days  on  the  farm  in 
Union  County.  His  parents  were  humble  Christian 
people,  who  put  God  above  everything  else.  He  was 
converted  and  joined  Ebenezer  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in 
his  native  state,  September,  1878,  during  the  "big 
camp-meeting''  conducted  by  Rev.  George  Dardis  and 
I.  S.  Grant — both  powerful  preachers  in  their  day.  He 
began  school  at  the  age  of  six,  under  the  instruction  of 
Joseph  Bailey,  who  prophesied  a  great  future  for 
"Jim"  who  always  stood  "head  of  his  class."  The  in- 
structions received  from  the  public  schools  simply 
sharpened  his  educational  appetite  for  more,  so  he  de- 
cided to  go  up  higher.  Realizing  that  his  qualification 
was  not  sufficient  to  meet  the  demands  of  his  aspira- 
tions he  entered  Clark  University,  and  while  there 
pursued  also  the  course  of  theology  in  Gammon  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  graduating  from  the  latter  in  June, 
1888. 

He  taught  school  ten  years  in  South  Carolina  and 
Georgia,  and  refers  with  great  pride  and  delight  to  his 
labors  at  Etta  Jane  and  Lawn,  South  Carolina ;  Ben 
Hill,  Woodbury,  and  Hampton,  in  Georgia. 

He  was  admitted  to  the  North  Georgia  Confer- 
ence, at  Dalton,  Ga.,  November,  188S,  under  Bishop 
W.  J.  Gaines ;  ordained  deacon  under  the  missionary 
rule,  and  assigned  to  the  Jonesboro  Circuit,  where  he 


labored  successfully  for  three  years.  He  bought  the 
lot  and  erected  a  new  church  at  Hampton,  renovating 
the  churches  at  Love  Joy  and  Jonesboro  during  his 
three  years  pastorate  on  the  circuit.  In  November, 
1891,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Pearl  Slade,  who  has 
been  a  great  power  for  good  in  his  ministerial  career. 
His  four  years  pastorate  at  Monticello  and  Shady 
Dale  were  crowned  with  success,  two  hundred  and 
thirty-five  members  were  added  to  the  church,  and  a 
mortgage  debt  of  $1400  on  the  new  brick  church  in 
Monticello  was  paid  during  his  administration.  He 
went  from  Monticello  to  Griffin,  Ga.,  where  he  erected 
a  neat,  six-room  parsonage,  paying  for  it  in  full,  and 
greatly  strengthened  African  Methodism  in  that  city. 
He  was  presiding  elder  eight  years,  having  jurisdic- 
tion over  the  Marietta  and  Macon  Districts  in  the 
state  of  Georgia.    He  was  chief  secretary  of  the  North 


REV.  J.  A.  LINDSAY,  D.D. 

Georgia  Conference,  trustee  and  member  of  the  Ex- 
ecutive Board,  Morris  Brown  College,  for  many  years. 
In  1902  he  was  elected  dean  in  Morris  Brown  College, 
but  declined  the  honor,  preferring  to  remain  in  his  fa- 
vorite work — the  pastorate.  His  four  years'  stay  at 
St.  Philip's,  West  Broad  and  Charles  streets,  Savan- 
nah, Ga.,  was  the  most  successful  in  his  career  up  to 
this  time.  Great  revivals  crowned  his  labors  at  St. 
Philip's.  On  Easter  morning,  1908,  more  than  one 
hundred  converts  were  baptized  and  added  to  the 
church.  During  his  pastorate  at  St.  Philip's  he  broke 
the  financial  record  in  the  state  by  raising  three  thou- 
sand dollars  in  one  day.  He  also  had  wonderful  suc- 
cess at  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Augusta,  Ga. 

Since  leaving  school  Rev.  Lindsay  has  taken  spe- 
cial courses  in  French,  Greek,  Hebrew,  literature  and 
philosophy.  He  is  a  printer  by  trade.  He  contributes 
from  time  to  time  to  several  papers. 

He  has  been  a  delegate  to  every  general  conference 
since  1896.  He  is  at  present  the  recording  secretary  of 
the  Board  of  Missions,  New  York  City.  He  received 
his  honorary  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity  from  Paul 
Quinn  College  and  Payne  Theological  Seminary,  Wil- 
berforce  University.  After  five  years  pastorate  of 
Avery  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  he 


151 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


S 


was  appointed,  November,  191 5,  as  pastor  of  St.  John's 
Church,  Birmingham,  Ala.,  where  he  is  having  his 
usual  success. 

Link,  John  Lewis,  the  son  of  Stephen  and  Susan 
Link,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
born  in  1884  in  Milton,  N.  C,  one  of  nine  children. 
He  entered  school  in  1889.  He  graduated  from  Kit- 
trell  College  and  Lincoln  University.  He  received 
from  the  latter  institutuion  the  degrees  of  A.B.,  S.T.B. 


REV.  JOHN  LEWIS  LINK. 

and  A.M.  He  was  converted  in  1902  and  joined  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1903.  He  has  held  the  following 
offices :  Steward,  Trustee,  Class  Leader,  Local  Preach- 
er and  Sunday  School  Teacher.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  in  1910  at  Oxford,  Pa.,  by  Rev.  F.  T.  M.  Web- 
ster, joined  the  Philadelphia  Annual  Conference  in 
1912,  at  Chester,  Pa.,  was  ordained  deacon  at  Wilming- 
ton, Del.,  in  1913  by  Bishop  Tyree,  and  ordained  elder 
at  Dover,  Del.,  in  1915  by  Bishop  Evans  Tyree.  He 
has  held  appointments  at  Shippensburg,  Pa.,  1913-14, 
and  Downingtown,  Pa.,   1914-15. 

Logan,  Lee  Andrew,  son  of  James  and  Adelina 
Logan,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
born  1877  at  Spartansburg,  S.  C.  He  was  one  of  14 
children.  He  received  his  education  in  the  graded 
schools  of  Spartansburg  and  Allen  University,  from 
which  he  graduated  and  received  degree  of  B.D.  He 
was  converted  in  1900  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
serving  as  class  leader,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school 
teacber  and  superintendent.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  in  1903  at  Spartansburg  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Clark 
and  joined  the  Columbia  annual  conference  the  same 
year  at  Newberry,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  Gaines;  was 
ordained  deacon  in  1906  at  Winnsboro,  S.  C,  by  Bish- 
op Coppin,  and  elder  in  1908  at  Abbeville,  S.  C,  by 
Bishop  Lee.  He  has  held  the  following  appointments, 
all    in    the    Columbia    conference:      Johnston,    Miss.; 


at  Bookman,  S.  C,  in  191 1.  He  was  the  leader  of  the 
Columbia  annual  conference  delegation  to  the  general 
conference  of  1916.  He  is  secretary  of  his  conference. 
He  was  married  to  his  wife,  Mrs.  Lois  Ethel  Logan, 


REV.  LEE  A.  LOGAN,  B.D. 

of  Ridgcway,  S.  C,  January  16,  1906.  He  has  con- 
tributed to  the  several  Recorders  and  is  editor  of  the 
Southern  Monitor  and  is  a  home  owner.  He  is  con- 
nected with  the  K.  of  P.  and  has  been  prelate  of  the 
same. 

Lomax,  John  Thomas,  son  of  Thomas  and  Char- 
lotte Lomax,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  church, 
was  born  in  1872  at  Abbeville  County,  S.  C,  one  of 
two  children  ;  attended  school  at  Sterling  College  and 


REV.  J.  T.  LOMAX,  D.D. 


Hopkins,  Leesville,  Hyatt  Park,  Carlisle  Ct.,  Taylor  Allen  University.  He  was  converted  in  1888  and  join- 
Chapel  Circuit,  Shiloh  Circuit,  Antioch  Station  and  cd  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  ;  held  many  offices  in  the  lo- 
presiding  elder  of  the  Winnsboro  District.  He  built  cal  church;  was  licensed  to  preach  1891  by  Rev.  Will- 
a  church  at  Leesville,  S.  C,  in  1908  and  Cedar  Creek  iam  Thomas;  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1899  at 

152 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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Columbia,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  Grant ;  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1901  at  Newberry,  S.  C,  and  elder  in  1903 
at  Greenville,  S.  C,  both  by  Bishop  Gaines ;  held  the 
following  appointments :  Seneca  City,  Greenville  Cir- 
cuit, Wood  Ruff,  St.  Pave  Ct.,  Edgefield  Station,  San- 
dy Run  Circuit,  Salada  Circuit,  Mt.  Pisgah  Station. 
He  built  a  church  at  Wood  Ruff  at  a  cost  of  $800.  He 
lifted  a  mortgage  of  $1200  on  Mt.  Pisgah  at  Sumter, 
S.  C,  in  1912.  He  has  taken  969  members  into  the 
church  and  baptized  468 ;  was  delegate  to  the  general 
conference  of  1916.  He  is  now  presiding  elder  of  the 
Manning  District.  His  wife  is  Mrs.  Minnie  Lomax, 
of  Abbeville,  S.  C.  He  owns  several  pieces  of  real 
.'State  and  is  held  in  high  esteem. 

Lowe,  J.  I.,  the  son  of  Mathew  and  Deborah  Lowe, 
both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in 
the  Bahama  Islands.  He  was  one  of  twelve  children. 
He  entered  school  in  1856  and  attended  in  all  about 
seven  years.  He  graduated  from  the  Bahama  High 
School  at  Harbour  Island,  Bahama.  He  was  convert- 
ed in  1859  and  joined  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church. 
He  was  in  the  local  church :  steward,  trustee,  class 
leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher  and  Sunday  school 
teacher. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1871  at  Key  West, 
Fla.,  by  Rev.  T.  W.  Long.  He  joined  the  Conference 
in  1872  at  Gainesville,  Fla.,  and  was  ordained 
deacon  the  same  year  by  Bishop  T.  M.  D.  Ward  and 
ordained  elder  in  1876  at  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  by  Bishop 
T.  M.  D.  Ward. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments :  St.  Sal- 
vador, Bahamas,  1872;  Fernandina,  Fla.,  1876;  Vicks- 


,      .REV.  JACOB  ISRAEL  LOWE,  D.D. 

burg,  Miss.,  1879;  St.  Stephen's,  St.  Louis,  1882;  Ark- 
adelphia.  Ark.,  1883;  Forest  City,  Ark.,  1885;  Mag- 
nolia, Ark.,  1887;  P.  E.  of  Arkadelphia  District,  1889; 
Arkansas  City  District,  1892;  Claredon  District,  1904; 
Forest  City  District,  1908;  elected  General  Manager 
of  Book  Concern,   1912;  built  church  at   Vicksburg, 


Miss.,  at  a  cost  of  $12,000  in  1881-83.  He  has  been 
delegate  to  all  General  Conferences  from  1880  to  1916, 
several  times  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Committee 
and  once  its  chairman.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Church  Extension  Board  for  twelve  years.  He  is  a 
power  in  debates  in  the  General  Conference. 

Luckie,  Rev.  Peter  Alpheus,  pastor  St.  Peter's  A. 
M.  E.  Church  and  principal  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Normal 
and  Industrial  Institute,  at  Georgetown,  British 
Guiana,  South  America,  was  born  forty-three  years 
ago — born  in  dire  poverty.  In  December,  1899, 
Bishop  Lee  discovered  and  sent  him  to  Wilberforce 
University,  Ohio,  where  he  remained  four  years, 
graduating  in  June,  1904,  and  returning  to  South 
America  in  July,  1904,  to  re-establish  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  The  work  here  was  started  by  Bishop  Naz- 
ery,  in  1874,  as  a  part  of  the  B.  M.  E.  Church,  which 
was  united  with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  1884.  Since 
that  period  the  Church  had  had  a  rather  precarious 
existence  till  Mr.  Luckie  returned  to  take  charge. 

In  September,  1905,  a  $3000  building  was  erected. 
In  October,  1909,  the  second  building,  costing  $2500, 
was  erected,  and  July,  1913,  the  third  one,  of  $1500, 
was  in  order.  These  buildings  are  situated  in 'the 
most  popular  and  healthful  section  of  the  city,  upon 
our  own  properties,  consisting  of  a  whole  city  block. 

But  not  only  has  the  work  made  progress  materi- 
ally, but  more  so  spiritually.  Since  Rev.  Luckie  has 
had  charge  over  800  persons  have  accepted  the  Gospel, 
partly  through  his  pulpit  work  and  partly  through  his 
faithful  assistants.  He  organized  the  Woman's  Mite 
Missionary  Society,  five  missionary  bands,  to  do  yard 
work,  a  Sunday  school  of  over  100  scholars,  a  dramatic 
club,  to  minister  to  the  social  side  of  the  young  peo- 
ple. He  also  organized  the  normal  and  industrial  in- 
stitute, and  Rankin  Theological  Seminary,  to  perpetu- 
ate our  ministry  in  South  America. 

In  1902  he  visited  Great  Hritain  and  France.  He 
saw  the  coronation  of  King  Edward.  In  1906  he  made 
a  wedding  trip  to  England,  which  was  the  present  of 
his  wife's  father.  In  191 1  he  was  in  England  again, 
when  his  Majesty,  King  George,  honored  him  with  a 
seat  in  Carlton  Gardens,  "The  Mall,"  to  view  the 
Royal  Progress  of  June  23,  191 1. 

Lynch,  James,  editor  of  the  Christian  Recorder 
1866-67,  was  born  in  Baltimore,  January  8,  1839.  Af- 
ter a  thorough  course  of  study,  joined  in  1858  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  New  York,  but  soon  after  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  conference  in  Indiana.  He  transfer- 
red to  Baltimore  and  in  May,  1863,  went  to  South 
Carolina  with  Rev.  J.  D.  S.  Hall  as  the  first  African 
Methodist  preacher  to  that  part  of  the  South.  He 
labored  at  Port  Royal,  Beaufort  and  Charleston,  S. 
C,  and  Savannah,  Ga.,  and  was  one  of  the  original 
members  of  the  first  South  Carolina  conference  in 
1865.  From  February  24,  1866,  to  June  15,  1867,  he 
was  editor  of  the  Christian  Recorder.  Later  he  was 
connected  with  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  under  Gen- 
eral Howard  in  the  State  of  Mississippi  and  in  that 
relation  became  also  active  in  politics.  He  was  elect- 
ed in  1871  Secretary. of  State  for  a  two-year  term. 
Early  in  1872  Mr.  Lynch,  by  reason  of  the  severe  strain 
of  the  political  campaign  of  1871,  manifested  symp- 
toms of  nervous  prostration  and  died  December  18, 
1872. 


153 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


jACKALL,  JAMES  OGLE,  the  son  of 

Joseph  and  Cathrine  M.  Mackall", 
both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  Prince  George's 
County,  Md.,  in  August,  1858,  one 
of  six  children.  He  entered  school  in 
1868  and  attended  about  five  years. 
He  spent  over  two  years  in  the  rural 
schools  in  Montgomery  County,  Md.,  and  received  the 
rest  of  his  education  chiefly  from  private  instructors. 
He  was  converted  in  1884  and  joined  Charles  Street 
church,  Boston,  Mass.,  the  same  year.  He  has  held 
the  offices  of  trustee,  exhorter,  local  preacher  and  su- 
perintendent of  Sunday  school.     He  was  licensed  to 


REV.  JAMES  OGLE  MACKALL. 

preach  in  1892  at  Asbury,  Chester,  by  Rev.  C.  T.  Shaf- 
fer. He  joined  the  Philadelphia  annual  conference  at 
Dover,  Del.,  in  1894,  under  Bishop  Tanner,  was  ordain- 
ed deacon  in  1896  at  Reading,  Pa.,  by  Bishop  Grant, 
ordained  elder  in  1900  at  Bethel,  Philadelphia,  by 
Bishop  Grant. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments :  Pas- 
chal!, Philadelphia,  1895-1900;  Linwood,  1900-01; 
Atglen,  1901-04;  Concord  Ct..  1904-09;  Columbia,  Pa., 
1909-12;  Phoenixville,  1912-13;  Wayne,  1913  to  date. 

He  built  an  annex  at  Concordville  at  a  cost  of 
$200  in  1907,  remodeled  church  at  Thornbury  to  the 
amount  of  $200  in  1909.  He  has  taken  about  125  peo- 
ple into  the  church.  He  married  Mrs.  Addie  Mackall, 
of  Lancaster  County,  Pa.,  November  23,  1881,  at  At- 
tleboro,  Mass.  He  has  contributed  to  the  Christian 
Recorder,  Quarterly  Review,  Voice  of  Missions  and 
Twentieth  Century  Pastor.  He  is  connected  with  the 
Masons  and  Odd  Fellows.  He  has  held  the  office  of 
W.  C.  in  Masons  and  N.  G.  and  Secretary  in  Odd  Fel- 
lows. 

He  owns  a  home  and  is  held  in  high  esteem  for 
his  sterling  manhood. 

Makel,  Mrs.  Flora  Lewis,  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  a  true  product  of  African  Methodism.  She 
was  converted  in  1892,  and  joined  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Church;  in   1895  she  became  a  member  of  the  choir. 


and  in  1897  its  leading  soprano,  which  she  has  been 
for  nineteen  years.  She  is  an  accomplished  vocalist, 
and  has  appeared  in  a  number  of  concerts  before 
large  and  cultured  audiences  of  both  races.  She  is  a 
singer  of  rare  and  exceptional  ability,  possessing  a 
voice  of  great  clearness  and  flexibility.  She  will  sing 
at  the  Centennial  General  Conference. 

She  taught  Sunday  school  in  Bethel  Church  for 
ten  years,  and  attended  the  post  office  for  the  General 


MRS.  FLORA  LEWIS  MAKEL. 


Conference  of  1892.  In  1907  she  married  Mr.  Alexan- 
der E.  Makel,  a  prominent  young  business  man  in 
Philadelphia,  and  has  been  a  partner  with  him  in  con- 
ducting a  good-sized  men's  furnishing  store.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Makel  have  three  children — Alexander,  Jr.,  aged 
8;  Marion,  aged  6,  and  Eleanor,  aged  2.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  care  of  her  family  and  the  demands  of  her 
business,  Mrs.  Makel  is  active  in  church  work  and  de- 
voted to  her  art. 


Malone,  G.  W.,  was  born  in  Butler,  Choctaw 
County,  Ala.,  in  1872,  and  was  taken  to  Mississippi 
when  only  two  years  old.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  of  Sharkey  and  Washington  Counties.  When 
only  thirteen  years  old  he  matriculated  in  Alcorn  Uni- 
versity, and  completed  the  scientific,  preparatory 
course  in  1887.  He  entered  Allen  High  School  in  1892, 
and  graduated  with  honors  the  same  year. 

He  now  began  teaching  in  the  public  schools  of 
Coahoma  County  until  the  summer  of  1892.  He  se- 
cured a  first  grade  state  license  in  1897,  having  taken 
examination  at  the  close  of  the  State  Normal  in 
Greenville,  Miss.  He  received  exemption  papers,  hav- 
ing made  three  First  Grade  State  Licenses  in  1903. 

He  entered  Walden  University  Law  School  in 
1907,  and  graduated  with  the  degree  LL.B.  in  1910.  In 
the  fall  of  1910  he  was  admitted  to  the  Mississippi  Bar, 
after  passing  a  very  rigid  examination.  He  has  prac- 
ticed continually  before  all  the  courts  of  Mississippi. 

Mr.  Malone  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  when 
only    eight   years   old.     He   grew    up    in   the    Sunday 


154 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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school  and  church  work,  and  has  filled  every  office  in 
the  Sunday  school  and  local  church  open  to  a  layman. 


HON.  G.  W.  MALONE. 

He  is  lay  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence of  1916. 

Mance,  Rev.  Robert  Weston,  was  born  September 
27,  1876,  at  Cokesbury,  S.  C.  His  father  was  Rev. 
Montgomery  Mercer  Mance,  of  the  South  Carolina 
Conference,  and  a  charter  trustee  of  Allen  University, 
Columbia,  S.  C.  His  mother  was  Charity  A.  Nash,  of 
the  well-known  Nash  family,  of  Abbeville  County, 
whose  father  was  a  prominent  political  leader  during 
and  just  after  the  Reconstruction  period  in  South 
Carolina.  This  subject  was  born  in  Cokesbury,  in  the 
old  Paine  College  building,  where  his  father  was  at- 
tending school,  and  in  which  village  he  was  the  sta- 
tion pastor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  attended  sev- 
eral private  schools  and  the  Hoge  High  School,  in 
Newberry,  S.  C,  and  Claflin  University,  Orangeburg, 
N.  C,  completing  the  college  preparatory  and  college 
courses,  and  received  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts 
from  this  last  school,  May,  1899.  He  was  principal  of 
the  Hoge  High  School,  Newberry,  S.  C,  from  1899  to 
1907,  when  he  resigned  to  serve  Bethel  Church, 
Georgetown,  S.  C. 

Rev.  Mance  was  converted  in  1889,  and  joined 
Miller  Chapel,  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  Newberry,  S.  C, 
where  he  served  as  local  preacher,  steward  and  Sun- 
day school  superintendent.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
July,  1901,  by  Rev.  Hiram  Young;  was  admitted  to 
the  Columbia  Conference  the  same  year,  at  Greenville, 
S.  C. ;  was  ordained  deacon  November  29,  1903,  at 
Newberry,  S.  C,  by  Bishop  Gaines,  and  elder  by 
Bishop  Coppin,  December  3,  1905,  and  held  the  fol- 
lowing appointments  in  the  Columbia  Conference : 
New  Miller  Mission,  Saluda,  S.  C,  1904;  Enoree  Cir- 
cuit, Jalapa,  S.  C,  k;o5  ;  St.  Paul  Circuit,  Chapin,  S.  C, 
1906-1907.  In  the  South  Carolina  Conference:  Bethel 
Station,  Georgetown,  S.  C,  1907-1909;  presiding  elder, 
Beaufort  District,  1910-1914;  Mount  Zion  Station, 
Charleston,  S.  C,  1914-16;  president  of  Allen  Univer- 
sity, Columbia,  S.  C.,  since  June,  1916. 


At  Georgetown  he  remodeled  Bethel  Church,  at 
a  cost  of  more  than  $14,000;  paid  $7000  on  the  indebt- 
edness of  the  trustees  in  less  than  one  year,  raising 
over  $1000  in  one  set  collection.  He  has  taken  400  per- 
sons into  the  church  and  baptized  150.  He  was  elected 
leader  of  the  South  Carolina  Conference  delegation  to 
the  General  Conference  of  1912,  Kansas  City,  Mo., 
and  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference 
of  1916,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Financial 
Board  since  1912.     He  has  also  served    as    trustee    of 


REV.  ROBERT  W.  MANCE. 

Allen  University  and  of  Wilberforce  University,  and 
contributed  to  all  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  many  secu- 
lar papers.  He  is  Past  Master  of  Meridian  Lodge  of 
Free  Masonry,  and  Grand  Prelate  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Knights  of  Pythias,  South  Carolina  jurisdiction. 
He  has  delivered  addresses  on  "The  Aristocracy  of 
Youth."  "The  Black  Man's  Burden,"  "Democracy  in 
America,"  "The  Standard  of  Good  Citizenship"  and 
"Our  Modernized  Church  System."  He  was  married 
in  1902,  and  is  the  father  of  two  boys  and  three  girls. 

Manning,  Rev.  Cornelius  Maxwell,  son  of  Moses 
and  Millie  Manning,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Zion  Church,  was  born  December  8,  1845,  at  Edenton, 
N.  C.  He  was  one  of  six  children.  He  began  attend- 
ing school  in  1857.  He  attended  Lincoln  University, 
Pennsylvania,  until  the  senior  year.  He  received  the 
degree  of  A.M.  and  D.D.  from  Morris  Brown  College. 
He  was  converted  in  October,  1867,  and  joined  the  A. 
M.  E.  Zion  Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  nearly 
every  local  office  in  the  church.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  in  1873,  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  by  Rev.  J.  E. 
Price ;  ordained  deacon  in  December,  1878,  at  Mont- 
gomery, Ala.,  by  Bishop  Thompson,  and  ordained 
elder  November  30,  1879,  at  Athens,  Ga.,  by  Bishop 
Thompson.  He  joined  the  Annual  Conference  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church,  in  1875,  at  Harrisburg,  Pa., 
under  Rev.  J.  J.  Moore.  He  has  held  the  following  ap- 
pointments:  Clinton  Chapel,  A.  M.  E.  Zion,  1875;  Mt. 
Zion,  A.  M.  E.  Zion,  187S-80,  and  the  following  A.  .M. 
E.  churches:  Bethel   A.   M.    E.,    1881-S2;  Rocky  Hill, 


155 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


1883;  Cartersville ;  Swidid  Ac-worth,  1887-88;  Madison, 
1889 ;  Palmetto,  1890-91  ;  Lexington,  1892-94 ;  Wash- 
ington, Ga.,  1896;  Flovillo,  1895;  Monrovia,  Liberia, 
1897-98;  Gaines  Chapel,  Savannah,  1899-1900;  presid- 
ing elder,  Hawkinsville  District,  1901 ;  Valdosta  Dis- 
trict, 1902;  St.  John's,  Columbus,  Ga.,  1903-04;  princi- 
pal of  Normal  department  A.  and  M.  College,  Normal, 
Ala.,  1905-06;  professor  homiletics,  Morris  Brown 
College,  1907-1914;  pastor  Pierce  Chapel,  191 5  to  date. 
He  built  Clinton  Chapel,  at  Frankford,  at  a  cost 
of  $1800,  in  1875  ;  Mt.  Zion,  Augusta,  Ga.,  $2000,  in 
1879-80;  Bethel,  Savannah,  Ga.,  $3000,  in  1882;  Mt. 
Zion,  Coweta  County,  at  a  cost  of  $1500,  in  1883; 
Pierce  Chapel  and  parsonage,  at  Athens,  Ga.,  $10,000, 
in  1916.  He  lifted  the  mortgage  on  Gaines  Chapel,  at 
Savannah,  $1800,  in  1899-1900.  He  has  taken  about 
3500  people  into  the  church,  and  baptized  about  3000 
people.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ences of  1892,   1896,    ic.00,    1508    and    1916.     He  was 


ed  Friendship  M.  E.  church ;  was  a  member  there  for 
11  years;  came  to  Philadelphia,  Penna.,  in  1888,  and 
joined  Mt.  Pisgah  A.  M.  E.  church  in  1889,  and  has 


REV.  C.  MAX  MANNING,  D.D. 

voted  for  the  bishopric  in  1900.  He  married  Mary 
Ann  Manning,  February  19,  1884.  They  had  four  chil- 
dren— Lorenzo,  Robert,  Louise  and  Sarah.  Two  have 
graduated,  Robert  and  Louise  (deceased).  He  has 
contributed  to  the  Christian  and  Southern  Recorders 
and  New  York  Weekly  Witness.  He  wrote  "Is  God 
Knowable"  and  "Creative  Week."  He  delivered  the 
Fmancipation  Address  in  1889  at  Madison;  1915, 
Athens;  Memorial  Day  Address  at  Marietta,  1891.  He 
owns  a  home.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masons, 
Odd  Fellows  and  Samaritans.  He  has  held  the  offices 
of  Deputy  Grand  Master  of  Masons,  Georgia ;  W.  M. 
in  Odd  Fellows.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Republican 
party.  He  attended  the  Constitutional  Convention, 
North  Carolina,  1867;  Secretary  of  the  United  States 
Legation,  Monrovia,  Liberia,  west  coast  Africa.  He 
was  Honorary  Commissioner  of  World's  Fair,  at  New 
Orleans,  1884,  and  is  actively  associated  with  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A. 

Marshall,  Cornelia,  was  born  in  Accomac  county, 
Virginia,  March  26,  1865;  converted  in  1877,  and  join- 


MRS.  CORNELIA  MARSHALL. 

served  as  stewardess,  member  of  the  Ladies'  Auxil- 
iary, and  class  leader  of  Class  "B"  of  Xo.  4,  the  first 
woman  class  leader  ever  appointed  in  Mt.  Pisgah 
church,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Martin,  Rev.  James  Glover,  was  born  in  Charles- 
ton, S.  C.  His  grandparents  were  among  the  first  to 
assist  in  forming  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  Charleston.  Robert  Scott,  whose  picture 
now  hangs  in  Emmanuel  Church,  is  his  uncle.  In  1883 


REV.  JAMES  GLOVER  MARTIN. 

he  became  a  member  of  Emmanuel  Church,  Charles- 
ton, under  Dr.  L.  R.  Nichols.  Fie  was  licensed  to 
preach  by  Dr.  Paul  H.  Johnson,  at  Emmanuel  Church. 
From  Charleston  he  went  to  Allen  University,  in  1894, 
and  graduated  in   18S7.     In  the  fall  of  1887    he  en- 


156 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


tered  Howard  University,  Washington,  D.  C.  He  was 
appointed  chaplain  of  the  Freedman  Hospital,  in  the 
city  of  Washington,  and  remained  there  three  years. 
Joined  the  Baltimore  Conference,  under  Bishop  Camp- 
bell, and  served  his  first  appointment  at  West  River 
Circuit,  in  1890.  He  was  ordained  deacon  at  Trinity 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Baltimore,  Md.,  1890,  by  Bishop 
Tanner,  and  ordained  elder,  1892,  by  Bishop  Arnett, 
at  Elkton,  Md.  After  pastoring  on  the  Eastern  Shore 
of  Maryland,  remodeling  churches,  building  parson- 
ages and  adding  members  to  the  church,  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  Allen,  Baltimore,  to  succeed  Doctor,  now 
Bishop  J.  Albert  Johnson,  where  he  remained  for  five 
years.  He  is  now  serving  his  fourth  year  at  Payne 
Memorial  Church,  Baltimore.  His  married  life  has 
been  successful  and  happy ;  a  large  family  is  being 
reared  with  bright  prospects  for  useful  careers. 

Martin,  Rev.  Joseph  Henry,  is  the  son  of  John 
Henry  and  Lorianna  Martin.  He  was  born  in  St. 
Crouix,  West  Indian  Islands,  on  September  18,  1864. 
When  a  boy  he  was  sent  to  school,  according  to  the 
laws  of  the  island.  He  attended  school  in  the  country 
while  his  father  was  employed  at  the  King's  estate. 
In  1879  his  father  was  selected  coachman  to  the 
governor-general,  and  moved  to  St.  Thomas,  where 
John  Henry,  Jr.,  entered  the  Moravian  School.  His 
mother  having  died  while  he  was  a  small  boy,  his 
father  took  excellent  care  of  him.  It  was  his  duty  to 
attend  the  governor's  daughters  after  school  and  take 
their  riding  horses  to  the  mansion  every  afternoon. 
When  Prince  Waldemar  visited  the  Island  John  was 


REV.  J.  H.  A.  MARTIN. 

his  horse  boy  from  1879  to  1880.  In  1884  he  left  the 
island  of  St.  Thomas  for  Santo  Domingo,  where  he 
spent  five  years,  part  of  that  time  working  as  a  car- 
penter's apprentice  in  San  Padro  de  Macoris,  then  in 
Santo  Domingo  City.  The  last  three  years  were  spent 
on  the  Bay  State  fruit  farm,  near  Samana.  At  this 
place,  which  belongs  to  a  Boston  Company,  he  acted 
as  overseer  and  interpreter,  and  it  was  here,  on  Janu- 
ary 1,  1887,  that  he  received  the  glorious  light  of  sal- 
vation, and  soon  thereafter  began  to  preach.     He  or- 


ganized a  Sabbath  school  by  the  help  of  a  local 
preacher  by  the  name  of  John  Smith,  of  St.  Thomas 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  of  which  Rev.  E.  M.  Harper  was 
builder  and  pastor.  The  Rev.  James,  Sr.,  of  Samana, 
often  visited  them  and  gave  them  great  help. 

He  left  Santo  Domingo,  March  29,  1888,  for  Bos- 
ton, to  complete  his  education.  However,  he  landed  in 
Baltimore,  April  21  of  said  year;  he  was  robbed  of  all 
he  had  except  the  suit  he  wore.  This  proved  a  great 
drawback  to  him,  so  he  went  to  sea  until  he  got  some 
money  and  clothes.  Not  being  able  to  go  to  Boston, 
he  settled  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  joined  St.  Peter's 
Mission,  in  the  spring  of  1890,  under  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  D.  J.  Bryan.  On  November  17,  1890,  he  was  li- 
censed to  exhort,  by  Rev.  R.  F.  Wayman,  presiding 
elder.  On  June  2  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev. 
W.  R.  Arnold,  presiding  e'der.  He  entered  the  itiner- 
ancy of  the  Baltimore  Annual  Conference,  April,  1895, 
under  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines;  he  was  ordained  deacon 
May  5,  1897  ar"d  ordained  elder  May  14,  1899,  under 
Bishop  James  A.  Handy.  On  May  1,  1900,  he  was 
transferred  and  appointed  as  missionary  to  Santo  Do- 
mingo by  Bishop  James  A.  Handy,  but  the  Missionary 
Department  being  without  funds,  he  was  not  sent. 
The  following  year  he  was  transferred  back  to  the 
Baltimore  Conference  by  Bishop  C.  S.  Smith  to 
Bishop  Lee.  On  April  30,  191 1,  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin 
transferred  him  to  the  Virginia  Conference,  and  sta- 
tioned him  at  Blacksburg,  Va.  After  two  years  in 
Blacksburg  he  was  sent  to  Waynesboro  Circuit,  where  . 
he  is  now  completing  his  third  year,  and  his  twenty- 
first  in  the  ministry  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  His  life 
has  been  very  checkered  and  of  varied  experience,  but 
he  says  that  nothing  brings  such  joy  and  satisfaction 
as  the  ministry,  with  all  of  its  hardships  and  com- 
plexities. His  wife,  Mrs.  Gertrude  E.  Martin,  is  a 
great  help  and  comfort  to  him. 

Mason,  D.  James,  superintendent  of  Bethel  A.  M. 
E.    Sunday   school,    Philadelphia,   is   the   only   son   of 


D.  JAMES  MASON. 

Robert  James  and  Margaret  Shorts  Mason.  He  was 
born  in  Philadelphia,  March  19,  1862.  His  parents 
died  when  he  was  quite  young  and  he  was  reared  by 


157 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<a> 


his  aunt,  Phoebe  A.  Mason.  He  attended  the  James 
Forten  Grammar  School,  and  received  a  good  scholas- 
tic training. 

At  the  age  of  five  years  he  was  enrollad  as  a 
scholar  in  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  School,  was  con- 
verted January  19,  1880,  at  a  revival  service,  under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  Levi  J.  Coppin,  joined  the  church 
and  has  ever  since  remained  therein.  He  has  served 
three  terms  as  superintendent.  First  term,  three  years; 
second,  four;  and  the  third,  fourteen  consecutive 
years,  in  which  he  has  earnestly  and  faithfully  per- 
formed the  duties  of  the  office  which  has  won  for  him 
the  esteem  of  his  school.  He  has  served  longer  than 
any  superintendent  of  the  school.  He  also  holds  the  of- 
fices of  church  clerk,  secretary  of  the  stewards'  board, 
secretary  of  the  quarterly  conference,  class  leader  and 
a  member  of  the  choir.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Hen- 
rietta Fassitt,  of  Philadelphia,  January  25,  1893,  by 
Rev.  William  D.  Cook.  This  happy  union  was  severed 
by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Mason,  August  22,  1906,  leaving 
four  children — J.  YVinsmore,  Henrietta  C,  George  A. 
and  Evelyn  K.,  who  have  been  in  the  care  of  their 
father,  and  are  active  in  Mother  Bethel  Church  and 
Sunday  school,  Philadelphia. 

Means,  Rev.  Samuel  George,  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Elizabeth  Means,  both  African  Methodists,  was 
born  November  8,  1873,  in  Early  County,  Ga.  He 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  on  probation,  September 


REV.  SAMUEL  GEORGE  MEANS. 

16,  1883.  He  was  converted  and  became  a  full  mem- 
ber August  28,  1889.  He  was  licensed  to  exhort  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1894. 

He  joined  the  North  Georgia  Conference,  No- 
vember 12,  1895,  and  was  appointed  pastor  of  the 
Canton  (Ga.)  Mission,  November  18,  1895 ;  three 
years  were  spent  on  said  Mission,  during  which  time 
he  built  it  from  a  small  mission  to  a  circuit  of  more 
than  350  members,  and  five  preaching  points.  At  the 
end  of  the  three  years  the  conference  moved  him  from 
the  circuit  and  appointed  two  pastors  to  take  charge 
of  the  work  he  had  given  the  Church  where  it  had 
none  before. 


He  was  ordained  deacon  November  7,  1897;  he 
was  ordained  elder  November  13,  1899.  He  has  pas- 
tored  with  success  many  large  charges  in  the  State  of 
Georgia.  He  was  presiding  elder  two  years  on  the 
South  Atlanta  District  under  Bishop  Smith.  His  dis- 
trict was  a  success.  He  is  now  finishing  up  his  fourth 
year  at  St.  James'  Church,  at  Columbus,  Ga. 

He  finished  from  the  correspondence  course  of 
theology  at  Morris  Brown  University,  June,  1908,  and 
was  that  same  year  given  the  degree  of  doctor  of  di- 
vinity by  Campbell  College,  Jackson,  Miss.  He  has 
engaged  extensively  in  evangelistic  work,  having  in 
the  last  twenty  years  added  to  the  Church  more  than 
18,000  souls.  He  was  a  member  of  the  general  con- 
ference of  1912.  Dr.  Means  has  many  more  calls  than 
he  is  able  to  fill. 

Merrick,  John,  was  born  in  Clinton,  Sampson 
County,  N.  C,  September  7,  1859.  When  a  boy  the 
family  moved  to  Chapel  Hill  and  then  to  Raleigh, 
where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  began  life  as  a  brick 
mason,  but  afterwards  became  a  barber.  In  this  ca- 
pacity signal  success  has  attended  him.  When  twen- 
ty-two years  of  age,  Mr.  Merrick  moved  to  Durham 
with  his  bride  of  two  years,  Mrs.  Martha  Hunter  Mer- 
rick.   When  he  retired  from  the  barber  business  a  few 


MR.  JOHN  MERRICK. 

years  ago,  it  had  grown  to  be  one  of  the  finest  and 
most  successful  in  the  state.  To  his  success  in  this 
business  is  possibly  due  the  nucleus  of  his  fortune. 

The  North  Carolina  Mutual  and  Provident  Asso- 
ciation was  founded  by  Mr.  Merrick  in  1899,  and  since 
its  organization  he  has  been  of  invaluable  assistance 
in  its  growth  and  management.  He  is  president  of 
the  Mechanics'  and  Farmers'  Bank,  the  S.  G.  Treasur- 
er of  the  Royal  Knights  of  King  David,  director  and 
president  of  the  Board  of  Lincoln  Hospital,  and  an  in- 
fluential member  of  St.  Joseph's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  be- 
ing a  trustee  and  president  of  the  A.  C.  E.  League  of 
the  same.  Indeed,  his  activity  has  made  the  League 
probably  the  best  in  the  South.    Mr.  Merrick  has  two 


158 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


& 


boys  and  three  girls;  a  very  happy  and  delightful 
family,  and  he  is  a  large  property  holder,  being  highly 
respected  by  all  classes  of  citizens. 

Michell,  James  Mathew  Benjamin,  son  of  Andrew 
and  Ellen  Michell,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  Hickman,  Ark.,  one  of  eight 
children.  He  began  attending  school  at  the  age  of 
seven  years ;  received  his  education  from  Wilber- 
force,  Helena  Normal,  graduating  from  the  same.  He 
was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
1894;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1896  at  Hickman, 
Ark.,  by  Rev.  J.  E.  Neal ;  joined  the  annual  confer- 
ence in  1897  at  Argenta,  Ark.,  under  Bishop  Derrick, 
who  ordained  him  deacon  in  1898  at  Fort  Smith, 
Ark.;  was  ordained  elder  in  1901  at  Redfield,  Ark., 
by  Bishop  Tyree ;  has  held  appointments  at  Madison, 
Miss.,    1897;    Wyome    Station,    1898;    Caldwell    Cir- 


Chicago  and  Yale  Universities.  He  holds  the  degree 
of  A.M.  He  was  for  some  time  a  public  school 
teacher,  and  in  1904  was  principal  of  Delhi,  (La.) 
Institute  (now  Lampton  College).  He  founded  and 
edited  the  "Negro  Lamp."  He  has  repaired,  com- 
pleted and  beautified  church  buildings,  paid  debts, 
burnt  mortgages  and  has  received  more  than  one 
thousand  persons  into  the  church.     He  filled  from  the 


REV.    MILTON   H.   MICKENS,  A.M. 

humblest  backwoods  mission  to  the  presiding  elder- 
ship, and  from  the  "little"  mission  station  to  the 
metropolitan  charge.  At  this  time  he  is  pastoring  at 
Seattle,  Wash.,  one  of  the  largest  and  most  important 
charges  in  the  Puget  Sound  conference,  serving  his 
second  year.  He  has  added  nearly  two  hundred  per- 
sons to  this  church,  and  has  broken  the  record  for  con- 
verts and  dollar  money  in  the  Northwest. 


REV.  J.  M.  B.  MICHELL. 

cuit,  1899;  Dewitt  Circuit,  1900;  Helena,  1901 ;  Mar- 
vel Circuit,  1902-03;  Westover  Circuit,  1904;  Payne 
Theological  Institute,  1905-07;  Brookley  Station, 
1907-08;  Newport  Station,  1909-10;  Batesville  Sta- 
tion, 1911-12:  presiding  elder  of  Jonesboro  District, 
1913-16.  He  built  St.  Paul  church  at  Marvel,  Ark. 
at  a  cost  of  $1,200  in  1902;  lifted  $350  mortgage  on 
St.  Paul  church  at  Newport,  Ark.,  in  1909 ;  a  delegate 
to  the  general  conference  of  1916;  is  a  trustee  of 
Shorter  College.  His  wife  to  whom  he  was  married  in 
1908  is  Mrs.  Ardelia  Michell  of  Edmondson,  Ark. 
They  have  three  children:  Charles,  Catharine  and 
Ellen  Louise.  He  is  connected  with  the  Internation- 
al Order  of  Travelers  and  the  F.  and  A.  M.  He  has 
held  the  office  of  W.  M.  in  the  Masons.  He  owns  a 
home  at  Jonesboro,  Ark. 

Mickens,  Milton  H.,  was  born  about  thirty-eight 
years  ago;  was  given  by  holy  baptism  to  the  church 
when  a  babe  of  thirty  days,  and  at  eleven  years  of 
age  experienced  sound  conversion.  He  passed 
through  the  graded  and  high  schools  and  studied  at 

159 


Mills,  Rev.  Peter  Emanuel,  was  born  in  the 
Island  of  St.  Christopher,  British  West  Indies,  of 
Christian  parents,  devout  members  of  the  Wesleyan 
Methodist  Church,  his  father,  Benjamin  L.  Mills,  be- 
ing a  class  leader.  At  an  early  age  he  became  the  sub- 
ject of  serious  impressions,  and  while  yet  a  boy 
showed  marked  signs  of  his  future  life's  work.  At  the 
age  of  twelve  he  gave  his  heart  to  God,  joined  the 
Wesleyan  Methodist  Church  and  soon  after  was  ap- 
pointed leader  of  the  children's  (catachumen's)  class. 

After  graduating  from  school  he  was  licensed  to 
preach  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church.  At  this 
time  Rev.  David  Wright,  of  England,  superinten- 
dent of  the  Wesleyan  Church  in  the  Island  of  St. 
Vincent  invited  him  to  attend  his  theological  semin- 
ary, where  he  studied  for  four  consecutive  years,  and 
graduated  with  high  honors,  after  having  been  or- 
dained to  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  ministry. 

He  then  made  an  extensive  tour  of  the  United 
States  and  Europe,  visiting  the  chief  points  of  interest 
in  several  states  and  all  the  principal  cities  and  points 
of  interest  in  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland ;  also  Paris  and  other  points  in  France. 
Being  under  the  direction  of  the  missionary  office  in 


«8> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


■3 


London,  he  preached  in  City  Road  Chapel,  and  a 
score  of  other  churches,  and  made  addresses  at  Rich- 
mond Wesleyan  College  and  other  institutions.  He 
visited  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Conference,  in  the 
city  of  Hull,  and  it  appointed  him  to  the  superintend- 
ency  of  Bath  Circuit,  Jamaica,  West  Indies.  The  de- 
gree of  A.M.  was  conferred  upon  him  while  in  Eng- 
land, and  that  of  D.D.  in  America,  by  Shorter  Univer- 
sity in  Arkansas. 

In  1885  the  subject  of  this  sketch  returned  to  the 
United  States  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  connection,  in 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  under  Bishop  Cain.     Since  then  he  has 


Rev.  Dr.  P.  E.  Mills,  then  pastor  at  West  Chester,  Pa. 
When  a  girl  she  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  at  Plaquemine.  She  is  in  her  native  sphere 
when  doing  work  for  the  Church.  In  testimony  of  her 
church  devotion  she  has  several  times  received  gold 
medals.  In  1892  she  received  a  gold  medal  from  Bethel 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  Plaquemine,  La.;  in  1908  another 
medal  was  given  her  by  the  members  of  the  Philadel- 


REV.  P.  E.  MILLS,  A.M.,  D.D. 

held  the  following  charges :  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey ; 
Princeton,  New  Jersey,  Union  Bethel,  Brooklyn,  New 
York;  Coxsackie,  New  York;  Lockport,  New  York; 
Bethel,  New  Haven,  Conn,  (which  he  recovered 
from  the  M.  E.  Church  of  that  city  and  restored  it 
back  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  after  it  had  been  out  of 
our  connection  seven  (7)  years)  ;  Narragansett,  R.  I. ; 
Bethel,  Vicksburg,  Miss. ;  Bethel,  West  Chester,  Pa. ; 
Mt.  Pisgah,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  Media,  Pa.;  Bethel. 
Wiley  Avenue,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  (which  he  completed 
and  dedicated),  and  Brown  Chapel,  Cincinnati,  O.  He 
has  paid  off  debts  on  churches  in  different  parts  of  the 
connection,  and  has  taken  about  one  thousand  persons 
into  the  Church. 

He  served  as  presiding  elder  under  Bishop  Tyree, 
in  the  Mississippi  Conference;  under  Bishop  Derrick, 
Bishop  Arnett  and  Bishop  Gaines,  in  the  Philadelphia 
Conference,  and  under  Bishop  Shaffer  in  the  Ohio 
Conference. 

He  was  elected  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ence of  1900.  He  has  contributed  articles  to  the  Chris- 
tian Recorder  and  Southern  Recorder,  Voice  of  Mis- 
sions and  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Review.  He  is  an  Odd  Fel- 
low and  owns  his  own  home. 

Mills,  Victoria  H.,  was  born  in  Plaquemine,  La. ; 
attended  and  graduated  from  the  public  schools  of 
that  town;  attended  New  Orleans  University,  and 
graduated  with  honor  in  1900;  in  1901  was  married  to 

160 


MRS.  P.  E.  MILLS. 

phia  Conference  Branch  Mite  Missionary  Society, 
and  in  1909  a  third  medal  was  presented  her  for  faith- 
ful service  by  the  members  of  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Wylie  Avenue,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  Mrs.  Mills  makes  an 
ideal  minister's  wife. 


Mixon,  Rev.  W.  H.,  the  son  of  Andrew  J.  and 
Marfa  Mixon,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  about  1859  or  i860,  at  Dallas  County,  Ala., 
one  of  thirteen  children.  He  spent  a  very  short  time 
in  school,  and  is  largely  a  self-made  man,  though  he 
attended  Selma  University  for  a  short  time.  He  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity. In  1876  he  was  converted,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  in  which  he  served  as  steward,  trustee,  class 
leader  and  exhorter  before  he  was  licensed  to  preach. 
In  1876  he  was  licensed  to  preach  at  Pea  Ridge,  by 
Rev.  W.  D.  Morton  ;  joined  the  annual  conference  in 
1879,  at  Huntsville.  Ala. ;  was  ordained  deacon  in 
1881,  by  Bishop  A.  W.  Wayman,  at  Greensboro,  and 
elder,  in  1882,  at  Selma,  Ala.,  by  Bishop  Wayman.  He 
has  had  the  following  appointments :  Decatur,  Pratt 
City,  Bailey's  Chapel,  Star  of  the  East.  Brown  Chapel, 
St.  John,  Columbiana  and  Rosebud.  He  has  presided 
over  the  following  districts:  Birmingham,  Selma, 
Greensboro,  Montgomery,  Ivory,  Camden  and  Hunts- 
ville. Built  churches  at  Rosedale,  at  a  cost  of  $500; 
Fachler,  at  $1000;  at  Meltonville,  Marion  and  Anda- 
lusia. He  lifted  the  mortgages  on  Montgomery,  Co- 
lumbiana and  parsonage.  He  has  taken  10,000  people 
into  the  Church  ;  has  been  elected  delegate  to  the  gen- 
eral conferences  of  the  following  years:  1888,  1892,  1896, 
1900,  1904,  1908  and  1916.  Was  a  member  of  the 
Educational  Board  in  1892;  is  the  historian  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church  in  Alabama ;  was  voted  for  general  of- 
fice in  1900  and  1904.     Married  Miss  Elizabeth  Jack- 


1 


<e> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


son,  of  Wilberforce,  in  1898.  Has  contributed  to  the 
Christian  Recorder,  Selma  News,  Dallas  Post.  Wrote 
the  following  pamphlets  and  books:  "History  of  Afri- 
can Methodism  in  Alabama,"  "Methodist  Seminary," 
"Broken  Chain."  Made  addresses  for  Theodore 
Roosevelt  in  1912;  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  at  Atlanta, 
Ga. ;  Washington,  D.  C;  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  and  In- 
dianapolis, Ind.  He  is  a  director  of  K.  of  P..  G.  C. 
Mason,  national  auditor  of  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  Dr. 
Mixon  is  connected  with  the  F.  and  A.  M.,  G.  U.  O.  of 
O.  F.,  K.  of  P.,  I.  O.  B.  and  S.  of  C,  Supreme  Master. 
He  has  held  the  offices  of  Deputy  G  M.  Grand  Direc- 
tor, Supreme  Master,  G.  C.  Grand  Auditor.  Member 
of  Republican  and  Progressive  Parties.  Owns  a  home 
at  Selma,  Ala.  He  is  now  presiding  elder  of  Hunts- 
ville  District,  and  financial  agent  of  Payne  Univer- 
sity. 

Moore,  Morris  Marcellus,  twenty-seventh  bishop 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  November  15,  1856, 
in  Quincy,  Fla.,  and  was  converted  in  1861,  and  li- 
censed to  preach  in  1876,  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Armstrong,  in 
the  same  city.     He  commenced  traveling  in  1878;  was 


Morant,  Asbury  Benjamin,  son  of  Charles  and 
Phoebe  Morant,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  February  14,  1874,  at  Fort  Long, 
Miss.,  one  of  twelve  children.  He  spent  twelve  years 
in  school,  receiving  his  education  in  Avoca  public 
schools  and  Lakes'  graded  school.  He  was  converted 
in  1890  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  has  served 
as  steward,  trustee,  class  leader,  Sunday  school 
teacher,  organist  and  district  superintendent  of  Sun- 
day schools.  He  has  been  a  lay  delegate  to  the  Cen- 
tral Mississippi  Annual  Conference  since  1906,  and 
has  been  secretary  of  the  same  for  ten  consecutive 
years.  He  is  delegate  to  the  general  conference  of 
1916.  He  was  editor  of  the  "Signal  (Miss.)  Ameri- 
can" for  two  years ;  is  postmaster  at  Signal,  Miss., 
and  is  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Honor  and  K. 
of  P.,  and  is  a  home  owner.  He  was  grand  secretary 
of  the  Knights  of  Honor  for  twelve  years. 

Morant,  D.  R„  an  elder  of  the  Central  Mississippi 
Annual  Conference,  the  elder  son  of  Charles  and 
Phoebe  Morant.  He  was  born  in  Selma,  Ala.,  Febru- 
ary 16,  1867,  and  was  converted  at  Signal,  near  Vicks- 
burg,  Miss.,  September  17,  1891.  He  obtained  his  edu- 
cation in  the  public  schools  of  Yazoo  County,  and  by 


BISHOP  M.  M.  MOORE. 

ordained  deacon  in  1880,  and  elder  in  1S81  ;  he  was 
elected  financial  secretary  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
1896,  and  was  elected  bishop  May  — ,  1900.  He  died 
November  23,  1900,  serving  as  bishop  only  six  months. 
He  was  buried  in  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  where  his  widow 
now  lives. 


Moore,  Thomas  Y.,  was  born  in  Shelbyville, 
Tenn.,  August  31,  1862;  attended  the  city  school 
there,  also  Central  Tennessee  College,  now  Walden 
University  ;  was  converted  in  August,  1885  ;  was  licens- 
ed to  preach  in  1886;  joined  the  Tennessee  conference 
in  1889,  and  has  pastored  some  the  largest  churches 
in  the  Tennessee  conference.  In  the  organization  of 
the  East  Tennessee  conference  he  took  a  prominent 
part,  and  has  been  presiding  elder  almost  ever  since  it 
was  set  apart.  He  has  been  a  member  of  four  general 
conferences — 1904  to  1916  inclusive,  leading  his  dele- 
gation in  1904,  19 1 2  and  1916.  Rev.  Moore  also  has  a 
prosperous  undertaking  business  in  Huntsville,  Ala. 
He  graduated  from  Cincinnati  College  of  Embalming. 

11  161 


REV.  D.  R.  MORAXT. 

persistent  study  in  night  school,  under  Prof.  C.  R. 
Custard,  of  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  he  was  admitted  into 
conference  by  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner,  December,  1897. 
He  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Derrick,  January 
26,  1898;  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Tyree.  December 
23,  1900.  During  the  period  of  twenty  years  which 
marks  his  ministerial  career,  he  has  made  splendid 
success.  He  succeeds  where  others  fail,  and  is  classed 
among  the  best  preachers  of  the  state.  He  was  a  dele- 
gate to  the  general  conference  in  Kansas  City,  Mo., 
in  1912,  and  is  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General 
Conference  in  Philadelphia.  He  has  held  the  following 
churches:  Valley  Park  Mission,  served  eight  months, 
had  three  converts;  Flower  Hill  Mission,  served  one 
year,  had  two  converts,  built  one  new  church ;  Warren 


£V 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Circuit,  served  three  years,  had  thirty-five  converts, 
two  churches  remodeled ;  Anguilla  Circuit,  served 
three  years,  had  twenty-seven  converts,  built  one  new 
church  ;  Signal  Circuit,  served  four  years,  had  fifty- 
eight  converts,  built  one  new  church ;  Hollandale  Cir- 
cuit, served  three  years,  had  seventy-five  converts, 
built  one  new  parsonage ;  Grenada  Station,  served 
one  year,  had  seven  converts,  built  one  new  parson- 
age ;  Glen  Allen  Circuit,  served  three  years,  had  forty 
converts,  built  one  new  church.  He  has  raised  for 
building  and  repairs,  $4008;  for  dollar  money,  $1628; 
built  and  paid  for  four  new  churches,  remodeled  two 
and  built  and  laid  the  foundations  for  two  parsonages. 
He  is  married  and  his  wife  is  a  great  aid  to  him,  and 
is  now  president  of  the  Conference  Branch  of  the  W. 
H.  and  F.  M.  Society  of  the  Central  Mississippi  Con- 
ference. He  owns  property  in  the  city  of  Yicksburg. 
He  is  highly  respected  in  every  community  to  which 
he  goes. 

Morant,  Rev.  John  James,  son  of  Charles  and 
Phoebe  Morant,  both  loyal  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  at  Selma,  Ala.,  in  1873.  His  parents 
had  six  children.  Entered  school  in  1879,  and  spent 
about  eleven  years  in  all.  Spent  over  two  years  in 
each  of  the  following:  public  schools,  Wilberforce  and 
Payne  Semirary.     Received  B.D.,  D.D.  from  Wilber- 


REV.  JOHN  JAMES  MORANT. 

force.  Converted  in  1884  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  the  same  year;  has  held  several  offices  in 
the  Church.  Licensed  to  preach  in  1888  at  Yicksburg 
Circuit,  by  Rev.  Thomas  W.  Stringer;  ordained  dea- 
con in  1890,  at  Grenada,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  A.  R.  Dis- 
ney ;  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Arnett,  at  West  Point, 
Miss.,  in  1893.  Joined  the  annual  conference  in  1891,  at 
Vicksburg,  Miss.,  under  Bishop  Disney.  He  held  the 
following  appointments:  Corinth  Mission,  1890-91; 
West   Point,   1891-92;  Winterville,    1892;    Stonesville 


Circuit,  1893;  Oklahoma  Mission,  1894;  Tunica,  1895; 
Piqua,  O.,  1896;  Dayton,  O.,  1897-99;  Brookhaven, 
Miss.,  1899;  Greenwood,  Miss.,  1900-01  ;  Rosedale, 
Miss.,  1902-03 ;  Greenville  Station,  1904-05 ;  Vicks- 
burg, Bethel,  1906-12.  Built  St.  Paul's,  at  Stoneville 
Circuit,  at  a  cost  of  $500,  in  1892;  Bethel,  Rosedale, 
Miss.,  at  a  cost  of  $2000,  in  1902;  Mother  Bethel,  at 
Vicksburg,  Miss.,  at  a  cost  of  $21,000,  in  1912.  He  has 
received  about  2000  into  the  Church,  baptized  8000 
people  and  married  250.  Was  delegate  to  general 
conference  in  1904,  1908,  1912.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Educational  Board  in  1908-12.  Appointed  presid- 
ing elder  in  1913-14.  Endorsed  unanimously  by  Cen- 
tral Mississippi  Conference  for  the  Episcopacy,  De- 
cember 8,  1904.  Dr.  Morant,  in  1912,  was  the  most 
formidable  ministerial  aspirant  for  Secretary  of 
Education,  and  withdrew  in  the  interest  of  Prof.  A.  S. 
Jackson,  the  present  incumbent.  Married  Mary  Jean 
Morant,  of  Ebenezer,  Miss.,  in  1903.  They  had  four 
children,  John  V.  Morant,  Jr.,  Christa  B.,  Richard  L. 
and  Edward  A.  Has  contributed  to  Commercial  Ap- 
peal, Christian  and  Southern  Recorders,  and  Vicks- 
'  burg  Herald.  He  has  made  several  addresses,  and 
was  editor  of  Monitor  in  1900.  Dr.  Morant  made  the 
following  addresses:  National  Decoration,  1913;  Com- 
mencement Address,  at  Campbell  College,  in  1906; 
Address  to  Farmers'  Conference,  1910;  Emancipation 
address,  1898,  at  Dayton,  O.  He  is  connected  with 
the  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  K.  of  P.  and  others.  Mem- 
ber of  Republican  party,  and  attended  convention  in 
1908.     Owns. a  home. 

Morris,  Rev.  S.  S.,  was  born  in  Portsmouth,  Va., 
in  1878.  His  parents  were  among  the  first  families  of 
Tidewater,  Ya.  His  mother  has  been  a  Sunday  school 
teacher  for  fifty  years  in  Emanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
Rev.  Morris  was  converted   at    the    aged    of   fourteen, 


m 


REV.  S.  S.  MORRIS,  A.M.,  B.D. 


and  became  an  energetic  Christian  worker  as  a  Sun- 
day school  teacher  and  Allen  League  official.  He  re- 
ceived his  elementary  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Norfolk  County,  Va. ;  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  Wash- 


162 


» 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


REV.   S.   P.   FELDER 
(See    sketch    Page    89) 


BISHOP  WM.  H.  HEARD 
(See   sketch   Page   111) 


MRS.  WM.  H.  HEARD 
(See   sketch   Page   111) 


PROF.   D.   J.   JORDAN 
(See   sketch   Page    143) 


REV.  W.  H.  DAVIS 
(See    sketch    Page    81) 


REV.  D.  C.  DEAS 
(See    sketch    Page    82) 


REV.  WATSON  H.  EDWARDS 
(See   sketch  Page  86) 


MRS.   M.   M.   BETHUNE 
(See    sketch    Page    39) 


MRS.  R.  W.  MANCE 
(See   sketch    Page   155) 

163 


MRS.  J.  A.  LINDSAY 
(See   sketch   Page   151) 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


BISHOP    B.    W.    ARNETT 
(.See  sketch  Page  25) 


DR.   A.    D.    BYAS_ 
(See   sketch    Page    55) 


REV.   K.   C.   HOLT 
(See    sketch    Page    115) 


MR.   T.   H.   HOOPER 
(See    sketch    Page    115) 


BISHOP   J.   H.   ARMSTRONG 
(See  sketch  Page  25) 


REV.   A.    L.    BRISBANE 
(See  sketch   Page  43) 


COL.    PHILLIP    H.    EDWARDS 
(See  sketch   Page  86) 


REV.  P.  A.  LUCK  IE 
(See    sketch   Page    153) 

164 


REV.  J.  O.  IVERSON 
(See   sketch   Page    123) 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


ington,  D.  C,  and  later  graduated  from  the  classical 
course  of  Morris  Brown  College  and  from  Gammon 
Theological  Seminary. 

Rev.  Morris  was  licensed  as  a  local  preacher  in 
1899,  and  joined  the  Virginia  Conference  of  the  Afri- 
can Methodist  Church  in  April,  1901.  He  was  trans- 
ferred later  to  the  Atlanta  (Ga.)  Conference,  and  in 
December,  1901,  received  his  first  appointment  as  pas- 
tor of  West  End  Church,  Atlanta.  In  1903  he  was 
appointed  to  Thomasville  Station,  Fulton  County, 
Ga.,  and  the  same  year  became  superintendent  of  the 
Industrial  Department  of  Morris  Brown  College.  He 
returned  to  Virginia  in  1505,  and  has  served  the  fol- 
lowing charges :  Tanner's  Creek  Circuit,  three  years 
(debt  reduced)  ;  Suffolk  Station,  three  years  (mort- 
gage burned)  ;  Third  Street  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Richmond,  for  a  term  of  five  years.  This  church  was 
remodeled  at  a  cost  of  $15,000,  and  is  one  of  the  most 
modern  and  beautiful  of  the  state.  He  is  now  serving 
his  first  year  at  St.  John's,  Norfolk,  Va.,  succeeding 
Rev.  E.  H.  Hunter. 

Rev.  Morris  is  president  of  the  Civic  League  of 
Richmond;  secretary  of  the  Social  Study  Club  and  In- 
terdenominational Ministers'  Union ;  executive  mem- 
ber of  the  Neighborhood  Club  and  Negro  Welfare 
League;  trustee  of  Kittrell  College;  member  of  Mis- 
sionary Board  A.  M.  E.  Church,  member  of  gen- 
eral conference,  1912  and  1916,  and  Grand  Worthy 
Master,  Grand  Fountain  U.  of  True  Reform- 
ers. He  has  served  for  ten  years  at  the  head  of  the 
League  work  in  the  state. 

In  1912  he  was  united  in  matrimony  to  Miss  Mary 
H.  Lawson,  of  Danville,  and  a  son,  William  Lawson, 
has  blessed  the  union. 

Moseley,  Mrs.  Nannie,  born  in  Columbia,  Tenn. 
After  finishing  public  school  she  attended  Mt.  Tabor 
Academy,  a  Presbyterian  school  of  that  town.  Her 
mother  being  a  widow,  and  in  order  that  her  daughter 


MRS.  NANNIE  W.  E.  MOSELEY. 

might  have  better  advantages  for  the  study  of  music, 
she  moved  to  Nashville,  in  188 1,  where  she  studied 
with  some  of  the  best  teachers.  By  hard  work  and 
close  application  she  met  with  success,  and  went  back 


to  her  home  town.  She  began  teaching  music,  and 
was  elected  organist  for  St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
During  this  time  she  was  married,  and  in  1892  she, 
with  her  husband,  moved  to  Birmingham,  Ala.,  and 
joined  St.  John's  Church.  She  entered  into  the  musical 
work  and  has  been  a  successful  teacher  and  organist. 
She  also  directed  the  musical  department  at  Campbell 
College,  Jackson,  Miss.,  and  St.  Mark's  Industrial 
School,  of  Birmingham,  Ala.,  for  a  while.  She  was 
president  of  St.  John's  W.  H.  and  F.  local  society  five 
years.  She  resigned  that  office  because  she  was 
elected  president  of  the  District  Missionary  Society, 
in  which  capacity  she  now  is  still  serving.  She  is  also 
superintendent  of  the  women's  missionary  work  of  the 
Ninth  Episcopal  District. 

Murcherson,  Rev.  A.  R.,  was  born  in  East  Carroll 
-Parish,  La.,  November  25,  1858.  After  the  war  he  at- 
tended private  and  public  school  until  1875.  His  par- 
ents sent  him  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  entered  the 
Sumner  Boys'  High  School.  After  finishing  the  eighth 
grade  he  returned  to  the  farm  to  assist  his  parents,  but 
continued  in  night  school  under  Mr.  F.  R.  Bartholo- 
mue.  He  was  known  by  all  from  boyhood  to  be  a 
pious  and  sober  young  man,  and  on  account  of  his 
Christian  training  he  does  not  know  of  any  time  in  his 


REV.  A.  R.  MURCHERSON. 

life  when  he  was  not  a  Christian,  but  he  came  into  a 
full  confession  of  Jesus  August  27,  1878.  He  felt  called 
to  the  ministry  for  some  time  before  he  entered  upon 
that  work.  He  married  Miss  Olley  Amelia  Murphy, 
of  Madison  Parish,  La.,  December  18,  1878.  A  baby 
boy  was  born  to  their  union,  but  lived  to  be  only  four 
and  a  half  months  old. 

He  became  a  member  of  the  Order  of  K.  of  P.,  in 
1883,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  Past  District  Deputy 
Grand  Chancellor.  He  was  elected,  in  1884,  constable 
of  his  ward,  and  was  twice  appointed  deputy  sheriff, 
and  once  appointed  constable  to  fill  a  vacancy.  In 
December,  1884,  he  was  appointed  by  the  Clyde  De- 
tective Agency  of  Kansas,  as  detective  for  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  State  of  Louisiana,    and    served  until 


165 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


& 


October,  1886,  when  he  was  forced  to  surrender  by  an 
armed  force  of  lawless  white  men.  He  was  always 
appointed  either  a  commissioner  or  supervisor  of  elec- 
tion for  thirty  years,  and  was  shot  at  many  times 
while  counting  votes  and  forced  to  take  refuge  in  the 
swamps. 

For  some  time  Brother  Murcherson  followed  the 
sea,  but  became  convinced  that  he  must  enter  the  ac- 
tive itinerancy  (he  had  been  a  local  preacher  nearly 
thirty  years).  He  did  so  in  1906.  His  first  charge  was 
at  Clear  Creek,  La.,  in  1906,  and  the  membership  in- 
creased from  42  to  92  members.  He  was  transferred  at 
his  request  to  New  York  Conference  by  Bishop  Salter. 
He  served  the  following  charges  in  New  York:  Kin- 
derbrook,  1907-9;  Albion,  1909-10;  Babylon,  1910-13; 
Payne  Memorial,  1913-15 ;  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  New  York,  191 5  to  date.  He  is  now  statisti- 
cal secretary  of  the  New  York  Conference. 

Murray,  Charles  H.,  was  born  about  fifty  years 
ago,  on  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland,  a  few  miles 
from  the  birthplace  of  Bishop  Wayman  and  Frederick 
Douglass.  He  is  the  son  of  Mary  C.  and  Joseph  Mur- 
ray, whose  ancestors,  without  a  missing  link,  have 
been  identified  with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  for  the  last 
seventy-five  years.  Before  entering  the  ministry  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Mother  Bethel,  Baltimore,  at  six 


REV.  C.  H.  MURRAY,  D.D. 

years  old  joining  the  Sunday  school,  being  converted 
at  ten  years  of  age.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Baltimore  and  New  Jersey,  studied  in 
Douglass  Institute  two  years,  studied  also  under  Prof. 
S.  Ulelings,  of  New  Jersey;  Drs.  F.  J.  Peck,  J.  H.  A. 
Johnson,  J.  W.  Beckett,  J.  F.  Lane,  of  Baltimore;  Dr. 
G.  J.  G.  Webster  (white),  of  M.  E.  Church  and  Profes- 
sor Moor ;  was  admitted  into  the  Baltimore  Confer- 
ence, 1893.  under  Bishop  Gaines,  and  served  Keedys- 
ville,  one  year;  Carroll,  three  years;  Frederick  City, 
five  years;  Randallstown,  two  years;  Port  Deposit, 
one  year  ;  presiding  elder  five  years ;  Catonsville  Sta- 
tion, six  years ;  served  as  trustee  of  Kittrell  College 
and  Wilbcrforce;  elected  delegate  to  the  general  con- 


ferences of  1908,  191 2  and  1916,  and  was  chairman  of 
the  Baltimore  Conference  delegation  in  1912. 

Myers,  Prof.  I.  M.  A.,  was  born  in  Sandy  Run 
township,  Lexington  County,  near  Columbia,  S.  C,  in 
1880.  He  attended  the  country  schools  of  Orangeburg 
and  Lexington  Counties,  where  he  received  his  grammar 
school  training.  He  attended  Allen  University  for  seven 
years,  graduated  and  spent  there  three  years  as  a  teacher. 
Prof.  Myers  also  attended  the  state  summer  schools  in 
Benedict  College,  Columbia,  several  sessions.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1910,  he  conducted  the  summer  school  for  Negro 


PROF.  I.  M.  A.  MYERS. 

teachers  in  Clarendon  County,  with  credit.  For  six 
years  Prof.  Myers  was  news  and  city  editor  of  the  South- 
ern Sun,  a  widely  read  paper  published  at  Columbia,  S. 
C,  and  in  this  capacity  he  traveled  over  the  State  and 
wrote  a  number  of  interesting  articles  on  the  progress  of 
the  colored  people.  He  also  has  contributed  to  the  white 
papers  in  South  Carolina  pertaining  to  the  conventions 
and  other  gatherings  of  colored  people. 

In  1908  Prof.  Myers  went  to  Manning,  S.  C,  to 
take  charge  of  the  colored  graded  school  of  that  city. 
The  school,  when  he  took  charge,  had  only  four  teach- 
ers and  lived  out  of  an  annual  income  of  $600.  The 
school  has  now  ten  full  grades,  with  three  years  of  cred- 
ited high  school  work,  a  first-class  domestic  art  and  sci- 
ence department,  an  $8,000  school  building  with  seven 
teachers  added,  and  lives  out  of  an  annual  income  of 
$2,000,  receiving  annuities  from  both  the  Jeanes  and 
John  F.  Slater  funds.  The  county  teachers'  monthly 
meetings  inaugurated  by  Prof.  Myers  are  attended  each 
month  by  scores  of  rural  teachers,  who  meet  for  insti- 
tute work  and  conference,  and  the  annual  field  day  cele- 
brations bring  thousands  of  people  to  the  county  seat  to 
see  the  demonstrations  of  the  school  fair  and  the  exhibi- 
tion of  what  is  being  done  in  the  rural  schools  of  the  coun- 
ty. Prof.  Myers  is  also  one  of  the  strongest  laymen  in  the 
church  in  South  Carolina.  He  was  elected  on  the  first 
ballot  to  the  general  conference  in  the  electoral  college 
of  the  Northeast  South  Carolina  Conference  last  sum- 
mer. His  great  grandparents  were  members  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.    He  has  been  a  Sunday  school  teacher 


166 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


& 


for  16  years,  is  a  steward  in  his  church,  and  for  the  past 
eight  years  has  served  on  the  board  of  trustees  of  Allen 
University. 

Myers,  Joshua  H.,  son  of  Moses  and  Oleania 
Myers,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
born  December  27,  1865,  at  Decatur  County,  Ga.  He 
received  his  education  at  Reach  School  and  Morris 
Brown  College.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church  in  1880,  and  held  every  office  in  the  lo- 
cal church  except  trustee ;  he  was  licensed  to  preach 
in  1893,  at  Savannah,  Ga..  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Lof- 
ton, and  joined  the  annual  conference  the  same 
year  at  Albany,  Ga.,  under  Bishop  Grant,  who 
ordained  him  deacon  in  1895,  at  Savannah.  He  was 
ordained  elder  in  1897,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  Tur- 
ner, and  has  held  the  following  appointments :  Old 
St.  Philip,  Savannah ;  Chapel  Street,  Atlanta ;  Jack- 
son Station,  Conyers  Station,  St.  James,  Altanta; 
North  Street  Church,  Macon ;  Jackson  Chapel,  Wash- 
ington, Ga. ;  St.  Paul,  Rome,  Ga. ;  Wesley  Chapel, 
Rockmart,  Ga. ;  presiding  elder  of  Athens  District.  He 
bought  the  parsonage  of  North  Street  Church,  Macon, 
Ga.,  at  a  cost  of  $550;  lifted  the  mortgage  at  Jackson, 
Ga.,  to  the  amount  of  $47,  and  Conyers,  to  the  amount 
of  $593.  He  was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences 
of  1912  and  1916.  He  married  Mrs.  Selena  C.  Myers, 
of  Macon,  Ga.,  in  1885.  Pie  has  contributed  to  the 
several  "Recorders,"'  "A.  M.  E.  Review"  and  "Voice 
of  Missions."  He  is  connected  with  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O. 
F.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  and  F.  C.  B.,  the  G.  O.  P.  and  is  a 
home  owner. 

McClendon,  Rev.  William  Anderson,  son  of  An- 
derson and  Rosina  McClendon,  was  born  at  Colum- 
bus, Ga.,  February  19,  1880.     His  father  was  a  mem- 


was  converted  in  Aug.,  1898,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  nearly  every  of- 
fice in  the  Church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  Sep- 
tember, 1899,  at  Union  Springs,  Ala.,  by  Rev.  Cal- 
houn. He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1906,  at  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  by  Bishop  Turner,  and  ordained  elder  in  1908  at 
Griffin,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  Smith.  He  joined  the  Annual 
Conference  of  1904  at  Bainbridge,  Ga.,  under  Bishop 
Turner. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments:  Mt. 
Airy  Mission,  1902;  Waverly  Hall  Mission,  1903;  Ells- 
ley  Circuit,  1904;  Rice,  Cassette  and  Jackson  End  Mis- 
sion, 1906-7;  St.  James'  Station,  1908-9;  Pleasant 
Grove,  1908;  Barnesville,  1910-11;  Warrenton,  Ga., 
1912-14;  St.  Paul,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  1915-16. 

He  built  a  church  at  Pleasant  Grove.  He  lifted  a 
mortgage  on  Trinity,  at  Warrenton,  Ga.,  to  the 
amount  of  $110,  in  1912.  He  has  received  over  500  into 
the  church,  baptized  320  and  married  40.  He  has  been 
elected  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  1916. 

He  married  Mattie  B.  Owens,  of  Barnesville,  Ga., 
December  7,  191 1.  He  delivered  the  Emancipation 
Address  at  Warrenton,  Ga.,  in  1914,  and  Commence- 
ment Oration  to  Sparta  Normal  School,  in  1914.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  F.  and  A.  M.,  K.  of  P.,  and  G.  U. 
O.  of  O.  F. 

McDonald,  J.  Frank,  editor  of  Western  Christian 
Recorder,  was  born  in  Lafayette  County,  Mo.,  five 
miles  south  of  Dover,  during  the  dark  days  of  slavery. 
At  the  age  of  twelve  he  escaped  to  Lexington,  Mo.,  a 
distance  of  fifteen  miles  through  the  woods.  Upon 
reaching  the  fort,  where  Colonel  Mulligan  surrendered 
to  General  Price,  the  Confederate  chieftain,  he  found 
scores  of  fugitive  slaves  from  all  parts  of  the  state  who 
were  enlisting  in  the  United    States   Army.     He    pre- 


REV.  WILLIAM  A.  McCLENDON,  B.D. 

ber  of  the  Baptist  Church  and  his  mother  a  member 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  His  parents  had  twelve  chil- 
dren. He  entered  school  in  1886.  He  is  a  graduate  of 
the  public  schools  and  Turner  Theological  Seminary, 
Atlanta,  Ga. ;  received  his  degree  from  the  latter.  He 


DR.  J.  FRANK  McDONALD. 

sented  himself  for  enlistment,  but  on  account  of  his 
youth,  weight  and  height,  he  was  rejected.  Pie  re- 
mained at  the  fort  from  September,  1862,  until  Janu- 
ary, 1863,  when  he  left  for  Kansas.  There  was  a  deep 
snow  which  had  fallen  in  December  which  made  pas- 


167 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


sage  very-  difficult.  In  passing  through  Fire  Prairie 
Bottom,  young  Mat,  with  frozen  feet,  strength  ex- 
hausted, hungry,  chilled  through  and  through,  was 
left  behind,  but  afterwards  made  his  way  to  Independ- 
ence, Mo.,  riding  behind  a  soldier  who  picked  him  up. 
He  tried  to  enlist  again  but  was  rejected.  After  a 
dozen  or  more  attempts,  at  different  times,  and  under 
as  many  aliases,  he  finally  hired  himself  to  a  captain 
of  the  Second  Colorado  Regiment,  as  a  body  servant, 
and  ''he  loyally  followed  through  the  smoke  of  battle, 
unterrified  by  the  scream  of  shell  or  shower  of  bullets 
and  shot  that  fell  around  him."  On  Mr.  Lincoln's  last 
call  for  volunteers  he  was  enlisted. 

He  learned  his  A  B  C's  forward  and  backward 
with  his  eyes  shut  during  the  dark  days  of  his  youth 
(not  knowing  them  when  he  looked  at  them  with  his 
eyes  open).  A  missionary  teacher  from  Iowa  taught 
him  to  read.  Upon  his  discharge  from  the  army  at  Ft. 
Leavenworth,  Kan.,  he  returned  to  Independence, 
Mo.,  where  he  entered  school  and  remained  several 
terms,  working  at  odd  jobs  to  buy  books,  etc.  For 
several  years  he  traveled  from  place  to  place  visiting 
nearly  every  large  city  in  the  South,  East  and  North, 
and  locating  finally  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  where,  in  a 
revival  conducted  by  Rev.  T.  Wellington  Henderson, 
he  was  happily  converted  and  joined  Allen  Chapel.  His 
mind  at  once  reverted  to  his  books,  and  he  returned  to 
Lexington,  Mo.,  near  the  old  homestead,  entered 
school  and  applied  himself  diligently  to  his  books.  He 
was  licensed  as  a  local  preacher,  and  at  the  same  time 
he  became  a  public  school  teacher. 

September  25,  1876,  in  Columbia,  Mo.,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  annual  conference,  and  served  as  mis- 
sionary,  circuit    rider,    pastor,    and    presiding   elder, 
building  churches,  paying  off    debts,    raising    connec- 
tional  claims,  and  at  the  same  time  serving  as  an  edu- 
cator.    Wilberforce    University    conferred    upon    him 
the  degree  of   D.D.,  and   Paul  Quinn   College,   Ph.D. 
Dr.  McDonald  has  served  on  all  the  important  com- 
mittees in  the  three  conferences  in  Missouri,  also  chief 
secretary  of  the  North   Missouri   Conference  and  the 
Missouri  Conference,  and  has  represented  these  con- 
ferences a  number  of  times  in  the  general  conference. 
In  1878  he  was  married   to    Miss    L.    Louise  San- 
ford,  of  Macon,  Mo.,  at  that  time  a  teacher  in  the  pub- 
lic schools.  Dr.  McDonald  studied  the  dead  languages 
at  St.  Vincent  College,  Cape  Girardeau,  Mo.,  for  two 
years.     He  still  spends  from  three  to  five  hours  a  day 
with  the  Bible,  philosophy,  history  and  science.     He 
established  the  Western  Christian  Recorder,  in   1891, 
with   no   funds   save   what   he,    his    wife   and   friends 
raised.    In  1904  he  was  put  on  a  salary  by  the  general 
conference,  and  has  been  continued  ever  since,  being 
elected  by  acclamation  in  1912. 

In  the  year  1904  Dr.  McDonald  took  up  the  study 
of  law.  He  has  traveled  extensively  through  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  and  in  1901  was  an  alter- 
nate to  the  Ecumenical  Conference,  in  London,  Eng- 
land. 

In  his  younger  days  he  devoted  a  great  deal  of  his 
time  to  secret  societies,  and  now  carries  the  honors  of 
past  master,  past  grand  master  and  other  titles  in  the 
various  benevolent  orders  to  which  he  belongs.  He 
is  a  Thirty-second  Degree  Mason. 

He  owns  property  at  Macon,  Lexington  and  Kan- 
sas City,  Mo.,  where  he  now  resides. 

168 


McEaddy,  Rev.  J.  C,  pastor  of  Metropolitan  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  Cumberland,  Md.,  was  born  in  Flor- 
ence County,  S.  C.  He  was  converted  in  St.  Luke's  A. 
M.  E.  Church  of  that  place.    Attending  Allen  Univer- 


REV.  J.  C.  McEADDY,  B.D. 

sity,  he  was  graduated  in  the  Class  of  1889,  and  taught 
school  in  the  state  for  a  few  years.  He  entered  How- 
ard University,  being  graduated  in  the  Class  of  1893, 
from  the  theological  department,  having  also  taken 
special  studies  in  the  college  department. 

He  joined  the  Baltimore  Annual  Conference,  and 
was  appointed  pastor  of  Mt.  Pisgah  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Washington,  D.  C.  He  has  pastored  churches  in  the 
District  of  Columbia,  in  Baltimore,  on  the  Eastern 
Shore,  Md.,  and  in  North  Carolina.  He  was  married 
to  Miss  Laura  V.  Seldon,  of  Washington,  D.  C, 
March  16,  1897.  She  departed  this  life  August  28, 
1912,  at  Newbern,  N.  C. 


REV.   CHARLES  A.   McGEE. 


McGee,  Charles  A.,  was  born  of  slave  parents  in 
the  State  of  Virginia.     He  has  never  attended  public 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


6 


school  or  college,  but  studied  diligently  on  the  farm 
all  day.  He  was  converted  in  1876  and  joined  the 
church  the  same  year.  He  has  served  in  every  ca- 
pacity in  the  church  from  janitor  to  presiding  elder. 
Fie  was  ordained  deacon  in  1S86  at  Meadville,  Pa.,  by 
Bishop  Campbell,  and  elder  in  1888  at  Brownsville,  Pa., 
by  Bishop  Payne.  He  joined  the  annual  conference 
in  1885  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  under  Bishop  Campbell. 
He  has   held   the   following  appointments :     Parkers- 


burg,  W.  Va,  1885;  Monongahela  City,  Pa.,  1887; 
presiding  elder  of  the  Wheeling  district,  1888;  Scran- 
ton,  Pa.,  1892;  Bradford,  Pa.,  1896;  Brownsville,  Pa., 
1897;  presiding  elder  Wheeling  district,  1899;  Union- 
town,  1904;  Canonsburg,  1908;  St.  James,  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  1912.  At  Parkersburg,  W.  Va.,  he  built  a  church 
at  a  cost  of  $3,000,  and  one  at  Pike  Run,  Pa.,  at  a 
cost  of  $300.  He  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $2,500  at  St. 
James  church,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  in   1915. 


ELSON,  REV.  L.  E.,  was  born  to  Rev. 
B.  J.  and  Enthia  Nelson,  near  Co- 
lumbiana, Ala.,  August  31,  1867,  one 
of  sixteen  children.  He  was  baptiz- 
ed 1878,  while  a  child,  by  Rev.  J.  H. 
Henderson,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Selma  District.  Was  converted  at 
Pratt  City,  Alabama,  May  7,  1891  ; 
licensed  to  preach  at  Milldale,  Ala.,  by  Rev.  J.  S.  Shaw, 
presiding  elder  of  the  Birmingham  District,  April  20I 
1892;  received  his  first  appointment  from  Rev.  T.  M. 
Coffee,  presiding  elder,  Birmingham  District,  May  18, 
1895 ;  joined  the  conference,  November  28,  1895,  at  his 
home  town,  under  Bishop  A.  Grant.  Pie  has  served 
the  following  charges  in  Alabama:     Oakman,  1895-6; 


REV.  L.  E.  NELSON. 

Palos,  1897;  Bankston,  1898;  Jasper,  1899;  Mapleville, 
1900;  Blossburg,  No.  2,  1901  ;  Kingston,  48th  Street 
Birmingham,  1902-3:  S.  Ensley,  1904. 

Pie  was  ordained  deacon  October  4,  1S98,  by  Bishop 
H.  M.  Turner,  at  Huntsville,  Ala. ;  ordained  elder  No- 
vember 8,  1903,  at  Birmingham,  Ala.,  by  Bishop  W.  J 
Games;  was  transferred  to  the  Indian  Mission  Confer- 
ence, November  14,  191 4,  by  Bishop  L.  P  Coppin,  and 
has  served  the  following  charges  in  Oklahoma:  Coal- 
gate,  the  first  six  months  of  1905;  and  Huttonville  the 
balance  of  the  year;  Alderson,  1906;  Sutler,  1907;  Bi? 
Creek,  1908;  Ft.  Gibson,  1909;  Redland,  October,  1909- 
Apnl  1910;  and  presiding  elder  of  the  Ft.  Gibson  Dis- 
trict from  Aoril  1910  to  date.  Rev.  Nelson  has  paid 
mortgages  at  Oakman,  Ala.,  $300;  at  Fort  Gibson,  $200. 
Me  built  parsonages  at  Big  Creek  and  Alderson,  Okla 
He  married  Lilly  Pearl  Nelson,  of  Opelika,  Ala  in 
1905^  Owns  a  home  in  Fort  Gibson,  Okla.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  general  conference  of  1912  and  is  a  mem- 


ber of  the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916,  rep- 
resenting the  Northeast  Oklahoma  Annual  Conference. 

Nelson,  Mrs.  M.  V.,  was  born  January  3,  1865,  in 
Austin,  Travis  County,  Texas;  attended  school  in  Aus- 
tin and  Brenham,  Texas ;  was  converted  and  joined 
Reedy  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Galveston,  Texas,  in 
1895,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  L.  H.  Reynolds;  was 
appointed  a  stewardess  by  Rev.  M.  D.  Moody,  in  1897, 
and  has  served  continuously  up  to  the  present;  was  ap- 


MRS.  M.  V.  NELSON. 

pointed  leader  of  class  No.  3,  by  Rev.  G.  W.  Hamilton, 
in  1910,  and  has  proven  a  faithful  leader.and  worker  in 
almost  every  department  of  the  church.     From  1906  to 

1909,  under  Rev.  D.  B.  Stovall,  presiding  elder,  she  serv- 
ed  as  district  missionary.     She   was   appointed   March, 

1910,  by  Bishop  Tyree,  as  president  of  the  conference 
branch  missionary  society  of  the  Texas  Annual 
Conference.  She  organized  a  society  based  on  love  and 
charity  known  as  the  Independent  Order  of  Good  Shep- 
herds. This  society  cares  for  the  poor  and  aged,  aiding 
them  with  clothing  and  money  when  possible.  In  July, 
1902,  she  also  organized  the  Juvenile  of  the  Sons' and 
Daughters  of  Bethlehem,  of  'which  she  was  member. 
She  is  also  president  of  several  church  and  social  clubs ; 
the  M.  V.  Nelson  Tabernacle,  No.  526,  Daughters  of 
Tabor,  was  organized  in  her  home,  of  which  she  is  the 
Chief  Preceptress.  She  is  also  a  member  of  the  State 
Grand  Tabernacle  of  Knights  and  Daughters  of  Tabor. 


169 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


Newton,  Rev.  Alexander  H.,  was  born  in  New- 
bern,  N.  C,  November  5,  1837.  His  parents  were  Thad- 
deus  A.  and  Mary  Newton.  His  father  was  a  slave, 
owned  by  Mrs.  Kittie  Custis,  but  bought  his  freedom  by 
paying  Si, 000,  and  moved  the  family  with  him  to  Brook- 
lyn, N.  V.,  in  the  year  1857. 

Alexander  Newton  was  married  June  28,  1859,  to 
Miss  Olivia  Augusta  Hamilton,  daughter  of  Robert  and 
Adeline  Hamilton,  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  was  converted 
March  15,  1869,  and  later  joined  on  six  months'  pro- 
bation Fleet  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
Sunday,  March  20,  1869;  Elder  -Theo.  Gould,  pastor,  and 
was  received  into  full  membership  September,  1869; 
June  10,  1870,  he  was  licensed  to  preach  at  quarterly  con- 
ference, Fleet  Street  Church.  Bishop  Jabez  p.  Camp- 
bell appointed  him  to  Pennington  Circuit,  N.  J.,  in  the 


REV.  ALEXANDER  H.  NEWTOX. 

interval  of  conference;  he  was  received  by  Bishop  Will- 
iam Paul  Quinn  into  the  Philadelphia  Conference  at  the 
Union  Church,  Coates  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  May, 
1871  ;  was  ordained  deacon  October  25,  1873,  St.  John 
Chapel,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  by  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown;  or- 
dained elder  November  1,  1875,  at  Pine  Bluff,  Ark.,  by 
Bishop  John  M.  Brown.  D.D. 

He  has  served  the  following  charges:  Penning- 
ton Circuit,  N.  J. ;  Oxford,  Pa. ;  Warren  Chapel,  Chat- 
tanooga. Tenn.:  Little  Rock,  Ala.;  Algiers,  La.;  St. 
Paul,  Raleigh,  X.  C. ;  Rues  Chapel,  Xewbern,  X.  C. ; 
Hillsboro,  N.  C. :  since  1880  in  the  Xew  Jersey  confer- 
ence: Morristown.  Madison,  Trenton,  Camden  (Mac- 
edonia), Bridgeton,  Vineland  and  Millville  Circuit, 
Xew  Brunswick,  Cape  May,  presiding  elder  Trenton 
District,  Woodbury,  Burlington,  Camden  (Hosanna 
church),  Beverly,  Bordentown,  Haddonfield,  Mt.  Hol- 
ly and  Hosanna,  Camden,  where  he  is  now  serving  his. 
eighth  year.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ence four  times,  and  opened  the  Legislature  of  New 
Jersey  with  prayer  March  29-April  3,  1886.  During  his 
pastoral  career  he  has  built  and  repaired  15  churches, 
repaired  and  furnished  4  parsonages,  and  received  into 
the  church  2310  members. 


He  is  the  author  of  "Out  of  the  Briars,"  a  hand- 
somely illustrated  book  containing  269  pages,  printed  by 
the  A.  M.  E.  Book  Concern,  telling  of  events  of  ante- 
bellum days  and  of  the  Civil  War,  in  which  Rev.  Newton 
was  a  soldier,  a  member  of  the  29th  Regiment  Connec- 
ticut Volunteers.  Rev.  Newton  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  Fraternity  since  1859;  was  20  years  Grand 
Chaplain  of  Grand  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M.,  State  of  New 
Jersey;  Eminent  Grand  Prelate  of  the  Grand  Command- 
ary,  K.  T.,  State  of  New  Jersey ;  33d  degree  Mason  of 
the  A.  A.  Scottish  Rite,  and  Treasurer  General  Supreme 
Council,  Northern  Jurisdiction  U.  S.  A.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  Knights  of  Pythias,  X.  A.,  S.  A.,  E.,  A.  A.  & 
A. ;  Past  Chaplain-in-chief  of  Uniform  Rank,  and  six 
years  Supreme  Prelate  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  K.  P. 

Nichols,  Rev.  James  H.,  was  born  in  Binghamton, 
N.  Y.,  1842,  the  son  of  Henry  and  Mary  Nichols.  Mar- 
ried Prudence  A.  Brown ;  was  licensed  to  preach  at  Owe- 
go,  October,  1869,  by  Rev.  Edward  Thompson;  ordained 
local  deacon  by  Bishop  Payne,  in  1872;  ordained  elder 
by  Bishop  Payne,  1878,  and  joined  the  annual  conference 


REV.  JAMES  H.  NICHOLS. 

in  1878.  He  has  held  the  following  appointments  in 
Xew  York:  Setauket,  Coxsackie,  Lockport,  Amity ville 
Circuit,  Albion  Mission,  Middletown,  Owego,  Chatham 
Station,  Jamestown,  Rochester,  Glencove  and  was  mis- 
sionary agent,  appointed  by  Bishop  Derrick,  of  the  Xew 
York  Conference.     Died  at  Setauket,  X.  Y.,  1899. 

Nichols,  Rev.  L.  R.,  was  born  in  Raleigh,  N.  C, 
in  January,  1857,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  that  city,  having  attended  the  Johnson  school,  and  a 
school  taught  by  a  Mr.  Harris  Lealand,  from  Boston, 
Mass.  He  joined  St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1868, 
under  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Morgan,  and  was  happily  convert- 
ed in  1869,  and  fellowshipped  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Nich- 
olas. 

He  was  licensed  to  exhort  by  the  Rev.  George  W. 
Brodie,  and  in  May  of  that  year  (1872)  was  sent  as  an 
aid  to  the  Rev.  Samuel  Brown,  at  Greensboro  &  Company 
Shops,  North  Carolina ;  from  here  he  was  appointed  to 


170 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


& 


the  Pittsboro  Circuit,  where  he  remained  for  three  years. 
Next  he  was  sent  by  Bishop  Campbell  to  Halifax,  N.  C, 
where  he  labored  for  two  years,  and  from  here  was  sent 
to  a  place  in  lower  North  Carolina  called  Magnolia.  He 
remained  here  for  only  three  months,  being  transferred 
by  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown  to  the  South  Carolina  Confer- 
ence and  stationed  at  St.  John's  Church,  Marion,  which 
he  served  for  three  years,  going  from  here  to  the  Marion 
District;  to  the  Charleston  District  for- one  year;  then 
to  Emanuel  Church,  Charleston,  for  four  years.  From 
Emanuel   he   was   appointed  to  the   Edisto   District,   of 


REV.  LEWIS  RUFFIN  NICHOLS,  D.D. 


which  Emanuel  Church  was  the  head.  After  serving  the 
Edisto  District  for  a  term,  Bishop  Arnett  sent  him  back- 
to  Emanuel,  and  he  built  a  brick  church  at  a  cost  of 
$60,000,  leaving  only  the  steeple  to  be  finished.  From 
Emanuel  he  was  appointed  to  the  Georgetown  District, 
where  he  served  for  five  years,  increased  the  dollar 
money  from  about  $750  to  over  $1,600.  From  the 
Georgetown  District  he  was  appointed  by  Bishop  Grant 
to  Morris  Brown  Church,  Charleston,  where  he  served 
for  four  years,  doubling  the  membership.  Bishop  Gaines 
sent  him  back  to  the  Charleston  District,  which  he  served 
for  five  years,  and  made  it  a  first-class  district.  Bishop 
Lee  returned  him  to  Morris  Brown,  and  he  succeeded  in 
building  up  the  total  membership  to  over  3,000  persons. 
After  serving  Morris  Brown  for  the  second  time,  he  was 
sent  back  to  the  Georgetown  District  by  Bishop  Coppin, 
where  he  is  now  doing  heroic  work  for  Christ  and  Afri- 
can Methodism.  He  has  held  every  office  in  the  church 
save  that  of  a  general  officer  and  bishop,  and  his  highest 
aim  in  life  is  to  be  an  evangelic  gospel  minister  of  Jesus 
Christ. 


Nichols,  Rev.  Pleasant  Augustus,  Secretary  Wil- 
berforce  University,  was  born  near  Leesburg,  Harrison 
County,  Kentucky,  December  24,  1863.  Was  the  son  of 
William  and  Pliny  Nichols,  who  were  the  proud  posses- 
sors of  a  family  of  fourteen  children,  only  four  of  whom 
are  now  living. 

At  the  age  of  six  years  he  began  his  education  in  the 


district  public  schools,  which  he  attended  continuously 
until  old  enough  to  make  a  work-hand  on  the  farm.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  months,  when  farm  work  was  slack,  he 
attended  school.  In  spring,  summer  and  fall,  when  call- 
ed to  the  farm,  he  studied  at  night,  under  private  instruc- 
tors, and  at  spare  times,  until  he  was  able  to  secure  a 
county  teacher's  certificate,  and  for  fourteen  years  taught 
in  the  public  schools  of  Kentucky,  becoming  principal  of 
the  Newport  City  school,  being  rated  as  one  of  the 
most  efficient  and  progressive  teachers  in  the  State. 

He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
at  Leesburg,  Kentucky,  May  14,  1884,  under  the  pastor- 
ate of  Rev.  C.  G.  Cannon,  and  was  licensed  as  a  local 
preacher  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Thomas,  P.  E.,  March  5,  1885, 
and  joined  the  Kentucky  Conference,  at  Ashland,  Sep- 
tember, 1886,  under  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner ;  was  ordained 
deacon  at  Harrodsburg,  by  Bishop  Turner,  September, 
1888,  and  elder,  at  Covington,  by  Bishop  Waynian,  Sep- 
tember, 1S89.  Pie  has  pastored  the  following  charges: 
Beattyville,  3  years ;  Newport,  2  years ;  Mackville,  2 
years  ;  Richmond,  2  years ;  Nicholasville,  3  years ;  Frank- 


REV.  P.  A.  NICHOLS. 


•  fort,  3  years ;  Covington,  2  years ;  Midway,  2  years ;  Dan- 
ville, 2  years ;  Paducah,  3  years,  and  presiding  elder,  5 
years,  at  Willisburg,  one  of  the  points  on  the  Mackville 
Circuit ;  he  built  a  large  frame  church ;  at  Richmond  he 
paid  a  long  standing  debt  on  the  old  church,  purchased 
and  paid  for  a  lot  and  laid  the  foundation  for  the  com- 
modious brick  church,  which  was  afterwards  erected  by 
Rev.  J.  W.  Caldwell;  at  Frankfort  he  reduced  the  mort- 
gage debt  from  $3,500  to  $1,400  in  two  years;  at  Mid- 
way he  paid  a  $400  debt  of  20  years  standing;  at  Dan- 
ville he  remodeled  the  parsonage  at  a  cost  of  $600,  pay- 
ing cash  for  the  work  when  finished  ;  laid  the  foundation 
and  began  the  erection  of  a  lecture  room  adjoining  the 
church;  was  transferred  to  the  West  Kentucky  Confer- 
ence by  Bishop  Shaffer,  and  stationed  at  Paducah,  where 
he  built  Burks  Chapel,  said  to  be  one  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful church  buildings  owned  by  the  African  Methodists  in 
the  State,  at  a  cost  of  $2,600. 

He  was  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of  1908 


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<3 


and  1912  and  served  as  assistant  secretary  of  the  latter. 
He  has  contributed  to  some  of  the  leading  magazines 
and  newspapers  of  the  country  on  some  phase  of  politics, 
civics,  sociology  and  religion.  His  pamphlets :  "Five 
Years  Under  Trial"  and  ''The  Priesthood  of  Melchis- 
deck,"  excited  favorable  comment  by  the  press  of  the 
country.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor  J.  B.  Mc- 
Creary  as  a  delegate  to  represent  the  State  at  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  Emancipation  Proclamation  held  at 
Atlantic  City,  New  Jersey,  October,  1913.  For  three 
years  he  owned  and  edited  "The  Negro  Citizen,"  a 
weekly  newspaper,  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  and  his  editorials 
on  the  race  problem,  politics  and  economics  were  the 
means  of  placing  a  trained  Negro  nurse  in  the  city  hos- 
pital and  securing  the  appointment  of  a  Negro  assistant 
city  physician. 

In  1887  he  married  Miss  Dovie  Candaca  Haddox, 
of  Beattyville,  Ky.,  whose  love  for  and  fidelity  to  the 
cause  of  the  ministry  have  contributed  largely  to  what- 
ever success  has  attended  his  work.  They  are  blessed 
with  two  children:  Leota  I.  Nichols,  who  is  a  graduate 
of  Wayman  Institute  and  Wilberforce  University,  and 
is  the  wife  of  Dr.  R.  B.  Hamilton,  of  Danville,  Ky.,  and 
Roscoe  G.  Nichols,  who,  at  this  writing,  is  an  insurance 
solicitor  at  Louisville,  Ky. 

As  a  preacher,  orator  and  pastor,  Rev.  Nichols  takes 
high  rank  among  his  brethren  of  Kentucky,  who  are 
proud  of  him  and  delight  to  do  him  honor  because  of  his 
sterling  character,  honesty  and  worth.  He  is  a  delegate 
to  the  Centennial  General  Conference  representing  the 
West  Kentucky  Conference.  He  is  now  secretary  of 
Wilberforce  University  since  February,  1916. 


Nottingham,  Rev.  A.  J.,  was  born  at  Eastville, 
Northampton  County,  Va.,  August  18th,  1868,  of  A.  M. 
E.  parentage.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
years,  and  baptized  by  Rev.  J.  E.  W.  Moore.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  and  of  his 
native  county.  He  graduated  from  the  Hampton  Nor- 
mal School  in  1891,  after  which  he  taught  in  the  public 
schools  seven  years.  He  studied  theology  under  private 
tutors,  and  took  a  partial  correspondence  course  from 
Morris  Brown  College.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1895,  and  entered  the  itinerant  ministry  in  1896,  was 
ordained  deacon  1898,  and  elder  in  1900  by  Bishop  James 
A.  Handy. 

Pastored  the  following  charges  in  the  Virginia  An- 
nual Conference :  Tanner's  Creek,  3  years ;  Oceana  Cir- 
cuit, 2  years,  and  built  parsonage ;  St.  James  Station, 
Berkley,  5  years,  built  parsonage  and  paid  for  same ;  re- 
duced mortgage  debt  on  church ;  Third  Street,  Rich- 
mond, 2  years,  reduced  mortgage  debt ;  Roanoke  Sta- 
tion, 3  years,  renovated  church  and  parsonage ;  now 
serving  fourth  year  at  Hampton  with  success  where  he 
has  renovated  church  and  parsonage,  and  almost  doubled 
the  membership. 

He  served  as  recording  secretary  of  his  conference 
four  years  and  chief  secretary  four  years.  He  has  been 
serving  as  secretary  of  the  Finance  Committee  of  the 
Virginia  Conference  for  nine  years;  secretary  of  the 
Norfolk   A.    M.   E.   Preachers'    Meeting  eight   years;  a 


member  of  the  General  Conference  of    1912,  and  was 
appointed    first  assistant  recording  secretary. 

He  married  Miss  Mattie  J.  C.  Robins,  a  classmate 
of  his,  in  1893,  who  has  shared  his  ministerial  labors  all 
these  years.  She  served  two  years  as  State  President  of 
the  W.  M.  M.  Society  of  Virginia,  and  succeeded  in  rais- 


REV.  A.  J.  NOTTINGHAM,  D.D. 

ing  more  money  for  the  mission  field  than  was  raised 
before  or  since. 

The  degree   of   Doctor  of   Divinity   was  conferred 
upon  Rev.  Nottingham  in  1908  by  Morris  Brown  College. 

Nutter,  Isaac  Henry,  lay  delegate,  lawyer;  born 
at  Princess  Anne,  Md.,  August  20,  1S78;  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Emma  (Henry)  Nutter;  LL.B.  Howard  Uni- 
versity School  of  Law,  Washington,  D.  C,  1901 ;  hon- 
orary LL.D.  Wilberforce  University,  1913;  married 
Alice  E.  Reed,  of  Coatesville,  Pa.,  April  27,  1904;  ad- 
mitted to  the  New  Jersey  bar,  1905 :  practiced  in  At- 
lantic City  since  June,  1905 ;  was  for  some  time  asso- 
ciated with  ex-Judge  John  J.  Crandall ;  court  practice 
averages  about  20  civil  and  criminal  cases  a  month ; 
defended  in  30  murder  cases,  1  of  which  was  convicted 
in  second  degree,  4  sentenced  for  manslaughter  and 
25  acquitted  ;  in  the  County  Court  at  Mays  Landing, 
N.  J.;  in  less  than  four  days,  Februarv  23-27,  1915,  he 
secured  acquittals  in  two  murder  cases,  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  trial  of  the  third  client  had  a  "not 
guilty"  of  murder  plea  changed  to  "guilty"  of  man- 
slaughter, with  imprisonment  for  one  year;  solicitor 
and  general  advisor  New  Jersey  State  Republican 
League,  solicitor  of  Atlantic  County  Republican 
League ;  president  Nutter  Real  Estate  Co.,  Mason, 
member  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Elks.  Mr. 
Nutter  is  a  member  and  an  officer  in  St.  James  A.  M. 
E.  Church.  Atlantic  City,  and  the  legal  adviser  of  the 
church.  He  is  a  lay  delegate  to  the  Centennial  Gen- 
eral Conference,  representing  the  New  Jersey  Confer- 
ence. 


172 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


SBORNE,    REV.    W.   T.,   A.M.,   was 

born  near  Monroeville,  Monroe 
County,  -Alabama.  At  the  age  of  ten 
years  he  was  brought  to  Illinois  by 
Colonel  Jonathan  Merriam,  Colonel 
of  the  117th  Illinois  Regiment,  and 
reared  by  him  on  a  farm  in  Logan 
County  near  Atlanta,  111. 
He  graduated  at  Wheaton  College,  Wheaton,  111.,  in 
1876,  with  the  degree  of  A.B.,  being  the  only  colored 
person  in  his  class.  In  1879  the  degree  of  A.M.  was 
conferred  upon  him  by  the  institution.  He  taught  in 
the  public  schools  of  Missouri  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  then  entered  the  ministry,  joining  the  North  Missouri 
Conference  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
under  the  late  Bishop  Ward  in  1883.     He  was  ordained 


REV.  W.  T.  OSBORNE. 

deacon  in  1884,  and  elder  by  the  late  Bishop  J.  M. 
Brown  in  1888.  He  pastored  with  great  success  the 
leading  churches  in  the  North  Missouri  conference. 
He  was  conference  trustee  of  Wilberforce  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  In  1906  he  was  transferred  to  the  Colo- 
rado conference  by  the  late  Bishop  Grant  and  stationed 
at  Helena,  Montana.  He  made,  the  speech  that  detach- 
ed Helena  from  the  Colorado  conference  and  attached 
it  to  the  Puget  Sound  conference.  He  went  from  Hel- 
ena to  Seattle,  Wash.  There  he  erected  a  magnificent 


church,  the  finest  and  most  modern  in  the  northwest, 
which  raised  high  the  standard  of  African  Methodism 
in  the  far  west. 

He  was  leader  of  the  delegation  to  the  general  con- 
ference at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in  1912.  He  was  known  in 
the  North  Missouri  Conference  and  on  the  coast,  as  the 
"Little  Giant"  and  "Gospel  Preacher."  He  built,  com- 
pleted and  improved  a  number  of  churches  and  parson- 
ages, and  added  thousands  of  members  to  the  church. 

His  amiable  wife,  Pinkie  Jackson  Osborne,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  public  school  of  Glasgow,  Mo. ;  Walden  Uni- 
versity, Nashville.  Term. :  Western  University,  Macon, 
Mo. ;  a  post-graduate  student  of  Dixon  College,  Dixon, 
III,  and  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Missouri,  has 
been  a  great  power  behind  the  throne  in  his  successes. 
She  made  the  Mite  Missionary  work  in  the  Puget  Sound 
Conference  a  success. 

Overall,  Rev.  L.  S.,  the  leader  of  the  delegation  of 
the  East  Arkansas  conference  to  the  Centennial  Gen- 
eral Conference  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  is  one  of  the 
products  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Arkansas,  a  grad- 
uate of  Shorter  College,  and  an  aggressive  and  pro- 


REV.  L.  S.  OVERALL,  B.D. 

gressive  young  minister  who  by  superior  ability  has 
worked  his  way  to  the  top  in  his  state,  where  he  en- 
joys the  confidence  of  ministry  and  laity,  of  white  as 
well  as  colored  citizens. 


ALMER,  REV.  JOHN  MOORE,  was 

born  at   Lewistown,   Mifflin   County, 
Pa.,  April  15,  1854. 

He    was   converted    in    Wayman 
A.  M.  E.  Church  of  .his  native-town, 
Rev.  William  P.  Ross,  pastor,  in  Oc- 
tober,  1876,  and     was     licensed     to 
preach  July,  1877,  by  Rev.  Cornelius 
Asbury.     He  was  admitted  with  his   brother  to   the 
Pittsburgh  conference  under  Bishop  Wayman  at  Sa- 
lem, Ohio,  October,  1878. 

His  first  appointment  was  in  1878  to  the  Bellefonte 


Circuit.  He  has  pastored  the  following  charges  in  the 
Pittsburgh  Conference:  Meadville,  Crawford  County, 
Pa. ;  Williamsport  Station,  Williamsport  City,  Pa. ;  Eliz- 
abeth Circuit,  composing  Elizabeth,  West  Elizabeth  and 
West  Newton,  Pa. ;  Uniontown,  Fayette  County,  from 
which  charge  he  was  transferred  to  the  Philadelphia 
Conference,  where  he  served  as  pastor  of  the  Campbell 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Frankford,  followed  by  a  period  of 
three  years'  service  as  presiding  elder  of  the  then  Lan- 
caster District,  under  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner.  He  was 
sent  to  Germantown  and  built  the  present  church.  He 
was  sent  next  to  Union  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia, 


173 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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and  after  a  period  of  two  years  he  was  sent  to  Allen 
A.  M.  E.  Chapel  in  the  same  city.  Remaining  here  three 
years  he  was  sent  to  Smyrna,  Delaware,  where  he  re- 
mained for  but  one  year  and  was  transferred  to  the  New 
York  Conference  by  Bishop  Derrick  and  stationed  at  St. 
John's  Church,  Brooklyn,  where  he  remained  for  two 
years  and  was  transferred  back  to  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
ference by  Bishop  Derrick  to  save  the  church  at  German- 
town.  Here  he  remained  five  years  and  was  then  sent  to 
Asbury  Church,  Chester,  Pa.,  by  Bishop  Gaines  and  re- 
mained for  six  years,  at  which  time  he  was  sent  to  his 
present  charge,  Mt.  Olive,  Philadelphia. 

Nothing  but  success  has  followed  his  ministry.  Many 
churches  have  been  remodeled,  at  least  4000  souls  con- 
verted and  not  a  single  church  divided,  disrupted  or  lost, 
debts,  mortgages,  etc.,  cancelled. 

He  was  a  party  Prohibitionist  in  18S8  and  was  the 
first  colored  man  in  Pennsylvania  to  run  on  a  ticket  for 
Congressman-at-large.  He  stumped  the  state  with  the 
late  Hon.  Chas.  S.  Wolfe,  of  Union  County,  who  ran  for 
Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and  also  with  Governor  John 
P.  St.  John,  of  Kansas,  for  President  of  the  U.  S.,  and 
received  30,675  votes  in  the  election. 

He  has  served  as  the  official  stenographer  of  three 
general  conferences,  '92,  '96  and  1912.  He  was  father 
of  the  Connectional  Preachers'  Aid.  Much  of  the  suc- 
cess of  the  reform  movement  in  Philadelphia  and  Penn- 
sylvania is  declared  to  have  been  due  to  his  effectual 
work  since  1905. 

He  married  Miss  Jennie  Weaver,  of  Harrisburg,  in 
May,  1881.  They  have  had  ten  children,  six  of  whom 
are  living. 

He  received  his  training  in  his  home  school,  at  the 
Bellefonte  Academy,  the  Allegheny  College,  and,  lastly, 
the  Philadelphia  Divinity  College. 

Parker,  H.  H.,  lay  delegate ;  one  of  eight  children 
of  I.  L.  and  Adalinc  Parker,  both  members  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  December   4,    1867,    at   Rich- 


MR.  H.  H.  PARKER. 

lands,  N,  C,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools. 
He  was  converted  in  1885,  having  joined  the  church 
the  year  before.     He  has  been  steward,  trustee,  class 


leader  for  fifteen  years,  Sunday  school  teacher  and 
superintendent  for  twenty  years  and  district  superin- 
tendent for  eight  years.  He  was  elected  lay  delegate 
to  the  general  conferences,  1896,  1900  and  1916.  His 
wife  is  Mrs.  Inda  L.  Parker,  a  native  of  Richlands,  to 
whom  he  was  married  December  19,  1888.  They  have 
children— S.  Phillis,  P.  E.  A.,  Peter  L...H.  H.,  Jr., 
Libby  J.,  X.  Ruth,  L.  E.,  Daisy  A.,  Katie  L.,  Samuel 
J.,  Inda  A.  and  William  A.  Mr.  Parker  is  a  home 
owner  and  prominent  in  secret  orders. 

Patterson,  Rev.  S.  J.,  was  born  in  Greenville,  S. 
C,  February  16,  1867.  With  his  parents,  Isaac  and 
Rachel  Patterson,  he  moved  to  Florida  when  six  years 
old.  Was  converted  May  1,  1887;  licensed  to  preach 
July  8,  1889,  by  Dr.  S.  H.  Coleman;  joined  the  confer- 
ence, March  6,  1894.  He  was  made  general  missionary 
by  Bishop  T.  W.  D.  Ward  in  February,  1896.  His  first 
appointment  was  to  Cottage  Hill,  "Ybor  City,"  a  Cuban 


REV.  S.  J.  PATTERSON. 

town  with  one  member.  He  was  ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines,  March  9,  1897,  and  elder,  March  5, 
1899,  at  Orlando,  by  Rt.  Rev.  W.  J.  Gaines.  He  grad- 
uated June,  1903,  from  Payne  Theological  Seminary, 
Wilberforce,  Ohio.  He  was  elected  delegate  to  the  gen- 
eral conferences  of  1908  and  1912.  He  was  appointed 
presiding  elder  February,  1906,  by  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner 
and  has  been  successively  and  successfully  presiding  el- 
der1 since  that  time.  He  is  well  known  and  highly 
esteemed. 

Payne,  Daniel  Alexander,  sixth  bishop  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  February 
24,  181 1.  At  twelve  years  of  age  he  was  put  to  the 
carpenter's  trade,  in  which  he  spent  four  and  one-half 
years.  While  working  here  he  read  the  first  number 
of  Rev.  John  Brown's  "Self-Interpreting  Bible,"  and 
he  resolved  to  be  what  John  Bunyan  was.  He  was 
converted  in  1829,  about  three  years  after  he  had 
joined  church  on  probation.  In  1835  ne  ^elt  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  his  native  city,  and  returned  thirty  years 
later  as  a  bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  planted 
the  banner  of  the  connection  on  the  soil  where  he  had 
thirty  years  before  suffered  imprisonment  and  oppres- 
sion.    He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  Gettysburg  Col- 


174 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


O 


lege  by  Rev.  Frank  Syn,  G.X.  He  commenced  travel- 
ing the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1842.  He  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1838  and  elder  in  1838;  was  ordained  bishop 
May    13,    1852.     Died    November    29,    1893,  and  was 


BISHOP  D.  A.  PAYNE. 

buried  in  Baltimore,  Md.  He  was  senior  bishop  for 
over  20  years.  He  was  the  Negroes'  first  apostle  of 
education,  founded  Wilberforce  University,  in  1856,  in 
connection  with  others,  and  bought  the  property  for 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1863. 

Pendergrass,  Rev.  Durant  Percival,  was  born  De- 
cember 26th,  1872.  His  parents,  Jack  Pendergrass  and 
Sarah  Pendergrass,  were  slaves,  reared  on  the  Oliver 
plantation  near  Foreston,  S.  C,  Clarendon  County.  Op- 
portunity for  schooling  was  very  limited,  until  in  1889 


REV.  DURANT  PERCIVAL  PENDERGRASS. 


his  teacher,  Prof.  W.  D.  Tardif,  suggested  that  he  go  to 
Hampton,  Va.,  where  four  years  were  spent. 

He  married,  in  1901,  Miss  Maud  Beula  Chavis, 
whose  father,  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Chavis,  was  a  minister  in 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  back  in  the  '8o's. 


In  1903  he  was  admitted  to  the  North  East  S.  C. 
Conference  under  the  late  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines.  He  was 
ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Coppin  December,  1905.  In 
1907  he  was  ordained  traveling  elder. 

He  has  served  some  of  the  best  charges  of  the  North- 
east South  Carolina  Conference.  Among  them  are  Union- 
ville  Station,  and  the  famous  Couterboro  Station.  At 
Unionville  Station,  he  settled,  and  took  up  mortgages  of 
long  standing  that  had  threatened  to  close  the  church. 
At  Couterboro  he  built  and  seated  and  paid  for  one  of 
the  finest  churches  in  the  conference.  At  the  conference 
sitting  in  Sumter,  1913,  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin,  D.D.,  ap- 
pointed him  presiding  elder  of  the  Sumter  District,  where 
he  is  now  serving. 

Perrin,  D.  A.,  was  born  in  Greenwood,  S.  C,  in 
1869;  graduated   from   .Mien    University   in    1889,  and 


REV.  D.  A.  PERRIN,  A.B. 


MRS 


A.  PERRIN. 


from  Claflin  University  in  1895;  taught  in  the  public 
schools  and  for  a  short  while  held  the  chair  of  history 
in  the    State    College    of    Orangeburg,  S.  C.     He  was 


175 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


converted  in  his  seventeenth  year  and  joined  the  min- 
istry at  Marion,  S.  C,  in  1892,  under  Bishop  Salter. 
He  was  stationed  at  Orangeburg,  S.  C,  where  he  re- 
built the  church  and  increased  the  membership  from 
30  to  300.  In  i8y~  he  resigned  the  chair  of  history  in 
the  State  College  and  was  stationed  at  Bethel,  Talla- 
hassee, Fla.,  where  he  did  a  great  work  in  building  up 
the  church  and  saving  souls.  While  there  he  was 
married  to  Hiss  Rowena  E.  Andrews,  the  only  child 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  J.  Andrews,  of  Sumter,  S.  C,  and 
four  children  have  blessed  their  union.  In  1900  he  was 
sent  by  Bishop  Gaines  to  St.  Paul,  Tampa,  Fla.,  where 
he  pastored  with  great  success,  paid  off  the  debts  and 
burnt  the  mortgage.  In  1902  he  was  made  presiding 
elder  and  presided  for  thirteen  years.  He  has  been  a 
delegate  to  every  general  conference  since  1900,  and 
led  the  delegation  in  1904  and  1908.  He  is  now  pastor 
in  charge  of  Mt.  Olive  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Orlando, 
Fla.  He  made  the  best  report  that  has  ever  been 
made  from  that  church  at  the  last  conference,  which 
was  held  in  Tampa,  Fla.,  February  23,  1916. 

Perrin,  Mrs.  Rowena  E.  (Andrews),  was  born  in 
Sumter,  S.  C,  the  only  child  of  W.  J.  and  Amelia  J. 
Andrews.  She  was  educated  in  Scotia  Seminary, 
North  Carolina,  and  Boston,  Mass..  spending  two 
years  in  the  New  England  Conservatory  of  Music  and 
in  the  law  office  of  Johnson  \Y.  Ramsay.  After  leav- 
ing Boston  she  taught  in  Allen  University  and  in  the 
State  College  of  South  Carolina.  She  was  married  to 
Rev.  D.  A.  Perrin  in  18^8,  was  principal  of  the  Tampa 
(Fla.)  Musical  Studio  for  ten  years  and  trained  several 
brilliant  pupils.  She  has  proved  an  ideal  minister's 
wife  and  has  been  of  invaluable  service  to  her  hus- 
band at  all  times,  acting  as  his  private  secretary. 
When  the  Mite  Missionary  Society  was  organized  in 
South  Florida  conference  during  the  administration 
of  Bishop  Handy,  Mrs.  Perrin  was  appointed  first 
president  and  Miss  Emma  Moore  secretary.  She 
proved  to  be  an  earnest  missionary  worker.  She  was 
again  elected  president  of  the  Mite  Missionary  So- 
ciety in  1914.  The  report  for  that  year  was  $500;  for 
the  year  19 1 5,  $800.05,  and  in  1916,  $811.  She  was  ap- 
pointed a  notary  public  in  191 1,  and  was  the  first 
Xegro  woman  to  hold  that  position  in  South  Florida. 
Her  commission  continues  until  June,  1919.  She  is  the 
mother  of  four  children,  namely,  Horace  C.  A.,  Wil- 
liam J.,  Amelia  H.  and  Mary  Rowena. 

Phillips,  W.  A.  J.,  was  born  of  free  parents,  Janu- 
ary 15,  183 1,  in  Rappahannock  County,  Va.,  where  he 
lived  until  September,  185 1.  when  he  went  to  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.,  where  he  learned  the  barber's  trade,  which 
he  followed  until  1868.  He  was  converted  in  Wylie 
Avenue  Church,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  August  27,  1853,  dur- 
ing the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  Hiram  R.  Revels.  He 
was  married  to  Miss  Martha  Benson,  of  Uniontown, 
Pa.,  January  2,  1854,  with  whom  he  is  still  living,  in 
a  comfortable  home  in  Little  Rock,  Ark.  He  served  in 
every  local  office  of  the  church,  was  licensed  to  preach 
by  the  Rev.  Levin  Gross  in  1867;  was  admitted  in  the 
Pittsburgh  conference  on  probation  April  7,  T869; 
was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown,  in  Wylie 
Avenue  Church,  April,  1870,  and  elder,  by  Bishop  D. 
A.  Payne,  at  Meadville,  in  1872.  He  served  the  fol- 
lowing charges  in  the  Pittsburgh   Conference :  Allen 

176 


Chapel,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  missionary  to  West  Vir- 
ginia; Uniontown,  Pa.,  where  he  rebuilt  and  beautified 
the  church ;  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  where  much  improve- 
ments were  made;  Washington,  Pa.,  where  he  built 
the  present  house  of  worship ;  Meadville  Circuit, 
which  included  Meadville,  Oil  City,  Titusville  and 
Erie ;  at  Meadville,  where  the  church  had  been  recent- 
ly burned  he  at  once  rebuilt ;  at  Oil  City  a  large  debt 
on  the  church  was  paid  and  the  church  beautified ;  at 
Erie,  where  there  was  no  house  of  worship  he  secured 
a  lot,  and  a  substantial  house  of  worship  was  donated 
by  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  He  was 
pastor  of  Oil  City  and  Titusville ;  presiding  elder  of 
the  Allegheny  district ;  pastor  of  Monongahela  Sta- 
tion. In  October,  1880,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Ar- 
kansas conference  and  was  stationed  at  Bethel  Church, 
Little  Rock,  where  he  served  three  years.  He  was 
then  presiding  elder  of  the  Fort  Smith  district  seven 
years,  of  Newport  district  four  years,  Little  Rock  dis- 
trict seven  years,  Arkadelphia  district  four  years, 
Camden  district  four  years,  making  a  total  of  26  years 
as  presiding  elder.  He  was  financial  agent  for  Shorter 
College  for  three  years  and  a  member  of  eight  general 
conferences  consecutively,  beginning  at  St.  Louis,  in 
1880,  and  ending  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  in  1908.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  second  Ecumenical  Conference  of 
Methodism  held  in  Washington,  D.  C,  in  1891,  and 
proposed  and  advocated  the  union  of  all  Negro 
Methodist  bodies.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Advisory 
Council  of  the  Parliament  of  Religions,  held  in  Chica- 
go in  1893,  during  the  World's  Fair;  was  a  member  of 
the  general  Board  of  Missions,  Board  of  Education 
and  Financial  Board.  In  the  organization  of  our 
school  work  in  Little  Rock,  in  1885,  he  was  elected 
president  of  the  board  of  trustees,  which  position  he 
held  until  1894.  He  was  again  elected  president  of  the 
same  board  in  1901,  and  served  until  1009,  during 
which  time  four  additional  lots  were  bought,  and  the 
present  building,  which  is  now  occupied,  built,  fur- 
nished and  other  important  improvements  made.  He 
has  received  the  degree  of  D.D. 

Pierce,  Rev.  Alexander  Wayman,  was  born  at 
Gouldtown,  N.  J.,  October  14th,  1858,  the  son  of  Rev 
James  V.  and  Matilda  Pierce.  Plis  father  was  an  A.  M. 
E.  minister  for  thirty-five  years.  Alexander  was  reli- 
giously awakened  in  his  fifteenth  year  and  united  with 
the  home  church.  Thirteen  years  from  this  time  he  and 
his  wife,  Dorothy  A.  Pierce,  happily  received  the  bap- 
tism of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  became  active  workers  in 
the  home  church.  He  served  as  class  leader,  Sunday 
school  teacher,  and  superintendent  until  he  entered  the 
ministry. 

In  1886,  during  the  pastorate  of  his  father,  at  Gould- 
town,  he  was  licensed  to  preach.  Fie  joined  the  N.  J. 
Conference  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  1887,  Bishop  Wayman 
presiding.  He  received  an  appointment  to  HaleyviIIe 
Circuit,  which  included  Port  Elizabeth,  N.  J.  He  was 
next  appointed  to  Crosswicks  Circuit,  which  included 
Cookstown,  N.  J.,  where  he  served  two  years,  revived 
and  fitted  up  the  church,  paying  all  the  debt.  He  was 
ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Turner  at  Mt.  Holly  in  iS8q. 
He  was  ordained  elder  bv  Bishop  Turner  at  Asbury  Park, 
N.  J.,  in  1900.  From  Crosswicks  he  was  sent  to  Mill- 
ville,  N.  J.,  including  Vineland,  and  served  two  years, 
paid  the  debt  at  Vineland  and  built  a  new  parsonage  at 
Millville.     Next  he  served  Rahway,  N.  J.,  for  one  year 


E> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


and  paid  the  debt  on  the  church,  which  Rev.  Joseph  Ross 
started  to  build.  He  next  served  Woodbury,  including 
South  and  North  Woodbury,  and  furnished  the  parson- 
age built  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Morgan,  and  had  a  good  revival. 
Next  he  served  Cape  May,  N.  J.,  had  a  revival  and  ad- 
justed the  debt  on  the  new  church.  He  next  went  to 
Greenwich,  N.  J.,  had  a  big  revival  and  considerably  de- 
creased the  debt  on  the  new  parsonage.  While  at  Wood- 
bury he  took  a  course  in  theology  at  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Seminary  in  Philadelphia.  At  the  conference  held 
at  Salem,  N.  J.,  he  was  sent  to  Roslyn  Circuit,  including 
Port  Washington  and  Westbury,  N.  Y.  He  paid  off  the 
debts  at  Westbury  and  Roslyn.  He  went  next  to  Cox- 
sackie,  N.  Y.  During  the  two  years  he  had  a  revival,  paid 
off  the  debt  of  the  lecture  room  and  fitted  up  the  main 
auditorium.  He  next  went  to  Amityville,  L.  I.  Three 
years  here  he  paid  off  the  debt  of  the  church,  and  had 


Pinckney,  Rev.  Henry  Hammond,  one  of  eight  chil- 
dren of  Joseph  and  Matilda  Pinkney,  was  born  January 
II,  1861,  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  His  father  was  a  member 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  but  his  mother  was  a  member 
of  M.  E.  Church.  He  attended  school  about  fourteen 
years  beginning  as  a  small  boy.  He  attended  Avery 
Normal  Institute,  and  after  graduation  from  the  same 
went  to  the  South  Carolina  University,  but  was  not  able 
to  finish  on  account  of  the  seizure  of  the  school  by  the 
Democratic  State  government,  which  determined  that 
it  should  be  for  whites  only.  He  later  studied  nearly  two 
years  at  the  Reformed  Episcopal  Seminary  at  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  and  at  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  N.  J. 
The  degree  of  D.D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  Paul 
Ouinn  College.  He  was  converted  in  1878  and  joined 
A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  the  follow- 
ing offices  in  the  local  church,  that  of  steward,  trustee, 


REV.  ALEXANDER  WAYMAN  PIERCE. 

a  good  revival.  He  next  went  to  Chatham,  N.  Y.,  for 
two  years,  paid  off  the  debt,  burned  the  mortgage,  and 
left  the  church  in  good  spiritual  condition.  He  next  went 
to  Bayshore,  L.  I.,  for  three  years,  paid  the  first  money  on 
their  mortgage,  which  had  stood  for  seventeen  years,  and 
strengthened  the  church  spiritually.  He  was  returned 
a  second  time  to  Westbury,  N.  Y.,  for  four  years,  built  a 
new  basement,  renovated  and  improved  the  auditorium, 
paying  for  all  and  leaving  a  balance  in  the  treasury.  He 
next  went  to  Roslyn  for  two  years,  built  an  addition, 
put  in  new  stained  glass  windows  and  electric  lights, 
and  paid  for  all  work,  leaving  a  balance  in  treasury. 
He  is  now  serving  Amityville  charge  for  the  second 
term,  making  a  strenuous  effort  to  pay  off  the  heavy 
debt  left  on  the  new  church.  It  has  been  his  fortune 
to  pay  off  debts  as  well  as  to  add  souls  to  the  church. 
He  has  been  greatly  assisted  by  his  good  wife  and  large 
family  of  ten  children,  all  of  whom  are  in  the  church 
as  active  and  earnest  workers.  He  has  traveled  ten  years 
in  the  New  Jersey  Conference,  and  eighteen  years  in  the 
New  York  Conference. . 


REV.  H.  H.  PINCKNEY 

exhorter,  local  preacher  and  Sunday  school  teacher.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  1883,  by 
Rev.  E.  Winston  Taylor,  joined  the  South  Carolina  An- 
nual Conference  in  1884  under  Bishop  Shorter ;  was 
ordained  deacon  in  1885  by  Bishop  Shorter,  and  was 
ordained  elder  in  1887  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  by  Bishop  A. 
W.  Wayman.  He  has  held  appointments  in  Jersey 
City,  N.  J. ;  'Railway,  N.  J. ;  Snow  Hill,  N.  J. ;  Bur- 
lington, N.  J.;  Princeton,  N.  J.;  Jersey  City,  N.  J.  ; 
Gouldtown,  N.  J. ;  Bordentown,  N."  J. ;  Elmira,  N.  Y., 
and  New  Haven,  Conn.  He  has  twice  been  pre- 
siding elder,  and  is  now  presiding  elder  of  the  Boston 
district  of  the  New  England  Conference  in  his  fourth 
year.  He  built  Ebenezer  at  Rahway,  N.  J. ;  remodeled 
parsonage  at  Snow  Hill,  N.  J. :  repaired  Mt.  Pisgah  at 
Princeton,  and  Trinity  at  Gouldtown,  and  the  church  at 
Burlington,  N.  J.  He  has  taken  about  2000  people  into 
the  church  and  baptized  about  900  people. 

Was  delegate  to  general  conferences  of  1900,  1904, 
1908  and  1916. 

He  was  voted  for  for  editor  of  the  Christian  Re- 
corder in  1900  and  1908.  In  1S82  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Harriet  O.  Generette,  of  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  two 
children,  Ersylind  T.  and  Pauline  L.,  were  born  to  them. 
Has  contributed  to  Christian  Recorder,  A.  M.  E. 
Peview  and  various  daily  papers,     He  is  author  of  one 


12 


177 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


book  "The  Prophet  Zachariah."  Principal  addresses 
made  were  "Ch  irles  Sumner"  and  "The  Civil  Rights 
Bill."-  He  is  connected  with  F.  and  A.  M.  and  G.  U.  O. 
of  O.  F.  and  has  held  prominent  offices  in  each ;  is  a  Re- 
publican and  owns  a  home. 

Polk,  Rev.  P.  H.,  was  born  of  slave  parents,  in 
Yallabusha,  Miss.,  in  1861.  His  father  and  mother, 
George  and  Milly  Polk,  moved  to  Shelby  County,  Tenn., 
when  he  was  four  years  old.  He  attended  the  public 
schools  in  Memphis. 

At  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  professed  religion, 
joining  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
by  the  deceased  Editor  Johnson  of  the  Christian  Re- 
corder, who  was  at  that  time  presiding  elder  of  the  South 
Memphis  District.  He  became  a  member  of  the  West 
Tennessee  Conference  in  1888  under  Bishop  Wayman. 
He  pastored  in  Tennessee  fourteen  years  with  remark- 


REV.  P.  H.  POLK,  D.D. 

able  success,  and  was  transferred  to  Arkansas  at  his  own 
request  under  Bishop  Tanner.  He  built  a  splendid  brick 
church  at  Jonesboro,  Ark. 

He  was  next  transferred  to  the  Mississippi  Con- 
ference and  stationed  at  Brookhaven,  Miss.  Here  he 
erected  a  church  at  a  cost  of  three  thousand  dollars. 

Campbell  College  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of 
D.D.  He  was  elected  leader  of  his  delegation  from  the 
Mississippi  Conference  to  the  general  conference  at  Nor- 
folk, Va.  He  was  elected  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ence, Kansas  City,  Mo.  For  five  years  he  was  presiding 
elder  with  great  success.  He  has  been  twice  elected 
trustee  of  Wilberforce. 

He  has  pastored  some  of  the  leading  charges  in  Mis- 
sissippi, Brookhaven,  Natchez,  and  is  at  present  station- 
ed at  Clarksdale,  where  he  has  contracted  to  build  a  six 
thousand  dollar  church.  He  is  a  delegate  to  the  general 
conference  at  Philadelphia.  He  is  a  great  believer  in  his 
church  and  his  race. 


of  age  and  attended  school  about  eighteen  years  in 
all,  attending  the  county  public  schools  of  Winters- 
ville,  Knox  Institute,  Allen  University,  Morris  Brown 
College  and  Gammon  Theological  Seminary.  He  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  A.B.  and  A.M.  from  Morris 
Brown  and  D.D.  from  Gammon  Seminary.  He  was 
converted  in  1890  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the 
same  year ;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1895,  at  Athens, 
Ga.,  by  Rev.  J.  S.  (now  Bishop)  Flipper;  joined  the 
annual  conference  under  Bishop  A.  Grant ;  was  or- 
dained deacon  in  1897,  at  Thomaston,  Ga.,  by  Bishop 
Gaines  and  elder  in  1899,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  by  Bishop 
Gaines..  He  has  had  the  following  appointments : 
Kirkwood  Mission,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  1896;  West  End,  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  1897-98;  Trinity  Station,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  1898- 
1901 ;  St.  Paul,  Troy,  Ala.,  1901-04;  St.  Luke,  Eufaula, 
Ala.,  1904-08;  St.  John,  Montgomery,  Ala.,  1908-12; 
Campbell  and  Shorter  Chapels,  Denver,  Col.,  1912-16. 


Pope,  Robert  Luther,  the  son  of  Monroe  and  Han- 
nah Pope,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
born  September  2,  1870,  in  Clarke  County,  Ga.,  one  of 
eleven  children.  He  entered  school  when  seven  years 

178 


REV.  R.  L.  POPE,  A.M.,  D.D. 

He  built  St.  Paul's  Church,  at  Troy,  at  a  cost  of  $3000, 
in  1902 ;  parsonage  at  Troy,  at  a  cost  of  $1200,  in  1904; 
parsonage  at  St.  John's,  Montgomery,  Ala.,  at  a  cost 
of  $2500,  in  191 1.  He  lifted  the  mortgages  on  Trinity, 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  to  the  amount  of  $1600,  in  1900,  and  on 
Shorter  Chapel,  at  Denver,  Col.,  to  the  amount  of 
$300,  in  1916.  He  has  taken  2092  people  into  the 
church  and  baptized  869.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
general  conferences  of  1908,  1912  and  1916;  was  ap- 
pointed a  member  of  the  Fourth  Ecumenical  Confer- 
ence of  Methodism  held  in  Toronto,  Canada,  in  ign  ; 
was  second  assistant  secretary  of  general  conference  of 
1912.  He  married  Jane  Crane,  of  Pensacola,  Fla.,  in 
1899.  He  has  contributed  to  "New  York  Independ- 
ent," "A.  M.  E.  Review"  and  "Recorders."  He  made 
the  annual  address  for  Morris  Brown  College,  also  an- 
nual sermon  for  Payne  Institute,  and  one  of  the  edu- 
cational addresses  at  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence. He  is  connected  with  the  F.  and  A.  M.  and  K. 
of  P.,  and  is  a  home  owner. 

Pope,  W.  T.,  born  1870,  Washington,  Ga.,  son  of 
William  and  Sarah  Ann  Pope ;  educated  in  public 
schools ;  was  several  years    on   public   works,  mostly 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


railroad,  where  he  served  as  foreman;  taught  school 
in  Jefferson  Co.,  Ark. ;  edited  "The  Sentinel,"  Pres- 
'  cott,  Ark. ;  "Voice  of  Twentieth  Century,"  Argenta  ; 
"Free  Lance,"  Augusta,  Ark.;  "Co-operator,"  Forrest 
City,  Ark.;  "African  Methodist,"  Argenta,  Ark.;  was 
converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  1897,  at 
Prescott,  Ark. ;  licensed  to  preach  May,  1897,  by  Rev. 
W.  H.  Jones;  admitted  to  conference,  by  Bishop  W. 
B.  Derrick,  at  Arkadelphia,  in  1898;  ordained  deacon, 
1898;  ordained  elder,  April,  1900;  pastored  Mineral 
Springs,  Ashdown,  McNeil,  Gurdon,  Gregory,  Mc- 
Comb  City,  Miss. ;  Fordyce,  Holly  Grove  and  Forrest 


REV.  W.  T.  POPE,  D.D. 

City,  Ark. ;  presiding  elder  of  Clarendon  and  Sherrill 
districts;  originator  of  the  laymen's  movement  in  Ar- 
kansas, through  which  $1100  was  turned  over  to  the 
treasurer  of  Shorter  College  after  paying  the  expenses 
of  the  rally  and  the  expense  of  the  commencement  for 
that  year.  Dr.  J.  G.  Thornton  is  the  present  head  of 
the  movement  and  it  promises  much  for  Shorter 
College.  He  believes  that  the  Negro  has  the  solution 
of  the  race  problem  largely  in  his  own  hands.  Co- 
operation is  his  hobby.  Member  of  the  general  con- 
ferences of  1912-1916;  is  trustee  of  Shorter  College 
and  treasurer  of  Trustee  Board. 

Porter,  George  Wellington,  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Adeline  Porter,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  at  Paris,  Tenn.,  one  of  twelve  chil- 
dren ;  attended  school  about  eight  years.  He  is  a  gradu- 
ate of  Morris  Brown  College.  He  received  the  de- 
gree D.D.  from  both  Morris  Brown  and  Turner  Col- 
lege. He  was  converted  in  1884  and  joined  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  many  import- 
ant offices  in  the  church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
in  1890  at  Paris,  Tenn.,  by  Rev.  D.  E.  Asbury.  He 
was  ordained  deacon  in  1891  at  Clarksville,  Tenn.,  by 
Bishop  Wayman,  and  ordained  Elder  in  1893  at  Wav- 
erly,  Tenn.,  by  Bishop  M.  B.  Salter.  He  joined  the 
Annual  Conference  in  1890  at  Paris,  Tenn.,  under 
Bishop  Wayman.  He  has  had  the  following  appoint- 
ments:    Huntingdon,   Miss.,  1890-91;   Crossland,  Miss., 


1891-94;  Tyler  Chapel,  Memphis,  1894-95;  St.  Peter's, 
Clarksville,  1895-1900;  Bethel,  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  1900- 
05;  Avery  Chapel,  Memphis,  1905-08;  P.  E.  Clarks- 
ville District,  1908-11;  St.  John,  Nashville,  1911-15. 
He  has  built  churches  at  Crossland,  Tenn.,  at  a  cost 
of  $1,500  in  1893;  Trainer  Chapel,  at  Crossland,  Miss., 
at  a  cost  of  $700,  in  1892. 

He  has  lifted  mortgages  on  St.  Peter,  at  Clarks- 
ville, to  the  amount  of  $4,000,  in  1897;  Bethel,  at 
Vicksburg,  Miss.,  to  the  amount  of  $3,500,  in  1903 ; 
Avery  Chapel,  at  Memphis,  to  the  amount  of  $3,600, 
in   1907;  on  St.  John,  at  Nashville,  to  the  amount  of 


REV.  G.  W.  PORTER 

$1,363,  in  1914.  He  was  delegate  to  the  General  Con- 
ferences of  1896,  1900,  1904,  1908,  1912,  and  is  a  dele- 
gate to  the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Financial  Board  in  1904-08; 
Southern  Recorder  Board,  1900-04,  and  A.  C.  E.  Leag- 
ue Board  for  four  years. 

He  was  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1904  to  191 2.  He  married  Mrs.  Llewlyn 
Porter,  of  Paris,  Tenn.,  in  1884.  They  have  one. child, 
Lela  B.  Porter,  who  is  a  graduate  of  Straight  Uni- 
versity, New  Orleans,  La.,  and  Walden  University, 
Nashville,  Tenn.  He  has  contributed  to  many  papers 
and  has  written  many  pamphlets,  and  made  many  ad- 
dresses on  different  occasions.  His  little  book  of 
poems,  "Streamlets  of  Poetry,"  has  been  highly  com- 
mended. He  is  connected  with  the  F.  &  A.  M.,  G.  U. 
O.  of  O.  F.,  K.  of  P.,  Mosaic  Templars,  and  has  held 
prominent  offices  in  each.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Re- 
publican Party  and  has  attended  many  conventions, 
and  owns  a  comfortable  home.  Dr.  Porter  was  the 
first  Negro  Magistrate  elected  in  Henry  County,  Tenn. 
He  is  actively  associated  with  Nashville  Institute  for 
Training  Christian  Workers,  Southern  Sociological 
Congress,  and  several  schools  and  colleges. 

Powell,  Rev.  Benjamin  Joseph,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 25,  1865,  was  brought  up  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and 
Sunday  school  at  Cuthbert,  Ga.  At  twelve  years  of  age 
he  was  converted  and  joined  the  church  during  the  pas- 
torate of  Rev.  D.  T.  Greene  and  has  not  missed  attend- 
ing Sunday  school  but  five  times  in  38  years.  In  1882 
Dr.  Joseph  A.  Wood  licensed  him  to  preach.  He  was 
admitted  into  the  Georgia  Annual  Conference  December, 
1887;  was  ordained  deacon  in  Brunswick,  Ga.,  and  was 
ordained  elder  in  Marietta4-  Ga.,  in  1893. 


IZ9 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


During  his  pastorate  he  served  the  following 
charges :  Morris  Station  Mission,  McDonald  Mission, 
West  Atlanta  Mission,  Summertown  Circuit,  Sylvania 
Circuit,  Statesboro  Circuit,  Darien  Station,  Milledgeville 
Station,  Mt.  Gilead  Circuit,  Lumpkin  Circuit,  Millen  Cir- 
cuit, Cedartown  Station,  Bethel  Circuit,  Americus  Sta- 
tion, Thomasville  Station  and  is  now  serving  his  second 
year  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Bainbridge  District. 

For  ten  years  he  was  a  successful  public  school 
teacher  having  attended  school  at  Howard  Normal,  Cuth- 
bert,  Ga.,  Morris  Brown  College  and  Gammon  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

On  March  12,  1897,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Laura 
Pearl  Lemon,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.  Later  was  divorced  by 
the  Superior  Court  of  Fulton  County,  Atlanta,  Ga., 
August  16,  1904,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Mildred  E. 
Austin,  November  18,  1908,  Columbus,  Ga. 

He  has  been  a  trustee  of  Morris  Brown  College  for  22 
years;  trustee  of  Payne  College  for  15  years.  He  is 
connected  with  many  progressive  movements  of  his  race, 
church  and  state.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Centennial 
General  Conference. 


Prince,  Rev.  W.  H.,  was  born  December  8.  1867, 
in  Mobile,  Ala.,  son  of  William  Henry  and  Dora  Prince, 
who  were  both  zealous  Christians  and  enthusiastic  Meth- 
odists. Pie  was  one  of  three  children.  His  education  in 
early  life  was  neglected  because  of  his  father's  death.  In 
1888  he  was  converted  and  joined  Big  Zion  A.   M.  E. 


REV.  W.  H.  PRINCE,  B.D. 


Zion  Church.  In  1889  he  entered  Livingstone  College, 
Salisbury,  N.  C,  and  spent  about  two  years  there.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1894  by  Rev.  (now  Bishop) 
A.  J.  Warner;  joined  the  West  Alabama  Annual  Con- 
ference of  the  A.  M.  E.  Zion  connection  in  1894  under 
Bishop  C.  C.  Petty.  He  was  ordained  deacon  at  Scran- 
ton,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  Petty  and  elected  chief  secretary 
of  the  conference.  In  1898  he  decided  to  cast  his  lot 
with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  he  joined  the  Southwest 
Georgia  Conference  at  Tolbotton,   Ga.,   under  JBishop 


Turner.  He  was  ordained  elder  in  1900  at  Fort  Gaines, 
Ga.,  by  Bishop  Turner. 

He  has  served  the  following  charges :  St.  Peter  Cir- 
cuit, where  St.  Peter  was  rebuilt  at  the  cost  of  $800, 
which  was  paid;  St.  James  Station,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  paying 
a  mortgage  of  S350,  and  conducting  a  great  revival ; 
Trinity  Station,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  where  many  souls  were 
brought  into  the  church  and  a  mortgage  for  $712  was 
lifted.  While  in  Atlanta,  he  matriculated  in  Turner 
Theological  Seminary,  Morris  Brown  College,  from 
which  he  finished  with  honors  in  1907.  In  1906  he  was 
awarded  the  class  medal  in  the  oratorical  contest,  and  in 
1907  the  first  prize  medal  was  awarded  him  in  the  orat- 
orical contest  between  the  "theologs"  and  the  "collegiates" 
of  Morris  Brown  College. 

Upon  the  completion  of  his  course  in  theology  he 
went  west  and  took  charge  of  St.  Paul  Station,  Pueblo, 
Colorado ;  next  to  Hubbard  Chapel,  La  Junta,  Colo., 
where  he  erected  a  nice  parsonage,  and  wrote  the  book- 


MRS.  W.  H.  PRINCE. 

let,  "Reflections  of  the  Ten  Commandments."  From  this 
point  he  went  to  the  Pueblo  District  of  the  Colorado  Con- 
ference, over  which  he  presided  four  years,  during  which 
time  he  purchased  lots  for  the  church  at  Salida,  Colo., 
for  $300;  Alamosa,  Colo.,  for  $375  ;  Tucson,  Ariz.,  $600; 
Clifton.  Ariz.,  $1100;  Douglass,  Ariz.,  $150.  He  was 
elected  leader  of  the  delegation  to  the  general  conference 
of  1912,  receiving  every  vote  but  one.  This  district  com- 
posed the  then  prospective  Arizona  Annual  Conference. 
During  this  time  he  wrote  a  book  of  poems,  "Musings 
on  the  Western  Plains."  Leaving  the  Southwest,  he 
went  to  Spartanburg,  S.  C,  and  lifted  a  $450  mortgage 
from  Trinity  Station.  From  there  he  was  stationed  at 
Montevallo,  Ala.,  where  he  relieved  Ward  Chapel  Sta- 
tion of  a  debt  of  $390. 

From  Montevallo  he  transferred  to  the  Northwest 
and  stationed  at  Union  Bethel,  Great  Falls,  Montana, 
where  he  compiled  a  booklet,  "Observations  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer."    He  is  now  stationed  at  Portland,  Oregon.'  , 


ISO 


°& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


■a 


Prince,  Frances  Leontine,  wife  of  Rev.  W.  H. 
Prince,  of  Portland,  Oregon,  is  an  invaluable  aid  to 
her  husband  in  his  ministry,  a  woman  of  marked  affa- 
bility, unusual  business  ability  and  a  successful  dra- 
matic reader.  She  has  taken  an  active  and  important 
part  in  the  work  both  of  the'W.  H.  &  F.  Society  and 
the  W.  M.  M.  Society  and  has  been  an  inspiration  to 
hundreds. 

Prioleau,  Rev.  George  W.,  Chaplain,  United 
States  Army,  was  born  of  slave  parents,  L.  S.  and  Susan 
A.  Prioleau,  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  attended  the  public 
schools  of  that  city  and  Avery  Institute.  In  1875  he  at- 
tended Claflin  University,  Orangeburg,  S.  C.  During  the 
winter  months,  from  1875  to  1879,  he  taught  the  primary 
public  school,  Lyons  Township,  Orangeburg  County.  He 
was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  St.  Mat- 
thews, S.  C,  his  father  being  pastor.     Served  his  church 


CHAPLAIN  GEORGE  W.  PRIOLEAU,  U.  S.  A. 

as  leader  of  the  choir,  Sunday  school  teacher,  superin- 
tendent, class  leader  and  local  preacher.  Joined  the  Co- 
lumbia, S.  C,  Conference  December,  1879,  under  Bishop 
Brown.  Was  assigned  as  pastor  to  the  Double  Springs 
Mission,  Laurens  County,  S.  C.  December,  1880,  was 
sent  to  Wilberforce  University  by  the  Columbia,  S.  C, 
Conference,  but  the  conference  having  failed  to  support 
him,  he  did  so  himself  by  working  at  his  trade  during 
hours  of  recreation,  in  the  harvest  fields  of  Green  and 
Clark  Counties,  Ohio ;  and  was  assisted  by  his  father. 
Was  assigned  to  the  Selma  Ohio  Mission  by  Bishop 
Shorter  in  the  year  1881,  held  this  charge  three  years. 
Graduated  from  the  Theological  Department,  Wilber- 
force University.  June,  1884,  with  the  degree  of  B.D. 
Taught  in  the  public  school,  Selma,  Ohio,  September, 
1884,  to  September,  1885  ;  in  connection  was  pastor  of 
A.  M.  E.  Mission,  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio,  North  Ohio 
Conference.  Was  appointed  pastor  of  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Hamilton,  Ohio,  September,  1885.  Was  married  to  Miss 
Anna  L.  Scovell,  class  1885,  Wilberforce  University,  De- 
cember 23rd,  1885.  Appointed  pastor  of  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Troy,  Ohio,  by  Bishop  Campbell,  1887.  Was 
elected  to  fill  the  chair  of  Ecclesiastical  History  and 
Homiletics,  September,  1889,  and  in  this  connection  was 


pastor  of  Trinity  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity. Appointed  Presiding  Elder  Springfield  District, 
Northern  Ohio  Conference,  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Septem- 
ber, 1890,  in  connection  with  duties  as  instructor  Wilber- 
force University.  This  dual  position  was  held  until  Sep- 
tember, 1892.  Elected  delegate  to  the  general  conference 
held  at  Philadelphia,  May,  1892.  Was  elected  secretary 
for  four  consecutive  times  of  the  North  Ohio  Confer- 
ence ;  president  North  Ohio  Sunday  School  Institute  for 
three  years.  Was  appointed  pastor  of  St.  John's  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  Xenia,  Ohio,  in  connection  with  professor- 
ship at  Payne  Theological  Seminary.  Associate  Editor 
A.  M.  E.  Sunday  School  Lesson  Leaf  for  three  years. 
Was  appointed  Chaplain  of  the  9th  Cavalry,  U.  S.  Army, 
by  President  Cleveland,  April  25th,  1895,  with  the  rank 
of  Captain,  and  served  with  the  regiment  until  Novem- 
ber 15,  191 5,  twenty  years,  six  months  and  twenty  days. 
Transferred  to  10th  Cavalry  November  15,  1915.  Was 
married  after  the  loss  of  his  first  wife  February  27th, 
1902,  to  Miss  Ethel  C.  Stafford,  Kansas  City,  Kansas, 
February  20th,  1905.  Two  girls,  Mary  S.  and  Ethel  S., 
are  the  fruit  of  this  marriage.  The  Chaplain  has  crossed 
the  Pacific  Ocean  six  times,  four  times  with  his  regiment 
and  twice  on  detached  service.  He  is  a  33  deg.  Mason, 
Odd  Fellow  and  was  initiated  as  a  K.  of  P.  Appointed 
D.  D.  G.  M.  by  G.  M.  N.  C.  Crews,  Jurisdiction  of  Mis- 
souri, over  Arizona  and  New  Mexico.  Organized  Wil- 
liam H.  Carney  Lodge,  No.  89,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  Reor- 
ganized Joppa  Military  Lodge  No.  150,  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 
He  paid  off  a  long  standing  debt  of  nearly  $1100  on 
church  at  Troy,  Ohio,  and  built  the  present  structure. 
Paid  off  a  large  debt  on  St.  John's  Church,  Xenia,  Ohio, 
and  Payne  A.  M.  E.  Chapel,  Hamilton,  Ohio.  His  reports 
have  always  been  satisfactory  to  the  Bishop.  Many 
souls  were  converted  through  his  preaching  at  Hamilton, 
Selma,  Xenia,  and  in  the  army. 

Payne  Theological  Seminary  conferred  upon  him 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  in  June,  1895,  but  after 
fifteen  years,  on  account  of  his  high  conception  of  the 
meaning  of  the  degree,  and  the  prevailing  abuse  of  it,  he 
publicly  disclaimed  all  rights  to  the  degree  June,  1910,  at 
vVilberforce  University,  just  before  he  preached  the 
3accalaureate  sermon  to  the  class  of  1910. 

Pryor,  Still  Paul,  one  of  twelve  children  of  Reu- 
ben Still  Pryor  and  Angeline  Pryor,  was  born  March 
6,  1865,  in  Brundige,  Ala.  He  attended  school  for  five 
years,  part  of  the  time  attending  Tuskegee  Institute ; 
also  took  a  correspondence  course  from  Morris  Brown 
College.  He  was  converted  in  1889  and  joined  the 
Wayman  Chapel,  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Union  Springs, 
Ala. ;  served  as  steward,  trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter, 
local  preacher  and  Sunday  school  teacher.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  May  8,  1891,  at  Union  Springs,  Ala., 
by  Rev.  E.  H.  Dickerson;  joined  the  annual  confer- 
ence in  1891,  at  Montgomery,  under  Bishop  Gaines; 
ordained  deacon  1894,  in  Troy,  Ala.,  by  Bishop  Grant; 
ordained  elder  September,  1899,  by  Bishop  Turner; 
held  the  following  appointments :  Suspension  Mission 
1893;  Hurtsboro,  1894;  Troy  circuit,  1895-96;  Clop- 
ton  circuit,  1897-98;  Troy  Station,  1899;  pastor 
Cherry  Street,  Dothan,  1900-02;  presiding  elder,  Co- 
lumbia district,  1904-06;  presiding  elder,  Ozark  dis- 
trict, 1907-1910;  presiding  elder,  Columbia  district, 
1911-12;  pastor  Elba  circuit,  1913 ;  presiding  elder,  Eu- 
faula  district,  1913  to  date.  He  built  church  at  Suspen- 
sion, for  $400,  in  1893 ;  parsonage  at  Dothan,  for  $800, 


181 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


® 


in   1900;  a  church  at  Clopton,  for  $1500,  in   1897;  a 
church  at  Madrid,  for  $1200,  in  191 1  ;  lifted  $500  mort- 


RE\ 


PRYOR. 


gage  from  church  at  Dothan,    in    1912;    has    taken  in 
church  more  than  1500  people  and  baptized  over  500; 


MRS.  S.  P.      PRYOR. 

was  delegate  to  general  conference  in  Chicago,  111., 
1904;  has  four  children — John  B.,  age  21;  Gaines 
Washington,  age  13;  Ruby  May,  age  10;  Minnie  Lee, 
age  8  years. 


Purnell,  Sydney  E.,  was  born  January  2,  1867,  at 
5now  Hill,  Worcester  County,  Maryland,  the  son  of 
.Villiam  P.  and  Nellie  Purnell.  Received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  at  his  home  and  in  New  York  City. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  was  forced  to  stop  school  and 
go  to  work.  His  father  had  become  blind  and  his  mother 
a  cripple.  He  took  up  seafaring  life  and  traveled  on  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  for  three  years.  He  then  located  in  New 
York  and  was  chief  steward  of  a  yacht  club  for  two 
years.  He  moved  to  Philadelphia,  December  31,  1888, 
and  on   January   7th,    1889,   secured  position  as  porter 


MR.  SYDNEY  E.  PURNELL. 

with  a  millinery  firm;  after  two  years  he  was  promoted 
to  shipping  and  receiving  clerk  and  holds  that  position 
until  now.  He  was  converted  at  Snow  Hill  when  eleven 
years  old  and  joined  the  church  immediately.  His  moth- 
er entered  him  on  the  Sunday  school  Roll  when  he  was 
three  years  old  and  he  has  continued  an  active  member 
of  the  church  and  Sunday  school.  He  joined  Bethel 
Church  and  Sunday  school,  Philadelphia,  January,  1889; 
has  served  as  a  class  leader,  steward,  church  clerk,  sec- 
retary of  the  stewards'  board  and  Sunday  school  teacher. 
He  served  as  district  superintendent  of  the  Philadelphia 
district  fourteen  years.  He  served  as  secretary  of  the 
Publication  Board  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr.  Purnell 
is  well  informed  on  the  discipline  and  church  law,  and 
an  influential  and  prominent  citizen. 

He  was  married  on  November  27th,  1895,  in  Phila- 
delphia, to  Miss  Julia  Lucinda  Sumby,  who  was  formerly 
of  Alexandria,  Ya.,  and  the  union  has  been  a  happy  one. 


tion  from  No 


ANDOLPH,  JAMES  WELDON,  son 

of  William  and  Rachel  Randolph, 
both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.. 
Church,  was  born  October  15,  1842, 
at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  one  of  eight 
children  of  his  parents.  He  entered 
school  at  six  years  of  age,  and  spent 
about  nine  years  receiving  his  educa- 
rthern  Liberty  and  James  Bird's  Schools, 

182 


Philadelphia.  He  has  given  special  study  to  the  sub- 
jects of  music,  French,  German  and  Spanish,  and  re- 
ceived the  D.D.  degree  from  Paul  Quinn  College.  He 
was  converted  in  1863,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
the  same  year.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  A. 
S.  Stanford.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1870,  at  Co- 
lumbus, Ga.,  by  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown,  and  ordained  eld- 
er in  1871,  at  Columbus,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  Brown.  He 
joined  the  annual  conference  of  1869  at  Americus,  Ga., 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


under  Bishop  Brown.  He  has  held  appointments  at  Au- 
gusta, Athens,  Helena,  Ark. ;  Galveston,  Waco,  Bren- 
ham,  Bryan,  Hearne,  Houston,  Dennison,  Fort  Worth, 
San  Diego,  Cal. ;  Danville,  Va. ;  Pottsville,  Pottstown, 
Pa. ;  Long  Branch,  Washington,  N.  J. ;  Camden,  N.  J. ; 
Wilmington,  Del. ;  Lansdowne,  Pa.  He  remodeled  the 
church  at  Galveston,  Tex.,  and  Pottsville,  Pa.,  and  the 


REV.  J.  W.  RANDOLPH,  D.D. 


parsonage  at  Sherman,  Tex.  He  lifted  the  mortgages 
at  Reedy  Chapel,  Bethel,  Lake  Charles,  La. ;  St. 
Peter's,  La.  He  was  married  to  Anna  Eliza  Ran- 
dolph, of  Savannah,  Ga.,  in  1869.  They  had  four  chil- 
dren— Gaetana,  Edmonia,  Olivia  and  Emily.  Their 
daughter,  Edmonia,  is  a  graduate  of  Wilberforce, 
Ohio.  He  has  contributed  to  the  several  Recorders. 
He  published  "The  Everlasting  Joy,"  a  music  book. 
He  has  published  several  copies  of  sheet  music.  He 
is  a  teacher  of  vocal  and  instrumental  music. 

Rankin,  Rev.  J.  W.,  Secretary  of  Missions,  was 
born  a  slave,  and  reared  in  the  State  of  Mississippi. 
His  father  was  a  tanner  and  made  or  tanned  the 
leather  on  his  master's  plantation  to  make  shoes  for 
more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  slaves,  and  it  is  said 
that  the  Rev.  Rankin  was  born  in  the  field  while  his 
mother  was  working  under  her  taskmaster. 

His  first  school  was  at  night  on  the  plantation 
quarters,  and  his  first  book  was  a  Webster's  spelling 
book,  known  as  the  "blue  back"  speller,  which,  during 
the  war,  was  bought  by  his  mother,  who  sold  eggs  to 
the  soldiers.  Immediately  after  freedom,  his  father 
sent  him  to  a  country  school  until  he  advanced  to  the 
fourth  grade. 

He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  1877,  at  Brookhaven,  Miss.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  the  same  year  by  the  Rev.  M.  T.  Newson,  pre- 
siding elder.  After  that  time,  he  attended  the  city 
school  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  and  subsequently  entered 
the  LeMoyne  Institute,  a  school  founded  by  the 
American  Missionary  Association.  There  he  made 
rapid  progress  with  his  studies.  But  upon  the  death 
of  his  father  he  had  to  discontinue  school  to  assist  his 


widowed  mother  on  the  farm  with  eight  other  small 
children. 

He  joined  the  annual  conference  at  Friarpoint, 
Miss.,  in  1878,  under  Bishop  Campbell,  who  ordained 
him  a  deacon  under  the  missionary  rule  for  special 
work,  and  sent  him  to  his  first  charge,  at  Senatobia, 
Miss.  Afterwards  he  was  sent  by  his  presiding  elder, 
John  Miller,  to  Harrison  Mission  charge,  where  he 
found  eight  members.  Serving  three  years,  he  built 
them  a  splendid  church  and  took  in  more  than  one 
hundred  members. 

He  has  served  as  pastor  and  presiding  elder  in 
Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Texas  for  the  past  thirty- 
five    years    with    great    success.     He    spent    eighteen 


REV.   J.  W.  RANKIN,  D.D. 

years  in  the  Texas  ministry,  from  which  State  he  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  Secretary  of  Missions  of  his  (A. 
M.  E.)  Church,  with  headquarters  at  New  York  City. 
Dr.  Rankin  is  a  business  man  of  no  mean  ability.  He  is 
the  editor  of  the  Voice  of  Missions,  and  has  published 
two  books  for  the  study  of  missions. 

He  has  nearly  one  hundred  missionaries  under 
his  department.  During  his  quadrennium  just  closing 
he  has  visited  the  foreign  field  in  West  Africa,  and  in 
the  West  Indies.  He  also  instituted  special  mission- 
ary rallies  in  the  large  cities.  Dr.  Rankin  has  been 
honored  with  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity  by  two 
leading  schools  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Connection,  and  in 
1912  another  university  in  the  State  of  Indiana  hon- 
ored him  with  the  degree  of  doctor  of  common  law. 

Ransom,  J.  R.,  was  born  June  30,  1861,  in  Mur- 
freesboro,  Tenn.,  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Hettie  Ran- 
som. He  was  reared  principally  on  a  farm,  attending 
the  country  district  schools  until  he  was  converted, 
August  16,  1878.  He  married  November  23,  1881.  He 
attended  after  his  marriage  for  about  three  years  the 
Central  Tennessee  College,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  now 
Walden  University.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1882,  and  entered  the  ministry  under  Bishop 
Turner  September,  1885,  at  Pulaski,  Tenn. 

His  first  appointment  was  Lebanon  Mission, 
where  he  found  neither  church  nor  members,  but 
bought  the  ground,  built  a  church  and  took  125  mem- 
bers into  his  church  the  first  year.  His  second  year  in 
this  charge  he  paid  the  debt  off  his  church  and  organiz- 


183 


°& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


ed  and  built  three  other  churches  during  that  and  the 
following  year,  namely,  Webb's  Chapel,  Perry's  Chap- 
el, both  in  Wilson  county,  and  Gladesville,  in  Davidson 
county.  He  was  transferred  by  Bishop  Wayman  to 
the  Kansas  Conference  in  1888,  was  ordained  Deacon 
by  Bishop  Turner  in  Murfreesboro  in  1885,  Elder  in 
Nashville  in  1887.  His  first  appointment  in  the  Kan- 
sas Conference  was  at  Council  Grove,  where  he  re- 
modeled, almost  making  anew  our  church.  -He  was 
moved  from  there  to  Argentine,  Kans.,  where  he  found 
no  church  or  ground.  He  purchased  ground  and  built 
the  church  at  this  point  and  remained  there  as  pastor 
in  charge  three  years. 

From  this  place  he  was  assigned  to  Parsons, 
Kans.,  where  he  built  a  brick  church  with  a  stone 
basement  and  a  six-room  parsonage.  He  bought  half 
the  ground  on  which  this  property  stands  and  remain- 
ed in  this  charge  four  years.  He  was  sent  from  this 
point  by  Bishop  Tanner  to  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
of  Topeka,  Kans.  There  he  found  a  debt  of  $9987.45 
with  the  parsonage  property  sold.  But  he  succeeded 
in  paying  off  this  parsonage  debt  and  reducing  the 
obligation  to  $4500  within  three  years.  Next  he  was 
appointed  Presiding  Elder  of  Omaha  District.  He 
served  four  years  and  was  assigned  by  Bishop  Shaffer 
to  the  Kansas  City  District  and  served  for  five  years, 
and  Bishop  Grant  assigned  him  to  the  Topeka  Dis- 
trict, where  he  served  four  years.  After  these  thirteen 
years  of  faithful  and  successful  work  as  Presiding 
Elder  Bishop  Parks  assigned  him  as  pastor  of  the 
First  A.  M.  E.  Church,  of  Kansas  City,  Kans.,  where 
he  canceled  the  $2265  debt  the  first  year.  The  second 
year  he  raised  $1000  toward  a  building  fund  and  this, 
his  third  year,  he  has  all  of  his  plans  arranged  and  will 
soon  erect  an  eight-room  modern  parsonage,  enlarge 
the  church,  putting  a  basement  under  the  same  with 
all  modern  equipments.  He  has  taken  in  more  than 
500  members  in  this  church  during  his  short  pastorate. 

Dr.  Ransom  is  classed  among  the  strong  preach- 
ers of  our  race.  Although  largely  self-made,  he  is 
recognized  as  one  of  the  most  resourceful  and  thought- 
ful preachers  of  our  church.  He  has  been  a  delegate 
to  the  General  Conference  for  sixteen  years.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Trustee  Board  of  Wilberforce 
University  and  Western  University  for  twenty  years. 
He  helped  to  establish  the  Industrial  Department  of 
Western  University,  being  responsible  for  the  most 
part  for  the  first  $10,000  the  State  of  Kansas  appro- 
priated for  that  department. 

Rev.  Ransom  has  a  family  of  five  sons  and  one 
daughter.  One  son,  Dr.  J.  Louis  Ransom,  is  a  prac- 
ticing physician.  Another,  Edward  Ransom,  is  a  suc- 
cessful embalmer.  William  Ransom  is  the  fireman  at 
the  State  heating  plant,  Topeka,  Kans.  J.  R.  Ran- 
som, Jr.,  is  engineer  at  Western  University.  The  daugh- 
ter, Mrs.  Ethlyn  Ransom  Henderson,  is  the  wife  of  Dr. 
R.  C.  Henderson,  pastor  of  one  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Churches  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.  T.  P.  Ransom,  who  is 
studying  medicine  at  the  State  University,  at  Law- 
rence, Kans.,  is  the  youngest.  Rev.  Ransom  has  a 
younger  brother  who  is  just  entering  the  ministry  in 
Detroit,  Mich.,  by  name  of  Dr.  Wayman  Ransom,  den- 
tist. Dr.  Ransom,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a 
candidate  for  Financial  Secretary  during  the  General 
Conference  of  1912  and  received  the  second  highest 
vote. 

He  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  one  of  the  lead- 
ers in  the  Republican  party  in  this  State,  and  is  class- 


ed as  one  of  the  ablest  political  speakers  upon  the 
platform.  For  twenty-six  years  the  State  Central 
Committee  has  used  him  in  every  one  of  their  cam- 
paigns. Dr.  Ransom  has  refused  at  all  times  to  either 
take  money  or  an  office  for  his  service,  preferring  to 
use  his  influence  in  the  interest  of  his  race  and  church, 
and  in  the  past  twenty  years  he  has  been  responsible 
for  167  persons  of  his  race  receiving  good  positions. 

Ransom,  Rev.  Reverdy  Cassius,  editor  A.  M.  E. 
Review,  only  child  of  George  and  Hattie  Ransom,  both 
members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  January  1, 
1 861,  at  Flushing,  Ohio.  He  began  attending  school  at 
six  years  of  age  and  spent  17  years  in  all  in  school,  at- 
tending chiefly  the  public  schools  of  Washington,  Ohio, 
and  Cambridge,  Ohio,  Oberlin  College  and  Wilberforce, 
receiving  from  Wilberforce  the  degree  of  B.D.  and  D.D. 


REV.  R.  C.  RANSOM. 

He  was  converted  in  1881  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  and  served  as  class  leader  and  Sunday  school 
teacher.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  October,  1883,  at 
Wilberforce  by  Dr.  T.  H.  Jackson,  joined  the  annual 
conference  in  1885  at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  under  Bishop 
Campbell;  was  ordained  deacon  1886  at  Meadville,  Pa., 
by  Bishop  Campbell,  and  elder  in  1888  at  Canonsburg, 
Pa.,  by  Bishop  Payne.     He  has  held  the  following  ap- 


MRS.  R.  C.  RANSOM. 

pointments:  Selma,  Ohio,  1885;  Altoona,  Pa.,  1886-88; 
Allegheny  City,  1888-90;  Springfield,  Ohio,  1890-93; 
Cleveland,  1893-96;  Bethel,  Chicago,  1900-04;  Bethel, 
New  Bedford,  Mass.,  1904-05;  Charles  St.  Church,  Bos- 
ton, Mass.,  1905-07;  Bethel,  New  York  City,  1907-1912. 
He  built  a  church  at  Allegheny  City,  Pa.,  $4500,  in  1889, 


184 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3 


and  lifted  the  mortgage  on  St.  John's  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
$1500,  in  1894. 

He  has  been  a  delegate  to  all  general  conferences 
from  1896  to  1916.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Publica- 
tion Board  from  1900  to  1904  and  Church  Extension 
Board  from  1908  to  1912.  He  was  delegate  to  the  Ecu- 
menical Conference,  London,  in  1901.  He  was  elected 
editor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Review  in  191 2.  He  married 
Emma  S.  Ransom,  of  Virginia,  in  1887.  He  has  two 
children,  Harold  G.  and  R.  C.  Ransom,  Jr.  Their  son, 
R.  C,  Jr.,  is  a  graduate  of  Drew  Seminary  and  a  minis- 
ter in  the  New  York  conference  now  at  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  of  Simon  the  Cyrene,  a  mission  started  by  his 
father  in  the  slums  of  New  York. 

Dr.  Ransom  has  contributed  to  all  church  papers 
and  many  newspapers  and  magazines  of  Chicago,  Boston 
and  New  York.  He  has  written  pamphlets  and  books  on 
William  Lloyd  Garrison,  Wendell  Phillips,  J.  G.  Whit- 
tier,  Charles  Sumner,  John  Brown,  "School  Days  at  Wil- 
berforce,"  "Study  and  Destiny."  He  has  often  spoken 
at  Fanueil  Hall,  Boston ;  Plymouth  Church,  Brooklyn ; 
Free  Synagogue,  New  York.  He  has  been  employed  by 
lecture  bureaus,  Chautauquas  and  colleges  as  lecturer. 
He  has  been  an  independent  Republican  since  1904.  He 
organized  the  first  Board  of  Deaconesses  in  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  1893,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio;  organized  first  Men's 
Club  in  the  church  in  1890,  and  organized  the  Institu- 
tional Church,  Chicago,  111.     He  owns  a  home. 

Reese,  Rev.  B.  T.,  was  born  in  1863,  at  Rome,  Ga., 
and  attended  school  at  the  same  place.  He  was  con- 
verted in  1874  and  came  to  Houston,  Texas,  in  i{ 


REV.  B.  T.  REESE. 

and  joined  St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Rankin,  at  Houston,  the  same 
year.     Ordained   deacon    1900,  at   Willis,   Texas,   by 

185 


Bishop  M.  B.  Salter.  Ordained  elder  at  Houston, 
Texas,  1903,  by  Bishop  Salter. 

Joined  the  Texas  Annual  Conference,  1898,  at 
Galveston,  Texas,  under  Bishop  Salter. 

Has  held  the  following  appointments :  Payne 
Chapel,  1 898- 1 903;  Fulcher  Circuit,  1903-04;  Shiloh, 
at  Galveston,  1904-08;  Brown  Chapel,  Houston,  1908- 
10;  Mt.  Vernon,  Palestine,  1910-12;  Presiding  Elder 
of  Palestine  District,  1912-16. 

At  Brown  Chapel,  Houston,  Texas,  lifted  a  mort- 
gage of  $700,  repaired  church  at  the  cost  of  $736,  and 
paid  $800  on  the  debt. 

At  Palestine,  Texas,  he  paid  $450  on  mortgage. 
Has  taken  225  members  into  the  church.  Has  baptiz- 
ed 40  and  married  31. 

Rice,  David  Eugene,  was  born  near  Wallaceville, 
Fairfield  County,  S.  C,  November  2,  1883,  the  second 
son  of  Rev.  W'illiam  P.  and  Sarah  (Gary)  Rice;  the 
grandson  of  Mrs.  Harriet  and  Rev.  D.  S.  Rice,  who 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  ministers  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  South  Carolina.  His  mother  died  when  he 
was  but  nine  months  old,  and  his  father,  a  young  min- 
ister of  promise,  died  a  year  later.  The  two  children 
were  given  to  their  grandparents,  who  reared  them.  His 
grandmother  died  in  1893.  They  remained  with  their 
grandfather  till  his  death,  July  21,  1903.  On  account 
of  being  reared  from  such  early  age  by  their  grand- 
parents they  were  called  "Rice"  instead  of  "Gary." 
While  their  grandparents  took  the  best  of  care  of 
them,  he,  young  Rice,  was  not  able  to  secure  the 
proper  early  school  advantages.  He,  however,  at- 
tended the  Winnsboro  Graded  School  in  1898,  Brain- 
erd  Institute,  Chester,  S.  C,  in  1900;  Allen  Univer- 
sity, 1896-97  and  1901.  He  was  converted  and  called 
to  the  ministry  in  1900.  In  July  he  was  licensed  as  an 
exhorter  and  in  November  of  the  same  year  was  given 
local  preacher's  license.  In  1901  he  was  recommended 
to  the  annual  conference  but  failed,  and  in  1902  was 
admitted  to  the  Columbia  (S.  C.)  Conference,  at  Spar- 
tanburg, S.  C,  under  Bishop  Gaines.  Upon  the  death 
of  his  grandfather  young  Rice  was  asked  for  by  the 
officers  of  the  Enoree  circuit,  of  which  his  grandfather 
was  the  pastor,  to  fill  the  unexpired  term.  Presiding 
Elder  Hiram  Young  granted  their  request,  and  at  the 
annual  conference  Bro.  Rice  was  ordained  deacon  and 
returned  to  the  Enoree  circuit.  At  the  annual  confer- 
ence at  Greenwood,  S.  C,  he  was  given  a  conference 
scholarship  in  Wilberforce  University.  In  1909  he 
won  the  prize  for  oratory;  in  1910  he  represented 
Payne  Theological  Seminary  in  the  Founder's  Day 
celebration.  He  was  popular  in  his  school  circles,  be- 
ing a  member  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Cabinet,  president  of 
the  Junior  Class,  also  of  the  Preacher's  Aid  Associa- 
tion of  Payne  Theological  Seminary,  the  Debating 
Team  and  the  John  G.  Mitchell  Literary  Society.  He 
graduated  from  Payne  Theological  Seminary,  191 1, 
with  the  degree  of  B.D.,  delivering  his  salutatory  ora- 
tion "The  Task  of  the  Modern  Theologian."  He 
served  the  following  pastorates :  Enoree  circuit  in  the 
Columbia  (S.  C.)  Conference,  1903-4;  Selma  and  Jef- 
fersonville  (O.)  Conference,  1909-11;  Allen  Chapel, 
Springfield,  North  Ohio  Conference,  191 1.  He  returned 
to  his  native  state  in  191 1,  and  was  secretary  to 
Bishop  Lee  for  the  State  of  South  Carolina  during  the 
annual  conferences;  was  ordained  elder  at  Anderson, 
S.  C,  by  Bishop  Lee,  December  3,    191 1.    From  this 


°s> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


£ 


conference  he  was  appointed  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
Mt.  Pisgah  Temple,  Greenwood,  S.  C,  in  which  he  is 
now  spending  his  fifth  year.  He  is  a  trustee  of  Allen 
University  and  engrossing-  secretary  of  the  Piedmont 
Annual  Conference.  He  built  a  church  in  1904  at  St. 
Paul,  Newberry,  at  a  cost  of  $500,  and  lifted  mort- 
gages of  $300,  at  Springfield,  O.,  in  191 1,  and  another 


REV.  D.  E.  RICE,  D.D. 

at  Greenwood,  amounting  to  $750,  in  1912.  He  has 
delivered  the  sermon  to  the  graduating  class  of  the 
East  High  School,  Greenwood,  S.  C,  in  1913  and  1915  ; 
to  Brewer  Normal  School,  191 5,  and  orator  of  the  day 
at  the  fiftieth  anniversary  celebration  of  the  Emancipa- 
tion, at  Greenwood,  in  1913.  He  was  married  to  Miss 


MRS 


E.  RICE. 


Mayme  E.  Johnson,  daughter  of  Rev.  and  Mrs.  D.  H. 
Johnson,  of  Abbeville,  S.  C,  December  25,  1912.  Miss 
Johnson  was  teacher  of  music  at  Allen  University,  and 
secretary  to  the  president.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the 
South  Carolina  Colored  College,  also  of  the  scientific 
department  of  Allen  University,  and  studied  music  at 
the  Boston  Conservatory  of  Music. 


Rice,  William  Franklin,  son  of  Benjamin  and 
Janie  Rice,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  July,  1875,  at  Laurens  County,  S.  C.  He  was 
one  of  four  children.  He  entered  school  when  quite 
young  and  spent  twelve  years  in  school,  receiving  his 
education  at  Ferguson  School  and  Allen  University, 
from  which  he  graduated  with  the  degree  B.D.  He 
was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
1886;  served  the  local  church  as  steward,  trustee,  class 
leader,  exhorter,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher 
and  superintendent ;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1897  by 
Rev.  J.  W.  Sykes,  and  joined  the  annual  conference  in 
1898,  at  Clinton,  S.  C,  under  Bishop  Arnett;  was  or- 
dained deacon  1900,  at  Newberry,  S.  C,  by  Bishop 
Grant,  and  ordained  elder,  1902,  at  Greenville,  S.  C, 
by  Bishop  Gaines.    He  has  held  the  following  appoint- 


REV.  W.  F.  RICE,  B.D. 

merits:  Seneca  City,  1900;  Nebo  circuit,  1901 ;  New- 
berry circuit,  1902;  Mountville  circuit,  1903-06;  Mt. 
Hebron,  1906;  Flat  Rock  Station,  1910-11;  Silver 
St.  circuit,  1907-09;  St.  James  station,  1912-16. 
He  remodeled  the  church  at  Newberry,  at  a  cost  of 
$500,  in  1901  ;  New  Hope  Church,  at  Mountville, 
$3000,  in  1903  ;  built  Fairview  Church,  near  Clinton, 
for  $2500,  in  1903 ;  Trinity  Church,  at  Silver  Street  cir- 
cuit, for  $3500,  in  1908;  Mt.  Hebron  Church,  at  Kib- 
lers,  S.  C,  for  $3000,  in  1906.  He  lifted  mortgages  on 
Fairview  Church,  at  Clinton,  to  the  amount  of  $2000, 
in  1905 ;  Trinity  Church,  at  Silver  Street,  $3000,  in 
1907;  St.  James  Church,  at  Abbeville,  to  the  amount 
of  $5000,  in  1912.  He  has  taken  over  1200  people  into 
the  Church,  and  baptized  780.  He  was  a  delegate  to 
the  General  Conference  of  1916;  trustee  of  Allen  Uni- 
versity, 1907-16;  secretary  of  the  annual  conference 
for  eight  years.  He  was  married  in  1897,  and  has 
three  children — Minnie,  Bessie  and  William.  Minnie 
is  a  graduate  of  Morris  Brown  University.  He  has 
contributed  to  the  "Piedmont  Voice."  He  addressed 
the  class  of  191 5,  at  Allen  University.  He  is  con- 
nected with  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  F.  and  A.  M.,  K.  of 
P.,  and  is  a  home  owner. 


186 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


O 


Richard,  Eliza,  was  born  at  Lochapoca,  Ala.,  Au- 
gust 30,  1859,  reared  at  Dangerfield,  Texas,  and  moved 
to  Texarkana,  Texas.  In  the  year  1876,  August  24,  she 
married  Cornelius  Richard,  and  two  years  later  she 
was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  under 
the    charge  of  Rev.    Daniel    Austin.      She  has    been 


MRS.  ELIZA  RICHARD. 

stewardess  since  the  first  year  of  her  connection 
with  the  Church,  and  for  eighteen  years  she  has  been 
class  leader  in  the  church  of  which  her  husband  was 
the  founder,  and  for  fifteen  years  she  has  been  labor- 
ing in  the  missionary  cause. 

Richardson,  Addison  McClain,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Nancy  Richardson,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  at  Shelby  County,  O.     He  was  one 


MR.  A 


RICHARDSON. 


of  five  children.  He  entered  school  when  six  years  of 
age,  and  attended  about  eight  years.  He  received  his 
education  at  the  district  school  and  Wilberforce  Uni- 


versity. He  was  converted  in  1888,  and  joined  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  several  of- 
fices in  the  Church.  He  married  Cassie  Morton,  of 
Wilmington,  O.,  in  1890.  They  have  eight  children, 
Alexander,  24  years;  Blanche,  21  years;  Leonard,  20 
years;  Addison,  18  years;  Harry,  16  years;  Myrtle,  13 
years;  Edward,  11  years;  Lawrence,  4  years.  His 
daughter,  Blanche,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Anna  High 
School.     He  is  a  member  of  the  Republican  party. 

Richardson,  P.  A.,  was  born  and  reared  on  a  small 
farm  in  Halifax  County,  N.  C,  where  he  remained  un- 
til nearly  grown,  when  he  moved  to  his  present  home, 
and  went  into  a  barber  shop,  which  trade  he  followed 
for  over  twenty-four  years  very,  successfully.  He  gave 
up  his  work  to  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  rehabilita- 


MR.  P.  A.  RICHARDSON. 

tion  of  the  Endowment  Department  of  District  Grand 
Lodge,  No.  71,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  When  he  took  charge 
of  this  department,  in  August,  1906,  it  was  over  $10,- 
000  in  debt,  trying  to  pay  a  $100  death  benefit.  All 
debts  have  been  paid,  and  assets  amounting  to  more 
than  $26,000  have  been  accumulated  without  making 
an  extra  assessment  or  raising  the  dues.  Besides,  it 
pays  $200  instead  of  one  hundred  as  formerly.  He  was 
converted  early  in  life,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  which  has  honored  him  with  every  office  up 
to  chief  recording  secretary  of  the  general  conference, 
which  position  he  filled  at  four  consecutive  general 
conferences,  1906,  1907,  1908  and  1912.  An  active 
worker  in  the  Sunday  school,  where  he  held  all  the  po- 
sitions of  trust  A  thirty-second  degree  Mason,  and 
at  present  D.  D.  Grand  Master  Thirty-first  District, 
Grand  Lodge  of  North  Carolina,  F.  and  A.  M.  He  is 
an  alternate  to  the  1916  General  Conference.  A  pro- 
gressive in  Church  and  lodge  matters.  His  home  is  in 
Nashville,  N.  C. 

Ringgold,  Rev.  Isaac  Henry,  son  of  Mary  and 
Isaac  Ringgold.  His  mother  was  a  member  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church.  He  was  born  September  4,  1879,  at 
Woodstown,  N.  J.  He  was  one  of  three  children.  He 
entered  school  in  1885,  and  attended  seventeen  years 


187 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


in  all,  chiefly  at  Fenwick,  N.  J. ;  Woodstown,  N.  J., 
and  Lincoln  University.  He  received  the  degrees  A.B.. 
A.M.,  S.T.B.  from  Lincoln,  and  S.T.D.  from  Bible 
College.  He  was  converted  in  1892,  and  joined  church 
the  same  year.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  class  leader, 
local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  chorister. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1899,  at  Fenwick,  N.  J., 
by  Rev.  W.  H.  Giles ;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1902  by 
Bishop  Derrick,  at  Asbury  Park,  N.  J. ;  elder,  at  Tren- 
ton, N.  J.,  in  1904,  by  Bishop  Derrick.    Joined  Confer- 


REV.  I.  H.  RINGGOLD. 

ence  at  Bethel  church,  Camden,  N.  J.,  1901  ;  pastored 
Flemington,  N.  J.,  1903-4;  Payne,  Philadelphia,  1904- 
5;  Middletown,  Pa.,  1905-7;  Wayne,  Pa.,  1 907-11  ;  Ger- 
mantown,  Philadelphia,  1911-14;  Zion,  Philadelphia, 
1 91 4,  to  date.  He  has  taken  over  500  people  into  the 
Church,  baptized  over  200  and  married  60.  He  is  a 
delegate  to  the  church  conference  of  1916.  He  mar- 
ried Fannie  Ringgold,  of  Philadelphia,  in  1901.  He  is 
connected  with  the  Odd  Fellows  and  Knights  of 
Pythias.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  P.  N.  S.  and  Pre- 
late. He  has  been  associated  with  the  Equal  Rights 
Association. 

Roberts,  Rev.  Dolphin  Pernanders,  son  of  Elias 
and  Mariah  Roberts,  was  born  01^  a  farm  in  Hamilton 
County,  Ind.,  March  17,  1856.  He  began  attending 
school  at  the  age  of  seven  years  and  went  in  all  about 
fourteen  years.  Among  the  schools  attended  were 
Spiceland  University,  the  Evansville  Medical  School 
and  the  National  Medical  College  of  Louisville,  Ky. 
He  received  diplomas  from  the  Westfield  High 
School,  the  Spiceland  University,  and  the  National 
Medical  College,  with  the  degree  of  doctor  of  medi- 
cine, and  received  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity 
from  Wilberforce  University-  His  theological  train- 
ing was  largely  under  the  instruction  of  private 
teachers. 

He  was  converted  and  joined  the  Wesleyan 
Methodist  Church  in  1869,  was  ordained  elder  in  1876, 
joined  the  Ohio  Conference,  under  Bishop  Wayman, 
in  1876,  and  was  assistant  pastor  to  the  late  Rev.  A. 
A.  Whitman,  in  Zanesville,  O.     In  1877  he  was  trans- 


ferred to  the  New  England  Conference  and  assigned 
to  the  Chelsea  Mission,  succeeding  the  late  Dr. 
Cheeks.  In  1879  he  was  transferred  to  the  Indiana 
Conference,  and  has  pastored  the  following  charges 
since  that  time:  Bethel,  Detroit,  1879;  Alexander 
Chapel,  Evansville,  1882;  Bethel,  Indianapolis,  1884; 
Terre  Haute,  1886;  Richmond,  1887;  Alexander 
Chapel,  Evansville,  1889;  Mt.  Pisgah,  Washington,  D. 
C,  1892;  Charles  Street,  Boston,  1893^  Union  Church, 
Philadelphia,  1898;  St.  Paul,  St.  Louis,  1900;  Ouinn 
Chapel,  Chicago.  1904;  Bethel,  Chicago,  1909;  and 
Bethel,  Indianapolis,  1913,  where  he  is  now  serving 
his  third  year  of  his  second  term. 

During  his  ministry  Dr.  Roberts  paid  off  the  in- 
debtedness on  Bethel  Church,  Detroit,  and  Alexander 
Chapel,  Evansville,  Ind.,  and  paid  about  $27,000  on 
the  indebtedness  of  other  churches.  He  has  taken  into 
the  Church    about    5000    persons,    baptized  about  900 


REV.  D.  P.  ROBERTS,  M.D.,  D.D. 

persons  and  married  something  over  800  couple.  He 
has  been  elected  to  nine  consecutive  general  confer- 
ences, the  first  being  in  1884,  the  last  1916.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  sixteen 
years,  and  a  member  of  the  Financial  Board  four 
years.  He  was  elected  in  1884  a  member  of  the  Joint 
Commission  on  organic  union  of  the  A.  M.  E.  and  the 
A.  M.  E.  Z.  Churches,  was  a  member  of  and  secretary 
to  the  General  Conference  Commission  of  1904,  was 
voted  for  for  the  office  of  general  manager  of  the  Book 
Concern  in  1896  and  1900,  and  was  voted  for  for  bishop 
in  1908  and  1912. 

Dr.  Roberts'  first  marriage  was  to  Leda  S.  Spell- 
man,  of  Cincinnati,  O.,  in  1875,  to  which  union  there 
were  born  five  children :  Walter  M.,  William  B.,  Ar- 
thur C,  Charles  S.,  and  Delia  C.  His  first  wife  hav- 
ing died,  he  was  married  to  Mamie  B.  Gee,  of  Rich- 
mond, Ind.,  to  which  union  there  were  born  six  chil- 
dren:  Dolphin  P.,  Jr.,  Estella  B.  (deceased),  Helen 
M.,  Flora  M.  (deceased),  Ruth  A.  and  Leda  C.  Wal- 
ter and  Arthur  are  graduates  in  law,  and  Helen,  Ruth 
and  Leda  are  pupils  in  Shortrage  High  School,  In- 
dianapolis. 

Dr.  Roberts'  eulogies  on  the  life  of  Bishops 
Allen,  Payne,  Arnett,  Salter,  Turner,  Lincoln,  Doug- 
lass and  Booker  T.  Washington,  together  with  his 
speeches  before  the  Missouri  Legislature  against  a 
Separate  Car  Bill,  on  President  Roosevelt  and  the 
Brownsville     incident,   and   on   the    Springfield    (111.) 


188 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


9 


mob  and  the  murder   of    innocent    colored    people,  all 
may  be  considered  worthy  of  mention. 

Dr.  Roberts  is  a  mason  and  an  Odd  Fellow.  He  is 
a  Republican  in  politics.  He  was  appointed  Recorder 
of  the  General  Land  Office  by  President  Harrison,  and 
accepted,  on  the  advice  of  the  late  Bishop  Brown,  and 
served  two  years.  He  let  the  contract  and  superin- 
tended the  building  and  dedication  of  the  Alpha 
Home,  an  institution  for  the  Aged  Colored  of  Indian- 
apolis, Ind.  He  was  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  of  Indianapolis,  and  also  a  member  of  the  Na- 
tional Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Colored 
People. 

Roberts,  Rev.  Primos  Ruben,  was  born  January 
14,  1869,  at  Waukwenah,  Jefferson  County,  Fla.  He  is 
the  son  of  the  Rev.  J.  E.  Roberts,  one  of  the  superan- 
nuates of  the  Florida  Conference.  He  was  converted 
in  1891  under  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  K.  P.  Neal,  at 
Ashville,  Fla.,  and  licensed  to  preach  the  same  year  by 


Robinson,  Edward  Daniel,  the  son  of  Reed  and 
Maria  Robinson,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  May  9,  1880,  at  Pittsville,  Virginia. 
He  was  one  of  twelve  children.  He  entered  school 
when  six  years  of  age  and  attended  about  seventeen 
years,  attending  the  public  schools  in  Bellaire,  Ohio, 
Wilberforce  University,  and  Central  University.  He 
received  the  degree  B.D.  from  Wilberforce,  and  A. 
M.  from  Central  Correspondence  course  for  one  and  a 
half  years  from  an  English  University  while  in  the 
British  colony.  He  was  converted  in  1892  at  Bellaire, 
Ohio,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year. 
He  has  held  several  offices  in  the  church.  He  was  li- 
censed to  preach  in  1904  at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  by  Rev. 
Marion  F.  Sydes.  He  joined  the  Ohio  Annual  Con- 
ference at  Cincinnati  in  1905 ;  was  ordained  deacon  in 
1907  at  St.  Paul,  Columbus,  Ohio,  by  Bishop  Derrick, 
and  ordained  elder  in  1909  at  Irvington,  Ohio,  by 
Bishop  Derrick.  He  has  pastored  the  following  charg- 
es:  Selma,  Ohio,  1905;  Cedarville,  Ohio,  1906-08; 
South  Charleston,  Ohio,  1908-10;  Bermuda  Islands, 
1910-12;  Clearfield,  Curwensville,  Pittston,  Waverly, 
Bellefonte  and  Elizabeth,  all  of  Pennsylvania. 

He  lifted  mortgages  on  churches  at  Cedarville, 
$200,  in  1908;  South  Charleston,  $250,  in  1909;  Ber- 
muda, $400,  in  191 1  ;  Clearfield,  $80,  in  1912;  Belle- 
fonte, $118,  in  1913  ;  Elizabeth,  $350,  in  1914.  He  has 
taken  about  200  into  the  church,  baptized  150  and  mar- 
ried 30. 

He  married  Mildred  Eliza  Robinson,  of  Bermuda, 
in  191 1.  He  has  contributed  to  the  Zanesville  Advo- 
cate, Bermuda  Colonist,  Gazette  and  Mid-Ocean  and 
Christian  Recorder.  He  has  written  several  pamph- 
lets. He  is  a  member  of  the  F.  and  A.  M.  He  com- 
pleted a  course  in  typewriting  and  stenography,  and 
printing. 

Robinson,  John  Henley,  was  born  October  31, 
1854,  at  Columbia.  Virginia.  He  was  the  son  of  Peter 
and   Lucinda   Henley   Robinson.     His   mother  was   a 


REV.  P.  R.  ROBERTS. 


Presiding  Elder  Thomas  Moorer.  He  entered  the 
itinerant  work  in  1897  and  has  pastored  the  follow- 
ing charges :  Warthington  Springs,  Hague,  Dutton, 
Mt.  Olive,  Katherline,  Crystal  River,  Haider,  Cedar 
Keys,  Floral  City,  St.  Petersburg,  and  is  now  presid- 
ing elder  of  the  New  Gainesville  District,  Central 
Florida  Conference. 

He  rendered  commendable  reports  from  each  of 
these  charges,  especially  from  Katherline  and  Crystal 
River.  When  Dr.  G.  W.  Jenkins  died  Rev.  Roberts 
was  sent  to  Bethel,  the  leading  charge  in  Central 
Florida,  and  no  pastor  has  ever  had  a  warmer  place  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people  than  he  had.  He  has  to  his 
credit  in  the  wav  of  church  building  the  structures  at' 
Hague  and  Holder.  He  has  built  parsonages  at  Crys- 
tal River,  Floral  City,  also  St.  Petersburg.  He  was  un- 
til the  past  year  the  Conference  Educational  Money 
King.  He  has  been  successful  as  a  revivalist,  having 
been  instrumental  in  the  conversion  of  thousands  of 
souls.  He  is  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General 
Conference  at  Philadelphia,  1916. 


REV.  JOHN  HENLEY  ROBINSON. 

member  of  the  Baptist  Church.  He  is  one  of  six  chil- 
dren. He  entered  school  at  the  age  of  7.  He  spent 
over  two  years  in  the  Camden  Public  Night  Schools, 


189. 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


Pennington  Seminary.  He  was  converted  in  1880  and 
joined  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Moorestown,  N.  J., 
the  same  year.  He  has  held  almost  all  of  the  offices 
in  the  church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  September 
24,  1892,  at  Bethel,  Moorestown,  by  Rev.  A.  H.  New- 
ton, P.  E.  He  was  ordained  deacon,  May  8,  1898,  at 
Trenton,  N.  J.,  by  Bishop  Grant;  ordained  elder,  May 
12,  1903,  at  Asbury  Park,  N.  J.,  by  Bishop  W.  B.  Der- 
rick. He  joined  the  Annual  Conference,  1896,  at  New- 
ark, N.  J.,  under  Bishop  Tanner.  He  held  the  follow- 
ing appointments:  Summit  Mission,  1896-97;  Beverly 
Mission,  1897-9S;  Bethel,  Trenton,  and  Crosswicks 
Circuit,  1898-1900;  Manalapan  Mission,  1900-01;  Pen- 
nington and  Skillman  Circuit,  in  1 901-1904;  Bethel, 
Pensauken,  1904-08;  Mt.  Pisgah,  Princeton,  1908-10; 
Bethel,  Burlington,  1910-11  ;  Mt.  Pisgah,  Washington, 
1911-12;  Trinity.  Gouldtown,  1912-16.  He  complet- 
ed Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Skillman  at  a  cost  of 
$500  in  1902;  improved  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  at 
Pensauken  at  a  cost  of  $500,  in  1905  :  he  finished  Mt. 
Pisgah  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  Princeton,  at  a  cost  of 
$6,600  in  1909.  He  has  taken  about  400  people  into 
the  church:  baptized  175  people  and  married  50  coup- 
les. In  1S79  ne  married  Emma  Wester,  of  New  Jer- 
sey. Their  onlv  child,  Eleanor  L.  Robinson,  born 
September  7,  1883.  is  a  graduate. 

Rodgers,  Frank  H.,  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Annie 
Rodgers,  was  born  1878  in  Philadelphia.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  Philadelphia  public  schools  and 
Hampton  Industrial  School,  Ya.,  from  which  he 
graduated  as  a  painter.  He  works  at  his  trade  and  also 


Rogers,  Rev.  Frank  S.,  the  son  of  Smith  and 
Sarah  Rogers,  was  born  in  Aberdeen,  Monroe  County, 
Miss.,  January  18,  1862.  He  received  license  to  preach 
in  1895 ;  was  admitted  to  the  Central  Mississippi  Con- 
ference, of  which  he  is  still  a  member,  in  1898;  was  or- 
dained deacon  by  Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick  in  1898,  and 
ordained  an  elder  by  Bishop  Evans  Tyree  in  1900,  and 
has  held  several  charges  in  the  Central  Mississippi 
Conference.     After  receiving  a  common  school  educa- 


REV.  FRANK  S.  ROGERS. 


MR.  FRANK  H.  RODGERS. 


as  a  caterer.  He  was  reared  in  Mt.  Pisgah  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Philadelphia,  and  has  served  as  steward, 
trustee,  assistant  superintendent  and  superintendent 
of  Sunday  school.  He  has  held  every  office  assigned 
him  with  credit  to  himself  and  the  Church,  and  has 
endeared  himself  to  all  who  know  him,  and  especially 
the  Sunday  school  children.  He  is  now  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  school. 


tion  he  entered  Buena  Vista  Normal  School  to  finish 
his  course,  but  lacked  six  months  of  graduating.  He 
studied  law  by  correspondence  with  the  Chicago  Law 
School,  beginning  in  1912  and  graduating  in  1915-  He 
has  also  been  before  the  Mississippi  bar  for  admission 
as  a  practicing  attorney.  He  was  elected  delegate  to 
represent  the  Central  Mississippi  Conference  in  the 
Centennial  General  Conference  in  Philadelphia,  May, 
1916.  He  lives  at  Itta  Bena,  Miss.,  where  he  owns  a 
good  home  and  other  property.  He  is  also  prominent- 
ly identified  with  secret  societies,  and  is  highly  re- 
spected by  all  classes. 

Roman,  Charles  Victor,  the  son  of  James  and 
Anne  Roman,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  July  4,  1864,  at  Williamsport,  Pa.  He  was 
one  of  twelve  children.  He  entered  school  in  1870 
and  attended  irregularly.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Hamil- 
ton Collegiate  Institute,  Fisk  University  and  Meharry 
Medical  College.  He  received  the  degree  of  M.D. 
from  Meharry  and  LL.D.  from  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity. He  was  brought  up  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He 
was  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  1904,  1912 
and  1916.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Ecumenical  Con- 
ference of  Methodism  at  Toronto,  Canada,  in  191 1. 

He  married  Margaret  Lee  Roman  in  1891.  He 
has  contributed  to  the  daily  and  weekly  press,  Editor 
of  the  Journal  of  National  Medical  Association.  He 
has  written  manyr  pamphlets,  some  of  which  are 
''Science  and  Christian  Ethics,"  'After  Life,  What?" 
"Dethronement  of  a  King."  He  has  been  an  accept- 
able speaker  on  many  occasions.  He  is  connected 
with  the  K.  of  P.,  and  G.  ,U.  O.  of  O.  F.    He  has  had 


/    _ 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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all  degrees  in  Odd  Fellowship  and  has  been  Grand 
Lecturer  of  K.  of  P.  He  is  a  property  owner.  He  is 
an  enthusiastic  and  constructive  Sunday  School  work- 
er. He  has  been  associated  with  the  Southern  Socio- 
logical Congress,  American  Academy  of  Political  and 
Social  Science,  the  Nashville  Negro  Board  of  Trade, 


'■mm. 


Slits 


CHARLES  VICTOR  ROMAN,  M.D. 

National  Medical  Association  and  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association.  Dr.  Roman  has  been  one  of  the 
strongest  personalities  in  America  so  far  as  influenc- 
ing the  religious  life  of  young  Negro  professional 
men,  by  thousands  of  whom  in  every  part  of  the  New 
World  he  is  sincerely  loved. 

Roseborough,  Sandy  D.,  son  of  John  B.  and 
Maria  Roseborough,  was  born  July  4,  1850,  in  Winns- 
boro,  S.  C. ;  moved  to  Georgia,  in  1867;  was  converted 
and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  1872;  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Noble,  in  1876,  at  Key,  Ga. ; 
was  admitted  to  the  Georgia  Conference,  at  Bain- 
bridge,  in  1877,  under  Bishop  Campbell;  was  ordained 
deacon  by  Bishop  Campbell,  at  Cuthbert,  Ga.,  1879; 
ordained  elder  at  Savannah,  by  Bishop  Dickerson,  in 
1881.  He  has  held  the  following  charges,  all  in 
Georgia:  Hickory  Head  Mission,  1877-8;  Mitchell 
county  circuit.  1879-80;  Arlington  circuit,  1881-4; 
Bainbridge,  1885;  Cuthbert.  1886-8;  presiding  elder, 
Thomasville  district,  1889-92;  Rome,  1893;  Shellman 
circuit;  presiding  elder,  Cuthbert  district.  1894;  Sa- 
vannah district,  1895-7;  St.  John,  Columbus,  1898-9; 
Americus,  1900- '01  ;  Bainbridge,  i902-'oS ;  presiding 
elder,  Blakely  district,  1906;  Cuthbert  district,  1907- 
'09;  Talbotton  district,  1910:  Columbus  district,  191 1- 
14.  He  built  churches  at  Hickory  Head,  Pelham,  Ar- 
lington, Edison  and  Bainbridge;  paid  $1500  mortgage 
on  St.  Paul,  Rome,  Ga.,  and  $250  on  Campbell,  Ameri- 
cus; has  taken  about  3000  people  into  the  church  and 
baptized  about  2000;  was  delegate  to  general  confer- 
ences of  1888,  1892,  1896,  1900,  1908,  1916;  chairman 


Georgia  delegation,  1916;  member  Sunday  School 
Union  Board,  i907-'io;  self-educated;  received  D.D. 
from  Morris  Brown ;  trustee  of  Morris  Brown  25 
years ;  of  Payne  College,  8  years ;  treasurer  of  South- 
west Georgia  Conference ;  was  twice  married,  1874  and 
1889.     Present  wife,  Mrs.  Irene  V.  Roseborough,  was 


191 


REV.  S.  D.  ROSEBOROUGH,  D.D. 

born  in  Lumpkin,  Ga.  He  is  the  father  of  fourteen 
children,  of  whom  A.  L.  and  Fred  Roseborough  gradu- 
ated from  College ;  has  contributed  to  all  church 
papers,  delivered  addresses  to  secret  orders,  Emanci- 
pation Day  addresses  and  preached  baccalaureate  ser- 
mons ;  is  a  home  owner,  Mason,  Odd  Fellow,  Knight 
of  Pythias,  and  interested  in  several  businesses,  presi- 
dent of  Cuthbert  Business  Men's  League. 

Ross,  Isaac  Nelson,  41st  bishop  of  the  African 
Methodist  Church,  was  born  January  22,  1856,  in 
Hawkins  County,  East  Tennessee.  In  1861  his  par- 
ents moved  to  Green  County,  Ohio,  with  ten  children. 
His  father  was  a  sturdy,  painstaking,  thrifty  farmer,  a 
man  of  sobriety  and  integrity.  His  mother  was  a 
woman  of  strong  personality  and  Christian  piety.  Four 
of  the  five  sons  of  the  Christian  parents  became  minis- 
ters of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Rev.  W.  P.  Ross  was  founder  of  the  Divinity 
High  School,  now  Edward  Waters  College.  Rev.  O. 
P.  Ross,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was  dean  of  Camp- 
bell College,  Jackson,  Miss.  Rev.  A.  H.  Ross  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  Wayman  Institute,  of  Harrods- 
burg,  Ky.,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was  the  Chair- 
man of  its  Trustee  Board. 

Bishop  I.  N.  Ross  is  the  youngest  and  only  sur- 
viving member  of  the  well  known  quartette  of  "Ross" 
preachers.  He  received  his  early  school  training  in 
his  home  town,  Bowersville.  His  early  life  was  spent 
in  work  on  the  farm,  when  he  was  not  in  school. 

On  January  1,  1879,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary 
Robinson  Fletcher  of  Elizabethtown,  Harding  County, 
Ky.  Six  children,  four  of  whom  are  living,  blessed 
this  union.  The  oldest  son  is  a  practicing  physician  in 
Cincinnati.  The  oldest  daughter,  who  is  a  graduate 
of  the  University  of  Cincinnati,  is  a. teacher  in  the  pub- 


B- 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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lie  schools  there.  The  youngest  daughter,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  the  Teachers'  College  of  Howard  Univer- 
sity, Washington,  D.  C,  is  a  Kindergarten  teacher  in 
Cincinnati ;  and  the  youngest  son,  of  the  Physical 
Culture  Department  of  Harvard  University,  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  is  a  professor  of  physical  culture  in  the 
public  schools  of  Cincinnati. 

Dr.  Ross  joined  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1880  and 
pastored  the  following  churches :  Oberlin  Mission, 
O.;  St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Washington,  Pa.;  Oil 
City  and  Titusville  Circuit,  Pennsylvania ;  Brown's 
Chapel,  Allegheny  City,  and  Wiley  Avenue  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ;  Warren  Chapel,  Toledo, 
Ohio ;  St.   Paul's  Church,  Columbus,  Ohio,  where  he 


BISHOP  ISAAC  NELSON  ROSS. 

entertained  the  general  conference  in  1900;  5  years  at 
Allen  Temple,  Cincinnati,  Ohio;  3  years  and  6  months 
at  Big  Bethel,  Atlanta,  Georgia,  and  4  years  and  9 
months  at  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  2  years  at  Ebenezer,  Baltimore,  until 
May,  1916.  All  of  these  churches  have  been  finan- 
cially and  spiritually  quickened  and  improved.  Some 
of  them  were  relieved  of  their  heavy  indebtedness. 
Most  prominent  among  those  relieved  were  Brown 
Chapel,  Allegheny  City,  where  a  mortgage  debt  of 
$3,858.00,  of  27  years'  standing,  was  entirely  lifted  and 
the  mortgage  burned.  A  sinking  fund  was  created  at 
Wiley  Avenue  A.  M.  E.  Church  for  the  building  of  a 
new  church.  A  new  site  was  purchased  at  Titusville. 
The  church  was  moved  from  a  back  street  to  one  of 
the  main  streets  of  the  town.  Brown  Chapel,  Oil  City, 
was  made  almost  new.  The  church  at  Toledo  was 
paid  entirely  out  of  debt.  The  indebtedness  of  St. 
Paul's  Church  was  changed  and  arranged  so  as  to 
make  it  practical  to  meet  the  obligations  as  they  came 
due,  and  the  church  at  Cincinnati  was  improved  and 
remodeled  on  the  interior,  completely  from  top  to  bot- 
tom, fitted  up  with  all  modern  appliances  at  an  ex- 
pense of  several  hundred  dollars,  which  was  paid  ofr  as 


the  work  advanced.  At  Big  Bethel  Church,  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  his  work  as  pastor  was  marked  all  the  way  with 
consecration  and  seriousness;  thousands  of  dollars 
were  paid  on  the  indebtedness ;  the  basement,  which 
had  been  untouched  from  the  time  of  the  erection  of 
the  church,  was  put  in  excellent  condition  for  regular 
use,  electric  lights  were  installed  and  renovated  and 
the  interior  remodeled.  At  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E. 
Church  he  installed  steam  heat  and  made  other  need- 
ed improvements  on  the  interior  and  exterior  of  the 
church ;  reduced  its  bonded  debt  $2,000,  and  greatly 
increased  the  congregation. 

He  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of 
1892  to  1908,  and  is  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  1916.  In  1912  he  received  a  large 
vote  for  the  bishopric.  He  was  one  of  the  most  popu- 
lar pastors  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  received  "D. 
D."  from  Wilberforce  in  1903.  He  was  elected  bishop 
on  the  third  ballot  to  the  bishopric  May  18,  1916. 

Ross,  Mamie  Robinson  Fletcher,  wife  of  Bishop 
I.  X.  Ross,  was  born  in  Elizabethtown,  Ky.,  six  years 
before  the  war  which  marked  the  close  of  slavery. 
When  a  babe  she  was  given  as  a  bridal  present  to  a 


MRS.  I.  N.  ROSS. 

young  lady  in  the  family  in  which  her  mother  had 
served  faithfully.  Being  in  a  good  family  and  so 
young,  she  escaped  the  horrors  and  cruel  treatment  to 
which  many  slaves  were  subjected.  After  the  war  she 
went  to  a  little  cottage  to  live  with  her  mother  and 
brother.  She  attended  the  school  established  in  her 
town.  She  grew  up  into  a  much-respected  young 
lady.  Her  pastor  introduced  her  to  his  brother,  the 
Rev.  I.  N.  Ross,  whom  she  married  later  and  early  in 
her  twenties.  She  has  served  faithfully  with  him  from 
the  small  mission  to  the  bishopric.  Mrs.  Ross  was  al- 
ways closely  identified  with  the  missionary  societies 
of  the  churches  which  her  husband  served.  Beginning 
at  Cincinnati,  she  started  a  chain  of  societies  known 
as  "The  Lend-a-Hand  Association  of  Ministers' 
Wives."  Another  plan  she  adopted  is  that  of  gather- 
ing the  new  women  members  of  the  churches  and  get- 
ting them  in  line  to  help  the  church  in  an  organization 
known  as  "The  Willing  Workers."  Both  of_  these  or- 
ganizations are  doing  good  work  in  the  various  com- 
munities in  which  she  planted  the  seed.    Mrs.  Ross  is 


192- 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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also  an  enthusiastic  member  of  the  National  Associa- 
tion of  Colored  Women's  Clubs.  Although  deprived 
of  a  regular  and  complete  education,  she  has  read  good 
books,  subscribed  to  helpful  magazines,  attended  lec- 
tures and  conventions,  traveled  considerably,  and  is 
known  and  loved  wherever  she  has  worked. 


Roundtree,  Rev.  I.  W.  L.,  is  a  native  of  Georgia. 
His  father,  Rev.  Wm.  Roundtree,  was  a  man  of  ster- 
ling worth  and  in  possession  of  more  than  ordinary 
intelligence.  His  mother  was  also  a  woman  of  ability 
and  strong  character. 

Doctor  Roundtree  spent  the  early  part  of  his  life 
on  the  farm  and  in  the  country  school.  He  graduated 
from  Cookman  Institute  in  Jacksonville,  Florida,  stud- 
ied in  the  Home  Missionary  Institute,  Live  Oak,  Flor- 
ida. Later  he  entered  Howard  University,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  and  Lincoln  University,  where  he  was 
graduated  in  1886,  receiving  the  degree  of  A.B.  Three 
years  later  he  graduated  from  Drew  Theological  Sem- 
inary at  Madison,  N.  J.,  with  the  degree  of  B.D.  He 
also  studied  in  the  famous  Princeton  Theological  Sem- 


inary, from  which  he  also  graduated.  He  has  special- 
ized in  Hebrew,  Old  Testament  and  New  Testament 
Theology,  Comparative  Religion  and  Biblical  Criti- 
cism. These  branches  he  supplemented  in  Princeton 
University  by  the  study  of  biology  and  astronomy  and 
kindred  subjects. 

Dr.  Roundtree  has  been  honored  in  the  city  and 
state  with  positions  of  responsibility.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  Bordentown  Industrial  School.  He 
represented  the  race  at  the  World's  Temperance  Con- 
gress in  Chicago  in  1892. 

Doctor  Roundtree  has  been  elected  as  a  member 
co  the  general'  conference  continually  since  1892.  He 
was  also  voted  for  for  the  bishopric,  and  is  now  serv- 
ing as  presiding  elder.  He  is  also  State  Commissioner 
for  the  Bordentown  Industrial  School  at  Bordentown, 
N.  J.,  being  appointed  by  the  State  Board  of  Educa- 
tion. 

As  a  teacher  he  made  good,  having  taught  in 
Georgia,  Florida  and  Virginia.  His  Christian  faith 
and  his  uncompromising  determination  to  do  some- 
thing for  mankind  endear  him  to  the  hearts  of 
those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact.  His  wife  was 
Miss  Fannie  C.  Colson,  of  Petersburg,  Va. 


AMPSON,      JOHN      PATTERSON, 

was  born  in  Wilmington,  N.  C,  Au- 
gust 13,  1837;  is  of  mixed  African 
and  Scottish  descent,  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Cambridge,  Mass., 
graduated  from  Comer's  College, 
Boston,  1856;  began  life  as  a  teach- 
er of  public  school  at  Jamaica,  L.  I., 
in  1S62 ;  published  and  edited  the  Colored  Citizen  at 
Cincinnati,  continuing  as  a   Negro  war  policy  paper 


REV.  J.  P.  SAMPSON. 

till  the  close  of  the  war,  about  which  time  was  made 
assessor  and  clerk  to  Superintendent  of  Freedman 
Schools,  at  Wilmington,  N.  C. ;  took  an  active  part  by 
appointment  in  reconstruction,  was  nominated  for  Con- 
gress, defeated  by  the  Democratic  candidate ;  was  ap- 


pointed and  continued  fifteen  years  a  clerk  in  the 
Treasury  Department  at  Washington,  during  which 
time  he  studied  and  graduated  from  the  National  Law 
University  in  1868 ;  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the 
District  Supreme  Court,  was  subsequently  appointed 
by  the  Commissioners  Justice  of  a  District  Court,  be- 
came a  public  lecturer  on  social  and  scientific  subjects  ; 
was  engaged  by  General  Armstrong  to  deliver  a  course 
of  lectures  at  Hampton  School.  Called  to  the  minis- 
try,   studied    Theology    at    the    Western    Theological 


13 


193 


MRS.  J.  P.  SAMPSON. 

Seminary,  Allegheny,  Pa.,  joined  the  New  Jersey  con- 
ference, held  many  leading  charges,  elected  several 
times  a  delegate  to  the  general  conference;  made  pre- 
siding elder  two  terms  in  the  Philadelphia  conference. 
During  his  absence  was,  elected  president  of  Frederick 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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Douglass  Hospital  and  Training  School,  continuing  as 
such  five  years.  D.D.  conferred  by  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity, Ohio,  1888.  Married  Mary  A.  Cole,  of  Bor- 
lentown,  Sept.  10,  1880. 

Author  of  "Common  Sense  Physiology,"  "Tem- 
perament and  Phrenology  of  Mixed  Races,"  "Jolly 
People,"  "Pastoral  Theology,"  "The  Disappointed 
Bride"  and  "How  to  Live  One  Hundred  Years."  Was 
appointed  and  continued  nine  years  presiding  elder  in 
the  New  England  Conference.  At  present  pastor  at 
Morristown,  N.  J. 


Sanders,  Rev.  Albert  Carter,  was  born  October 
16,  1863,  in  Georgetown  County,  South  Carolina.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of  Charleston.  Was  a 
Sunday  school  pupil  in  Emanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Charleston  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Moses  B.  Sal- 
ter.   He  went  to  New  York  in  1883  and  attended  night 


provements  made.     Rev.   Sanders  served  this  circuit 
five  years. 

In  June,  1904,  he  was  sent  to  Amityville,  Long 
Island,  where  he  served  four  years,  bought  a  site  and 
built  a  parsonage  at  a  cost  of  $2500.00;  enlarged  the 
church  with  a  membership  of  50  and  raised  $7000.00. 
In  1909  was  sent  to  Israel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Albany, 
N.  Y.  It  was  said  by  those  who  knew  that  the  status 
of  the  church  was  better  during  the  Rev.  Sanders'  pas- 
torate than  any  in  its  history,  excluding  the  pastorate 
of  Rev.  Wm.  B.  Derrick.  In  June,  1910,  the  church  in 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  was  about  to  be  sold  on  the  block. 
Rev.  Sanders  was  appointed  to  Buffalo  and  in  8  months 


REV.  A.  C.  SANDERS. 

schools  there ;  was  converted  in  New  York,  January, 
1894.  Impressed  with  the  call  to  the  ministry,  he  be- 
gan the  study  of  theology  under  Rev.  H.  G.  Miller, 
a  graduate  of  Lincoln  University.  He  joined  Bethel 
Church,  West  25th  St.,  Rev.  John  M.  Henderson,  pas- 
tor, in  1897.  Served  as  local  preacher  until  May, 
1899,  when  he  joined  the  New  York  Conference;  was 
ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Grant  in  New  York  City 
and  was  assigned  to  Little  Neck  Circuit,  including 
Maspeth  and  Port  Washington,  Long  Island.  At 
Maspeth  the  church  was  condemned  by  the  building 
department,  doors  closed  for  two  years.  Rev.  Sanders, 
with  a  membership  of  five  to  work  with,  contracted 
for  a  stone  foundation  at  a  cost  of  $350.00  and  in  three 
months  the  doors  were  opened  for  religious  worship. 
In  May,  1902,  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Derrick 
in  Bridge  St.  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

With  a  membership  of  only  9  persons  a  church 
at  Port  Washington  was  built  near  the  railroad  station 
in  1904  and  dedicated  as  "Underdunk's  Chapel."  The 
same  year  the  church  at  Little  Neck  was  remodeled 
and  enlarged,  a  new  organ   installed  and  many  im- 

194 


MRS.  A.  C.  SANDERS. 

he  was  able  to  satisfy  all  of  his  creditors.  He  held 
this  charge  for  four  years  and  increased  its  wealth 
to  $5000  worth  of  real  estate.  In  May,  1913,  he  was 
transferred  from  the  New  York  to  the  New  England 
Conference  by  Bishop  Tyree,  and  stationed  at  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  where  he  is  serving  his  third  year.  In 
two  years  he  gathered  into  the  church  123  new  mem- 
bers, installed  two  new  furnaces,  placed  a  new  roof  on 
parsonage  and  has  just  installed  a  beautiful  pipe  organ 
in  St.  Paul's  Church.  He  is  a  P.  N.  F.  in  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  for  two  consecutive  years  has  preached  the 
annual  Thanksgiving  sermons  to  all  the  lodges  in  Bos- 
ton, in  Tremont  Temple.  He  is  engaged  in  civicwork, 
and  is  thoroughly  a  race  man. 

On  March  22nd,  1891,  he  married  Miss  Fannie 
Williams,  of  Beaufort,  N.  C,  who  is  a  tower  of  strength 
to  him  in  his  ministerial  labors.  Five  children  were 
born  to  them,  Albert  C,  Jr.,  H.  Leroy,  Agnes  L.,  Anna 
E.  and  Walter  J.,  Agnes  L.  and  H.  Leroy  having  died. 

Sanders,  James  Woods,  son  of  John  and  Mary 
Sanders.  Mother  a  member  of  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Born 
near  Nashville,  Tenn.,  April  30,  1857.  Was  one  of 
four  children.  Entered  school  in  1866  and  attended 
school  about  7  years  in  all.  Spent  over  two  years  at 
McKee's  Presbyterian  Mission  and  the  public  schools. 
Graduated  from  normal  department  in  1872,  but  has 
done  most  study  under  private  teachers,  received  de- 
gree D-D-  from  Kittrell  College,  N.  C.     Converted  in 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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1878  and  joined  A.  M.  E.  Church,  1884.  Has  held 
offices  of  steward,  class  leader,  exhorter,  local  preach- 
er, Sunday  school  teacher,  general  missionary  and  fis- 
cal agent  of  Colorado  Conference.  Was  secretary  of 
Colorado  Conference  for  five  years.  Licensed  to  preach 
in  1884  at  Pueblo,  Colorado,  by  Rev.  Wooton.  Or- 
dained deacon  1886  at  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  by  Bishop 
Brown.  Ordained  elder  in  1889  at  Pueblo,  Colorado, 
by  Bishop  Ward.  Joined  the  annual  conference  in 
1885  at  Parsons,  Kansas,  under  Bishop  Brown. 

Dr.  Sanders  is  one  of  the  trustees  of  Wilberforce 
and  Kittrell  College.  He  has  held  the  following  ap- 
pointments with  credit :  Colorado  Springs,  Trinidad, 
Minneapolis,  Salina,  Kansas;  Helena,  Montana;  Salt 


Scarborough,  William  Sanders,  president  of  Wil- 
berforce University,  Wilberforce,  Ohio,  was  born  in 
Macon,  Georgia,  in  1854.  He  received  his  early  edu- 
cation in  his  native  city  before  and  during  the  Civil 
War.  From  1869  to  1871  he  attended  Atlanta  Univer- 
sity, and  entered  Oberlin  College  in  1871,  from  which 
he  received  the  degree  of  A.B.  in  1875,  later  receiving 
from  Oberlin  the  degree  of  MA.     He  spent  a  part  of 

1876  in  Oberlin  Theological  Seminary  in  special  study 
of  the  Semitic  languages  and  Hellenistic  Greek.     In 

1877  ne  was  elected  head  of  the  Classical  Department 
in  Wilberforce  University.  In  1881  he  published 
through  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  "First  Lessons  in  Greek," 
the  first  Greek  text  book  ever  written  by  an  American 


REV.  JAMES  WOODS  SANDERS. 


Lake  City,  Albuquerque,  Cheyenne,  Wyoming;  Den- 
ver, Colo.,  2  years:  Hannibal,  Mo.,  2  years;  Leadville, 
Silverton,  Col. ;  Staunton,  Va. ;  Smithfield,  Va-,  and 
Bethel,  Baltimore.  He  organized  churches  at  Eddy 
and  Roswell,  N.  M.  He  paid  $2000  on  a  debt  at  Hel- 
ena, Montana.  At  Salt  Lake  City  he  built  a  church 
worth  $2500  and  paid  $2000  of  it. 

He  was  married  to  his  first  wife  in  1891  and  his 
present  wife,  Mrs.  Corinthia  May  Sanders,  in  1899.  He 
has  three  children,  Bernice,  John  W.,  Jr.  and  George 
F.  Miss  Bernice  graduated  as  valedictorian  in  Den- 
ver, Colorado,  and  with  the  highest  honors  from  Wil- 
berforce, where  she  was  president  of  the  Greek  letter 
sorority. 

Rev.  Sanders  has  contributed  to  all  of  our  church 
papers,  local  papers  and  Independent  of  New  York, 
He  has  addressed  many  conferences  and  societies. 
Member  of  the  Republican  party  and  attended  con- 
ventions in  New  Mexico  and  Colorado.  He  is  a  prop- 
erty owner.  Member  of  a  Negro  Organization  Society 
of  Virginia, 


Sands,  Rev.  I.  S.,  was  converted  in  1859  at  Ben 
Salem,  Pa.,  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  His  life  has  been 
one  of  hard  struggle,  but  having  strong  faith  in  God, 
he  has  surmounted  every  difficulty.  He  has  built 
many  churches  and  paid  off  many  debts.  He  has  held 
the  following  appointments:  Camp  Town,  Pa.,  1890; 
Flemington,  N.  J.,  until  1892 ;  Bristol,  R.  I. ;  Norwalk, 
Conn.;  Lynn,  Mass.;  Providence,  R.  I.;  Binghamton, 
N.  Y. ;  Roslyn,  L  I. ;  St.  John,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. ;  El- 
mira,  N.  Y. ;  Lockport,  N.  Y. ;  Chatham,  N.  Y. 

He  has  been  a  source  of  inspiration  to  many  and 
has  been  instrumental  in  bringing  many  into  the  fold 
of  Christ. 


PRESIDENT  WILLIAM  SANDERS  SCAR- 
BOROUGH, M.A.,  Ph.D.,  LL.D. 

Negro.  He  has  also  written  a  treatise  entitled,  "The 
Birds  of  Aristophanes — a  Theory  of  Interpretation" — 
aside  from  numerous  tracts  and  pamphlets,  covering 
a  variety  of  subjects,  classical,  archaeological,  socio- 
logical and  racial.  He  has  written  many  papers  for 
various  societies  to  which  he  belongs,  especially  the 
Philological  Society.  In  1891  he  was  given  chair  of 
Hellenistic  Greek  in  Payne  Theological  Seminary,  at 
its  opening.  In  1897  he  was  again  elected  as  professor 
of  Latin  and  Greek  in  Wilberforce  University  and  was 
made  vice-president  of  the  same.  In  1908  he  was  elect- 
ed president  of  Wilberforce  University,  a  position 
which  he  now  holds. 

In  1881  he  married  Sarah  C.  Bierce,  a  lady  of  high 
literary  attainments,  and  a  writer  for  many  magazines. 

President  Scarborough  has  been  for  many  years 
the  exegetical  editor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  Sunday 
school  publications.  He  is  a  member  of  the  following 
societies:  American  Philological,  American  Dialect, 
American  Social  Science,  Archaeological  Institute  of 
America,  American  Spelling  Reform,  American  Folk- 
Lore,  American  Modern  Language,  American  Politi- 
cal and  Social  Science,  the  Egyptian  Exploration  Fund 
Association,  National  Geographical  Society,  American 
Negro  Academy,  of  which  he  is  first  vice-president. 
He  has  often  been  orator  at  the  banquet  of  the  Lin- 
coln League  of  Ohio.     He  wars  president  of  the  Afro- 


195 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


a 


American  State  League,  was  appointed  by  the  Gover- 
nor of  Ohio  a  delegate  to  the  National  Conference  in 
St.  Louis  in  the  interest  of  Negro  Education.  He  is 
the  only  Negro  representative  on  the  Board  of  the 
Lincoln  Memorial  Association  of  Ohio,  which  is  pre- 
sided over  by  the  Governor.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
Ecumenical  Methodist  Conference  held  in  London  in 
1901,  and  was  in  attendance  upon  the  Universal  Race 
Congress  in  London  representing  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity. 

Scott,  Oscar  J.  W.,  captain  and  chaplain  25th  In- 
fantry, United  States  Army,  was  born  in  Gallipolis, 
Ohio,  July  31,  1867.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
during  his  childhood,  in  the  vicinity  of  his  birthplace. 
While  still  in  his  youth,  he  entered  the  Ohio  Wesleyan 
University,  from  which  he  graduated  with  the  degree 
of  A.B.,  later  earning  the  degree  of  A.M.  from  the 
same  institution,  and  the  degree  of  B.D.  from  Drew 


CHAPLAIN  OSCAR  J.  W.  SCOTT,  A.M.,  D.D. 

Theological  Seminary.  The  University  of  Denver  be- 
stowed upon  him  the  degrees  of  B.A.  and  S.T.B.,  after 
he  had  completed  a  course  of  study  in  that  institution. 
The  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was  con- 
ferred upon  him  by  Payne  Theological  Seminary. 

Chaplain  Scott  has  served  his  church  with  marked 
fidelity  and  ability,  having  been  pastor  of  churches 
at  Madison,  New  jersey;  Kansas  City,  Missouri;  Den- 
ver, Colorado,  and  of  the  Metropolitan  Church  at 
Washington,  D.  C.  His  work  as  a  pastor  was  always 
of  a  highly  constructive  character,  morally  and  ma- 
terially. 

In  1895  Chaplain  Scott  was  married  to  Miss  Net- 
tie Poindexter,  of  Columbus,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Scott  pos- 
sesses a  rare  charm,  is  an  accomplished  musician,  and 
is  in  every  way  a  fit  help-mate  for  her  distinguished 
husband.  As  a  result  of  their  union,  there  are  three 
children,  Albert,  James  and  Ruth. 

On  April  17,  1907,  while  pastor  of  the  Metropoli- 
tan Church.  Washington,  Dr.  Scott  was  appointed  a 
chaplain  in  the  United  States  Army,  and  assigned  to 
the  25th  Infantry.  Since  the  very  beginning  of  his 
career  as  an  army  chaplain,  Doctor  Scott  has  con- 


tinued to  gain  in  popularity  and  efficiency.  He  is 
popular  with  both  the  officers  and  men  of  his  regiment, 
and  was  recently  recommended  by  his  commanding 
officer  as  being  worthy  of  distinction  for  special  effi- 
ciency. He  has  served  with  his  regiment  in  Texas, 
the  Philippines,  in  the  state  of  Washington,  and  is  now 
stationed  with  the  command  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands. 
While  in  the  Philippines,  he  was  engaged  for  a  num- 
ber of  months  compiling  an  historical,  descriptive 
work  dealing  with  the  history,  habits  and  characteris- 
tics of  one  of  the  old  Moro  tribes  of  the  Island  of  Min- 
danao. 

As  a  public  speaker  he  is  much  sought  after  by 
congregations,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  meetings  and  assemblies 
wherever  he  is  stationed.  He  was  kept  busy  address- 
ing various  gatherings  while  in  the  state  of  Washing- 
ton, and  since  his  arrival  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands  he 
has  been  in  great  demand  as  a  speaker  at  public  meet- 
ings of  various  sorts.  He  has  responded  in  many  cases 
and  has  been  the  principal  speaker  at  the  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
various  Hawaiian  religious  gatherings  in  Honolulu 
as  well  as  on 'the  Island  of  Hawaii  and  Maui,  and  at 
clubs  and  associations  of  business  men  of  the  city. 

He  has  organized  and  maintains  the  Young  Men's 
Bible  Study  Class,  the  Scott  Literary  Society,  and  is 
said  to  have  a  larger  congregation  in  attendance  upon 
his  services  on  Sundays  than  any  other  chaplain  in  the 
post. 

Scott,  Price  Andrew,  eldest  son  of  David  and 
Sallie  Scott,  was  born  near  Lynchburg,  Ya.,  Novem- 
ber 25,  1866.  He  learned  to  read  and  write  at  home 
and  at  12  years  of  age  entered  the  public  school  at 
Lynch's  Sta.,  Ya..  and  progressed  so  rapidly  that  at  the 
age  of  16  he  became  the  teacher  of  a  country  school  at 
Good  Hope,  W.  Va.  In  the  meantime  under  his  fath- 
er's instruction  he  became  an  accomplished  black- 
smith. His  further  education  was  secured  at  Storer 
College,  Meadville  (Pa.)  Theological  Seminary,  the 
latter  institution  conferring  upon  him  the  D.D.  degree. 
He  also  graduated  from  the  Pennsylvania  Sabbath 
School  Association  and  the  International  Sabbath 
School  Association.  He  was  the  only  regular  colored 
delegate  from  Pennsylvania  at  the  International  Sun- 
day School  Convention  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  1908. 
For  two  years  he  was  the  editor  and  publisher  of  "The 
Oil  City  Herald"  and  was  for  a  time  the  associate 
editor  of  "The  Vindicator,"  a  white  prohibition  paper 
in  Franklin,  Pa.  He  is  the  author  of  a  large  number 
of  poems  and  songs,  which  he  contemplates  publish- 
ing in  book  form.  He  was  converted  in  Evington,  Va., 
November  25,  1890.  and  was  licensed  to  preach  by 
Rev.  C.  A.  McGee,  P.  E.,  May  7,  1891,  at  Clarksburg, 
W.  Ya. ;  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Payne  in  Octo- 
ber, 1891,  in  Allegheny,  Pa.,  and  elder  by  Bishop 
Arnett  in  October.  1894,  in  Wheeling.  W.  Va.  He 
has  held  the  following  charges:  A  mission  in  Charles- 
ton, W.  Ya.,  one  year  and  a  half  from  May,  1891,  serv- 
ing as  pastor  and  public  school  teacher;  Wheeling, 
paying  off  a  large  indebtedness  and  extensively  repair- 
ing the  church  building;  Meadville,  repairing  the 
church  and  doubling  its  membership ;  Erie,  holding  a 
large  revival  and  partly  building  the  new  church  struc- 
ture ;  Oil  City,  buying  and  Daying  for  a  parsonage  for 
$1500,  improving  the  church  building  and  nearly  dou- 
bling the  membership ;  McKeesport,  nearly  doubling 
the  membership  in  one  year;  Chartiers  Street  Church, 


196 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Allegheny,  in  two  years  paying  off  a  debt  of  $1100  and 
buying  a  beautiful  brick  church  which  was  dedicated 
by  Bishop  Derrick  December  10,  1905,  as  Allen  Chapel 
and  is  now  a  strong  church ;  Williamsport,  in  three 
years  nearly  doubling  the  membership  and  remodeling 
the  church  building,  paying  $1000  for  the  same; 
Wilkes-Barre,  repairing  the  church  building,  purchas- 
ing a  new  church  organ  and  increasing  the  member- 
ship ;  Bethel  Church,  Wylie  Avenue,  Pittsburgh,  for 
four  years  and  three  months,  the  longest  pastorate  in 
the  history  of  that  church,  having  600  additions  to  the 
membership  and  raising  over  $20,000  for  all  purposes, 


REV.  PRICE  A.  SCOTT,  D.D. 

also  purchasing  large  electric  motor  pipe  organ  which 
was  paid  for  when  dedicated,  and  extensively  beauti- 
fying the  church  building  for  the  annual  conference 
which  he  handsomely  entertained  at  the  close  of  his 
pastorate.  In  October,  1915,  he  was  sent  to  St.  Paul 
Church,  Washington,  Pa.,  and  in  less  than  nine  months 
completely  revolutionized  the  charge,  and  on  June  25, 
1916,  held  one  of  the  most  successful  rallies  in  its  his- 
tory, raising  over  $1200  in  cash,  and  paid  off  a  second 
mortgage  of  over  ten  years'  standing  and  three  bank 
notes.  Dr.  Scott  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  con- 
ference, May,  1916;  was  chosen  as  one  of  its  reading 
clerks  and  was  voted  for  for  the  office  of  bishop.  He 
has  recorded  over  1300  conversions,  received  over 
2000  members  into  the  church  and  married  over  300 
couples.  He  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  a  high  Mason,  be- 
ing at  present  the  grand  prelate  of  the  International 
Conference  of  Knights  Templar  of  the  United  States 
and  Canada.  He  is  actively  interested  in  many  move- 
ments of  civic  and  racial  uplift.  In  1891  he  married 
Miss  Cornelia  D.  Chinn,  of  Bridgeport,  W.  Va.  Their 
only  child,  Miss  Clara  Maude,  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Nossokoff  School  of 'Hairdressing  and  is  successfully 
practicing  her  art. 

Scott,  Timothy  Dwight,  son  of  William  and  Mary 
Frances  Scott,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  June  21,  i860,  at  Circleville,  Ohio.    He  was 


the  thirteenth  child  in  a  family  of  fifteen  children.  He 
entered  school  at  the  age  of  ten  years,  and  received  his 
education  from  the  public  school  and  Wilberforce 
University,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1886,  with  the 
degree  of  A.B.,  subsequently  receiving  A.M.  from  his 
Alma  Mater.  He  was  converted  in  1871,  and  joined 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  his  native  city;  held  every  of- 
fice in  the  local  church  and  Sunday  school  excepting 
pastor.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  at  Wilberforce  by 
Rev.  Grafton  H.  Graham;  joined  the  annual  confer- 
ence in  1887,  at  Parkersburg,  AV.  Va.,  under  Bishop 
Campbell;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1892,  at  Allegheny, 


REV.  T.  D.  SCOTT,  A.M. 

Pa.,  by  Bishop  Payne,  and  elder  in  1894,  at  Wheel- 
ing, W.  Va.,  by  Bishop  Arnett.  He  has  held  appoint- 
ments at  Parkersburg,  W.  Va. ;  Erie,  Pa. ;  Xenia,  Ohio  ; 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  Zanesville,  Ohio;  rebuilt  St.  Paul 
A.  M.  E.  Church  and  a  new  parsonage  at  Zanesville, 
Ohio,  in  1912,  at  a  cost  of  $13,000;  lifted  an  $800  mort- 
gage on  Allen  Temple,  Cincinnati,  Ohio ;  has  taken 
about  300  into  the  Church  and  baptized  about  200.  He 
was  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference, 
in  1916.  He  married  Mary  Lillian  McKinley,  of  Macon, 
Ga.,  December  27,  1887.  They  had  six  children,  as 
follows :  Lewis  McKinley,  Lillian  Eliza,  Laura  Eloise 
(deceased),  Amanda  Louise  (deceased),  Francis  Greg- 
ory, Timothy  Dwight,  Jr.  He  has  one  other  child, 
Cecil  Hall,  by  a  subsequent  marriage,  the  former  wife 
having  died  in  1903.  The  two  oldest  children  are 
graduates  of  the  Xenia  (Ohio)  High  School.  He  has 
contributed  to  the  "A.  M.  E.  Review"  and  "Christian 
Recorder,"  and  many  daily  papers.  He  wrote  the  class 
song  for  the  Class  of  '86  and  the  Class  Ode  for  the 
Quarto-Centennial  of  the  Class  of  191 1  of  Wilber- 
force ;  was  principal  of  the  Circleville  High  School  one 
year,  the  Parkersburg  High  School  five  years,  was 
professor  of  science  at  Wilberforce  University  for 
three  years,  principal  of  Xenia  High  School  for  fifteen 
years,  resigning  that  position  to  accept  the  pastoral 
charge  of  Allen  Temple,  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  on  the 
death  of  the  Rev.  David  Caliman;  has  been  connected 
with  the  F.  and  A.  M.,  K.  of  P.  and  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F. ; 
is  a  Republican,  and  was  a  member  of  the  convention 


19Z 


& 


THE. CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


that  nominated  the  Hon.  Robert  Kennedy  for  Repre- 
sentative in  Congress  in  1886;  is  secretary  and  his- 
torian of  the  Ohio  A.  M.  E.  Annual  Conference.  He 
is  at  present  pastor  of  Brown  Chapel,  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Walnut  Hills,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  delivered 
the  annual  address  before  the  Religious  Societies  at 
his  Alma  Mater,  June  9,  1916,  concerning  which  the 
"Southern  Christian  Recorder"  said :  "His  theme, 
'The  Voice  of  One  Crying  in  the  Wilderness,'  was 
beautifully  illustrated,  and  applied  to  modern  day  con- 
ditions. In  all  it  was  a  masterly  effort,  scholarly  and 
practical." 


Seabrook,  Captain  E.,  was  born  in  South  Carolina 
about  forty-five  years  ago.  As  a  young  lad  he  came  to 
Georgia  and  for  twenty-five  years  followed  the  pilot- 
age business.  He  has  been  master  of  some  of  the  fin- 
est steam  vessels  plying  the  Savannah  river.  Because 
of  his  knowledge  of  the  coast  from  the  Saint  Lawrence 
to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  he  has  often  been  selected  to 
bring  palatial  steamers  and  private  yachts  down  the 


CAPTAIN  E.  SEABROOK. 


coast.  He  has  the  reputation  of  never  having  an  ac- 
cident to  a  vessel  while  he  was  in  charge.  In  1906  Cap- 
tain Seabrook  launched  into  the  undertaking  business 
and  has  made  great  progress  in  such  a  short  space  of 
time.  Today  he  is  rated  as  one  of  the  largest  colored 
undertakers  in  the  United  States.  For  the  convenience 
of  his  patrons  he  has  a  seven-passenger  automobile,  a 
motor  ambulance  and  white,  silver  gray  and  black  fun- 
eral cars.  He  gives  employment  to  six  men  regularly, 
including  two  embalmers.  His  business  is  located  at 
No.  514  West  Broad  Street,  Savannah,  Ga.,  in  a  three- 
story  brick  building  owned  by  him.  He  is  an  active 
member  and  trustee  of  St.  Philip  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Savannah,  Ga.,  and  his  wife,  a  stewardess,  is  a  leader 
in  all  church  and  charitable  work  among  the  women 
of  the  city.  Captain  and  Mrs.  Seabrook  are  a  worthy 
example  of  what  prosperous  people  ought  to  do  in  the 
church. 


Shackleford,  William  Henry,  was  born  at  Selma, 
Ala.,  January  21,  1878;  educated  at  Payne  University 
of  the  same  city  from  which  he  graduated  as  valedic- 
torian of  the  Class  of  1894.  His  mother  was  a  devout 
African  Methodist,  and  her  son  seems  to  have  in- 
herited her  disposition  and  Christian  qualities.  He 
was  presented  in  infancy  to  the  Church  at  Brown 
Chapel,  Selma,  and  he  grew  up  in  the  service  of  the 
church.  He  has  an  excellent  record  as  a  Sunday 
school  scholar,  officer,  teacher  and  superintendent. 
The  better  portion  of  his  time  since  graduation  was 
spent  in  the  profession  of  teaching,  and  it  was  from 
the  principalship  of  the  city  school  of  Greensboro, 
Ala.,  that  he  was  called  to  accept  the  position  of  proof- 


MR.  WILLIAM  HENRY  SHACKLEFORD. 

reader  and  associate  editor  of  the  "A.  M.  E.  Sunday 
School  Union,"  Nashville,  Tenn.  In  this  institution 
he  has  proven  his  aptitude  for  the  work,  being  pos- 
sessed of  a  versatility  that  allows  him  to  fill  with  ease 
and  credit  almost  any  position  in  this  department  of 
the  Church.  He  reads  practically  every  line  of  proof, 
is  manager  of  the  publications,  also  originates  and  de- 
signs all  the  blackboard  illustrations  which  appear  in 
the  periodicals  of  the  "Sunday  School  Union."  He 
has  been  superintendent  of  Bethel  Sunday  School, 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  for  five  years.  When  he  took  charge 
the  enrollment  was  about  50  and  collections  averaged 
35  to  50  cents.  At  present  the  enrollment  in  all  seven 
of  the  departments  is  over  600.  Here  may  be  found  in 
excellent  working  order,  under  capable  superintend- 
ents, the  Cradle  Roll,  Beginners',  Primary,  Interme- 
diate, Junior,  Adult  and  Home  Departments,  also  a 
Temperance  Legion.  Thirty  officers  and  teachers  carry 
on  the  work,  and  recently  over  500  attended  a  regular 
morning  session  of  the  school.  The  whole  school  has 
been  resolved  into  a  missionary  society,  and  pays  an- 
nually the  conference  missionary  claim,  besides  the 
minute  and  contingent  moneys.  Electric  lights,  at  a 
cost  of  $100  have  been  installed  in  the  auditorium  of 
the  church  as  a  gift  from  the  Sunday  school.  Mr. 
Shackleford  is  president  of  the  Methodist  Sunday 
School  Alliance,  composed  of  the  Sunday  school  work- 


198 


<B 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


ers  in  Methodist  churches  of  Nashville,  which  he  or- 
ganized in  1914. 

Shaffer,  Cornelius  Thaddeus,  the  twenty-ninth 
bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  third  son  of  John 
and  Margaret  Shaffer,  was  born  in  Troy,  Ohio,  Janu- 
ary 3,  1847.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  na- 
tive state  and  of  Indiana.  When  he  was  but  little  past 
seventeen  years  of  age  he  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  War.  On  returning  from  the  war,  feeling  the 
need  of  further  preparation  for  his  life  work,  he  soon 
after,  being  in  Kentucky,  entered  Berea  College,  pur- 
suing his  studies  for  more  than  two  years.  Later, 
after  his  entrance  into  the  ministry,  he  took  up  spe- 
cial courses  in  Cadiz,  Ohio,  under  the  superintendent 
of  the  public  schools ;  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  with  a  Jew- 
ish Rabbi,  and  in  Philadelphia,  with  Dr.  W.  R.  Har- 


BISHOP  C.  T.  SHAFFER,  M.D,  D.D. 

per,  the  late  president  of  the  University  of  Chicago, 
and  finally  he  entered  Jefferson  Medical  College, 
Philadelphia,  graduating  with  the  degree  of  M.D.,  in 
the  Class  of  18S8.  The  degree  of  D.D.  was  first  con- 
ferred upon  him  by  Allen  University,  Columbia,  S.  C, 
1888.  Later  Wilberforce  University  honored  him 
with  the  same  degree — D.D.,  and  finally  with  the  de- 
gree of  LL.D.,  he  having  been  most  actively  engaged 
in  the  work  of  development  and  maintenance  of  the 
said  Wilberforce  University  throughout  his  entire 
public  career.  He  was  converted  in  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  and  united  with  the  same  in  1861 ;  he  held 
nearly  every  office  in  the  Church,  being  licensed  to 
preach  in  1867,  by  his  brother,  Rev.  G.  H.  Shaffer, 
D.D.,  at  Frankfort,  Ky.,  where  he  was  at  that  time  en- 
gaged in  business.  He  was  admitted  into  the  confer- 
ence and  itinerancy  by  Bishop  Payne,  at  Bowling 
Green,  Ky.,  in  1870,  and  was  immediately  transferred 
to  the  Ohio  Conference  in  his  native  state,  and  sta- 
tioned at  Newark,  Ohio.  He  was  ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  Payne,  at  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  1872,  and  elder 
by  the  same  bishop  in  1874,  at  Zanesville,  Ohio,  from 
whose  hand  he  received  eleven  consecutive  annual  ap- 
pointments. He  served  the  following  charges  as  pas- 
tor: Newark,  Ohio,  one  year;  Delaware,  two  years; 
Cadiz,  one  year;  Xenia,  Ohio,  three  years,  when  he 
was  transferred  by  Bishop  Payne  to  the  New  York 


Conference,  and  stationed  at  Fleet  Street  Church, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  which  church  he  served  three  years. 
He  was  again  transferred  by  the  same  bishop  and  sta- 
tioned at  Allen  Chapel,  Philadelphia,  which  he  served 
four  years.  He  was  then  transferred  by  Bishop 
Payne  to  Baltimore  Conference,  and  appointed  to 
Mother  Bethel,  Baltimore,  Md.,  serving  said  church 
two  years,  when  he  was  returned  to  the  Philadelphia 
Conference,  and  stationed  at  Union  Church,  Philadel- 
phia, which  he  served  for  two  years,  when  the  late 
Bishop  H.  M.  Turner,  at  the  most  earnest  solicitation 
of  the  officiary  of  the  Mother  Church  (Bethel),  Phila- 
delphia, assigned  him  to  the  said  church,  where  during 
two  years,  which  filled  up  the  limit  possible  in  any  one 
city,  he  paid  off  a  mortgage  of  $900  on  the  old  church, 
purchased  additional  ground  costing  $6000,  laid  the 
plans,  tore  down  the  old  church  and  erected  the  pres- 
ent and  new  Bethel,  at  a  cost  of  $50,000,  on  which  he 
paid  more  than  $20,000.  This  was  in  1889-91.  As  pas- 
tor he  lifted  mortgages  and  paid  on  principal  debts  as 
follows:  Newark,  Ohio,  $300;  Fleet  Street,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  $1500;  Allen  Chapel,  Philadelphia,  $5000; 
Union  Church,  Philadelphia,  $9000;  Bethel,  Philadel- 
phia ;  old  mortgage  of  $900  on  new  building,  $20,000. 
During  his  pastorate  he  took  into  the  Church  about 
1400  members,  as  presiding  elder  and  bishop  about  300 
more,  or  about  1700  members;  he  baptized  about  400, 
married  350  couples.  He  was  the  grand  secretary  of 
the  Good  Templars  of  the  World  for  the  State  of  New 
York,  composed  of  both  races,  and  was  elected  as 
delegate  to  the  Good  Templars  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
World,  which  met  in  Liverpool,  England,  1879,  whose  _ 
head  was  the  world  famous  Hon.  William  E.  Glad- 
stone. He  was  fraternal  delegate  from  the  A.  M.  E. 
to  the  M.  E.  General'  Conference  which  met  in  New 
York,  1888.  A  delegate  to  the  World's  Congress  of 
Religions  in  Chicago,  1893,  and  delegate  to  the  Ecu- 
menical Conference,  which  met  in  London  in  1901, 
though  he  did  not  go  as  he  had  to  make  a  trip  to  Africa 
early  in  1902.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Ecumeni- 
cal meeting  in  Toronto,  in  191 1.  He  was  elected  sec- 
retary-treasurer of  the  Church  Extension  Department, 
1892,  which  he  organized  and  developed  from  not  a 
single  penny  to  the  sum  of  $104,875.30,  leaving  in  the 
treasury  when  he  turned  it  over  to  his  successor,  in 
1900,  $12,025.79,  as  a  cash  balance;  though  he  had 
aided  some  500  churches,  schools  and  departments,  of 
the  connection,  he  served  the  department  for  the  first 
year  without  salary,  serving  as  presiding  elder  of  the 
Philadelphia  P.  E.  District,  from  which  he  received 
his  support;  and  this  though  during  the  year  he  col- 
lected for  the  department  $4,817.07,  which  was  placed 
in  savings  banks  at  3  per  cent,  interest  for  the  depart- 
ment. He  was  elected  bishop  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  in 
May,  1900,  and  assigned  to  preside  over  the  fifth  Epis- 
copal district  embracing  more  than  one-quarter  of  the 
territory  of  the  U.  S.  A.,  with  a  stretch  from  St.  Louis 
to  Seattle,  Wash,  of  nearly  3000  miles.  Yet  on  the 
death  of  Bishop  M.  M.  Moore,  D.D.,  his  colleague  and 
classmate,  he  accepted  in  addition  to  his  own  work, 
Bishop  Moore's  work  in  Africa.  He  visited  said  field 
in  1902 ;  held  the  Sierra  Leone  and  the  Liberia  Con- 
ferences, delivered  nine  sermons  and  addresses  in  the 
country ;  arranged  to  secure  100  acres  of  land  near  Ar- 
thington,  Liberia,  as  a  school  farm  for  a  boys'  indus- 
trial school.    On  his  way  home,  in  the  City  of  Liver- 


199 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3« 


pool,  he  purchased  the  iron  for  the  building,  paid  for 
and  shipped  the  same  to  the  Rev.  Curtis,  acting  super- 
intendent for  the  erection  of  the  first  school  building 
ever  erected  by  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  on  the  continent 
of  Africa  for  the  education  of  the  native  African 
youth  on  their  native  soil,  which  school  was  estab- 
lished, built  and  all  the  debts  paid  off  under  his  ad- 
ministration of  that  work.  The  school  was  originally 
established  and  known  as  "The  Industrial  Institute  for 
Boys,"  the  name  being  changed  by  the  people  there  to 
the  "Shaffer  Boys'  High  School,"  as  it  is  now  called. 
A  most  interesting  feature  of  this  educational  move- 
ment in  Africa  was  that  the  National  Legislature  of 
Liberia  passed  a  bill  appropriating  from  the  National 
Treasury  $2500,  to  be  paid  in  annual  installments  of 
$500  toward  the  maintenance  of  the  school  for  five 
years.  During  his  administration  of  the  fifth  Episco- 
pal district  the  school  work  of  the  Western  Univer- 
sity, of  Kansas  City,  Kans.,  was  specially  fostered  and 
developed,  and  the  most  permanent  building  of  the 
plant,  "The  Stanley  Hall,"  with  a  splendid  assembly 
room  or  chapel  being  erected  and  duly  dedicated. 
From  1904  to  1912,  two  quadrenniums,  he  presided 
over  the  fourth  Episcopal  district,  embracing  the  In- 
diana, Illinois,  Iowa,  Michigan,  Ontario  and  the  two 
Kentucky  Conferences;  1912-1916  he  presided  over 
the  third  Episcopal  district,  embracing  the  Ohio, 
North  Ohio,  West  Virginia  and  the  Pittsburgh  Con- 
ferences. In  all  of  these  fields  he  has  always  been  very 
painstaking  and  successful  in  his  work  whatever  the 
sphere.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Annie 
Marie  Taylor,  of  Lexington,  Ky.,  in  1870.  To  this 
union  three  children  were  born,  two  girls — Mary  Na- 
omi and  Claria  Belzoora,  both  of  whom  passed  away 
in  infancy,  while  their  son,  Carl  Wilberforce  survives. 
He  was  graduated  from  the  Pharmaceutical  College  of 
Howard  University,  as  doctor  of  pharmacy.  The 
bishop  has  written  a  number  of  pamphlets,  lectures, 
addresses,  and  is  the  author  and  publisher  of  several 
works  to  unify  and  facilitate  the  work  of  the  pastor, 
presiding  elder  and  the  quarterly  and  annual  confer- 
ence work,  such  as  "The  Minister's  Companion,"  "The 
Presiding  Elder's  Quarterly  Journal,"  "The  Quarterly 
Conference  Journal,"  "The  Annual  Conference  Statis- 
tical Journal,"  making  a  complete  set  of  most  practi- 
cal, helpful  and  time-saving  publications  which  fill  a 
great  need  of  the  Church. 

Shelton,  Rev.  R.  E.,  was  born  1856  at  Lake  Vil- 
lage, Ark.,  converted  1868,  joined  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E. 
Church  near  Wilmar,  Ark. ;  received  exhorter's  license 
1871,  Rev.  Soloman  Smith,  pastor;  was  ordained  dea- 
con in  1876  by  Bishop  Ward  at  Arkadelphia,  Ark.  He 
has  served  the  following  named  charges :  Star  City 
Mission,  4  years ;  Tarletter  Mission,  2  years ;  Long 
Vewure  Mission,  3  years;  Falkom  Mission,  1  year; 
St.  James  Mission,  2  years.  After  this  he  ceased  to 
travel  on  account  of  his  health,  but  he  has  not  ceased 
to  work  in  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church,  of  which  is  a 
member  serving  in  every  capacity  that  he  has  been 
called.  During  his  pastorate  he  built  three  churches 
and  bought  and  paid  for  twelve  acres  of  land  for  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  has  received  and  baptized  in 
the  church  129  members,  and  baptized  about  400  chil- 
dren. He  married  Miss  Missouri  Rhodes  in  1877. 
They  had  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are  now  living. 
He  is  now  living  in  his  own  home  near  Wilmar,  Ark. 

200 


Shelton,  Rev.  W.  C,  was  born  in  Columbus,  Ga. 
Reared  without  a  father  he  began  life  with  the  cares 
of  a  mother  upon  him  whom  he  loved  dearly.  In 
youth  he  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  city.  He 
had  a  private  teacher  to  teach  him  until  he  was  able 


REV.  W.  C.  SHELTON,  D.D. 

to  attend  high  school.  He  completed  the  correspon- 
dence course  of  Iowa  Christian  College  at  Oskaloosa, 
Iowa,  with  the  degree  of  M.A.L.  conferred  upon  him. 
He  was  converted  and  joined  St.  James  A.  M.  E. 
Church,   Columbus,  the  church  of    his    parents,    and 


MRS.  W.  C.  SHELTON. 

licensed  to  preach  at  an  early  age  in  1878.  He  joined 
the  Georgia  conference  in  1879,  ordained  deacon  1880 
by  Bishop  Campbell,  ordained  elder  1883  by  Bishop 
Dickerson. 

He  served  the  following  charges :  Stewart  Coun- 
ty Circuit,  Chattahoochee  Circuit,  Geneva  Circuit, 
Barnesville  Station,  Forsyth,  Talbotton,  Sandersville, 


B 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Davisboro,  Camp  Hope,  Clinton,  Gaines  Chapel,  Sa- 
vannah ;  Cordele,  Covington,  Tennille,  Turner's  Tab- 
ernacle, Macon ;  presiding  elder  of  the  Waycross  dis- 
trict, presiding  elder  of  the  Ft.  Valley  district.  He 
was  transferred  to  North  Alabama  Conference  by 
Bishop  Gaines  and  served  the  following  charges: 
Huntsville  and  Pratt  City;  was  transferred  by  Bishop 
Grant  to  the  Kansas  Conference  and  served  the  fol- 
lowing charges :  Iola,  Topeka,  Kansas  City,  Kans.  He 
was  transferred  to  the  Michigan  Conference  by  Bishop 
Derrick  and  stationed  at  Ypsilanti.  He  is  at  present 
presiding  elder  of  the  Detroit  district,  Michigan  Con- 
ference. 

He  has  built  10  churches,  repaired  and  paid  for 
9,  built  2  parsonages,  cancelled  2  mortgages  in  full, 
organized  15  mission  churches,  and  added  2985  per- 
sons to  the  church.  The  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity 
was  conferred  upon  him  by  Morris  Brown  University. 

Rev.  Shelton  has  spent  many  years  of  usefulness 
in  the  church.  He  has  been  a  very  successful  pastor 
and  presiding  elder.  As  a  preacher  he  belongs  to  the 
first  rank.  He  enjoys  the  confidence  of  all  classes  of 
people.  He  says  he  owes  his  success  largely  to  his 
present  wife,  who  is  an  active  missionary  worker. 

Sherman,  W.  O.  P.,  was  born  1854.  Became  a 
Christian  early  in  life  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
Studied  to  be  a  minister  at  the  Academy  at  Cuthbert, 
Ga.  Took  correspondence  courses  and  attended  night 
schools. 

Has  been  engaged  in  the  ministry  over  30  years. 
He  has  served  nearly  all  of  the  offices  in  the  church. 


REV.  W.  O.  P.  SHERMAN,  D.D. 

He  has  met  with  success,,  both  as  pastor  and  Presid- 
ing Elder.  He  received  the  degree  D.D.  from  Morris 
Brown  University,  in  1904.  Was  a  member  of  every 
General  Conference  since  1884  to  1916.  He  has  taken 
many  people  into  the  church.  Dr.  Sherman  has  built 
and  repaired  many  churches,  paid  off  a  large  number 
of  debts.  Has  been  publisher  and  editor  of  the  Sav- 
annah Independent  for  fifteen  years.  He  has  been 
succeeded  in  this  by  his  son,  Rev.  W.  O.  P.  Sherman, 
Jr.    He  is  highly  respected  for  his  good  works. 


Shorter,  James  A.,  ninth  bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  February  4,  1817,  in  Washington,  D. 
C.  When  quite  a  boy  he  went  to  Galena,  111.,  where 
he  was  converted  in  1839  and  joined  the  M.  E.  Church. 
Coming  east  the  same  year  he  joined  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.  He  married  Miss  Julia 
Steward,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  returned  to  Washing- 
ton and  united  with  Israel  Church,  and  was  elected 
one  of  the  first  trustees  of  this  church.  He  was  licens- 
ed to  preach  in  1839  by  Rev.  John  Cornish  in  Wash- 
ington. Having  held  nearly  every  lay  office  in  the 
church  he  was  recommended  for  the  itinerant  service 
in  the  Baltimore  Conference  and  admitted  April,  1846. 


BISHOP  JAMES  A.  SHORTER. 

He  was  ordained  deacon  in  1848  and  elder  in  1850. 
At  the  time  of  the  opening  of  Wilberforce  University 
he  moved  with  his  family  to  Greene  County  to  give 
the  children  the  benefits  offered  by  this  institution. 

He  served  the  following  charges :  Gettysburg 
and  Lewiston  circuit,  Seningtonville  circuit,  Lancas- 
ter circuit,  Bethel,  Baltimore ;  Israel  Church,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. ;  Ebenezer,  Baltimore;  Xenia,  Ohio; 
Zanesville  Station,  Allen  Chapel,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  In 
1866  he  was  agent  for  Wilberforce  University  and  col- 
lected about  $3000  for  educational  purposes.  In  1867 
he  pastored  at  Wylie  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
In  1868  he  was  elected  bishop  at  the  general  confer- 
ence in  Washington,  D.  C.  He  organized  many  con- 
ferences :  Tennessee  annual  conference,  Louisiana 
conference,  Texas  and  Arkansas  conferences.  He  died 
July  1,  1887,  and  is  buried  at  Xenia,  Ohio. 

Shorter,  Joseph  Proctor,  was  born  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  March  31,  1845.  His  parents  were  Bishop 
James  A.  and  Julia  A.  Shorter.  Joseph  received  his 
first  schooling  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Maryland,  in 
a  private  school,  taught  by  Mr.  George  Watkins.  See- 
ing there  were  no  satisfactory  advantages  for  the  edu- 
cation of  his  children,  his  father  removed,  with  his 
family  of  six  children,  to  Wilberforce,  Ohio,  chiefly 
to  educate  them,  taking  work  in  the  Ohio  Conference 
as  an  itinerant  minister.  Joseph  entered  the  primary 
department  of  Wilberforce,  and  was  graduated  from 
the  classical  department  in  1871. 

His  tastes  from  earliest  childhood  were  for  teach- 
ing.   After  graduation,  he  went  to  Leavenworth,  Kan- 


201 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


sas,  and  for  three  years  was  principal  of  the  colored 
schools  there,  and  met  with  flattering  success ;  at  the 
end  of  his  second  year  he  had  a  call  to  Washington, 
D.  C,  to  teach,  at  an  increased  salary.  The  committee 
on  teachers  of  the  Leavenworth  Board  of  Education 
would  not  consent  to  his  leaving  and  offered  him  an 
increase  of  one  hundred  dollars,  which  amounted  to  a 
much  larger  salary  than  they  had  ever  given  any  teach- 
er, as  principal  of  the  schools,  pledging  if  the  Board 
could  not  see  its  way  clear  to  this  raise,  they  would 
pay  it  out  of  their  own  pockets.  At  the  close  of  his 
third  year's  work,  September,  1874,  at  Leavenworth, 
he  was  called  to  fill  the  chair  of  mathematics  at  Wil- 


PROF.  JOSEPH  P.  SHORTER. 

berforce,  and  filled  this  chair  acceptably  for  23  years. 
In  1896  he  was  chosen  superintendent  of  the  Combin- 
ed Normal  and  Industrial  Department  of  Wilberforce 
University. 

The  degrees  of  A.M.  and  LL.D.  have  been  con- 
ferred upon  him,  but  he  respectfully  declined  both. 
Believing  that  teaching  was  his  calling,  he  turned 
aside  but  seldom,  and  only  for  a  short  interval,  to  any- 
thing else.  He  was  a  director  of  the  public  schools  of 
Wilberforce  from  the  time  of  their  organization  to  the 
change  of  the  law,  abolishing  the  directorship.  He 
traveled  in  England,  France  and  Switzerland,  visiting 
Mt.  Blanc,  Geneva,  and  boating  on  the  Rhine  and  Lake 
Geneva. 

Professor  Shorter  was  a  lay  delegate  to  five  gen- 
eral conferences,  and  for  twelve  years  was  a  member 
of  the  financial  board,  serving  as  recording  secretary 
of  the  board.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  first  Ecumeni- 
cal Conference  of  Methodism  in  City  Road  Chapel, 
London,  England,  in  1881,  and  read  a  paper,  by  ap- 
pointment, which  is  found  in  the  proceedings  of  that 
body.  He  was  also  chosen  as  an  alternate  to  the  sec- 
ond Ecumenical  Conference,  that  met  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  October,  1891. 

Professor  Shorter  was  married  December  25th, 
1878,  to  Miss  Susie  I.  Lankford,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Whitten  Lankford,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Indiana 
Conference.  She  was  a  woman  of  generous,  kindly 
disposition,  and  was  interested  much  in  missionary 
and  club   work.     Her  Ohio    Federation    Club    song, 

202 


"Lifting  as  we  Climb,"  has  been  adopted  by  many 
other  states  than  the  state  for  which  it  was  written. 

Of  the  eight  children  who  came  to  these  parents, 
only  three  remain,  Lee  Jackson  Shorter,  Joseph  Prattis 
and  Mrs.  Pearl  Shorter-Smith. 

He  superintended  the  construction  of  Arnett  Hall, 
Galloway  Hall,  and  one  wing  of  Mitchell  Hall,  be- 
sides several  small  buildings  on  the  grounds.  The 
electric  light  plant  was  installed  and  most  of  the  ce- 
ment walks  were  laid  under  his  superintendency. 

He  was  an  exceptionally  frank  and  honest  man, 
and  very  earnest  and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties.  He  was  a  strong  Christian  gentleman,  and 
was  sincerely  respected  both  by  his  friends  and  those 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact  in  merely  business 
relations. 

During  the  37  years  he  labored  at  Wilberforce 
he  not  only  did  his  duty  as  a  teacher  and  as  superin- 
tendent, but  many  lives  were  better,  many  ideals  high- 
er because  of  contact  with  him. 

On  March  25,  1910,  the  Friday  before  Easter', 
after  an  illness  of  only  10  days,  he  departed  this  life. 
His  dearly  beloved  wife  survived  him  until  Feb.  2"j, 
1912. 

Simmons,  Rev.  Sandy,  was  born  in  Georgetown 
County,  S.  C,  December  12,  1867.  At  the  age  of  two 
years  was  carried  to  the  city  of  Charleston,  S.  C.  His 
mother  dying  at  an  early  age,  he  was  reared  by  his 
paternal  grandmother,  who  brought  him  up  in  the  old 
fashioned  way. 

After  finishing  the  public  school  course,  owing  to 
the  death  of  his  grandmother,  he  was  compelled  to  go 
to  work  for  himself.  The  first  job  he  got  paid  him  the 
sum  of  twenty-five  cents  a  week.  After  knocking 
around  working  at  odd  jobs  for  some  time,  he  finally 
got  a  situation  as  house  servant  of  one  of  the  aristo- 
cratic families  of  Charleston,  who  gave  him  free  access 
to  their  splendid  library. 

In  the  summer  of  1885  he  was  converted  and  join- 
ed Emanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church  under  Rev.  L.  R.  Nich- 
ols. In  1887  the  church  sent  him  as  a  student  to  Al- 
len University,  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  where  he 
spent  five  years,  finishing  the  normal  and  classical 
courses,  coming  out  with  the  degree  of  A.B.  He  was 
valedictorian  of  both  normal  and  college  classes. 
While  in  the  junior  college  year  he  was  elected  a  tutor 
in  Allen  University.  Leaving  school  in  1892,  was 
elected  principal  of  Payne  High  School  (now  Payne 
College),  Cuthbert,  Ga.  After  teaching  one  term, 
feeling  a  divine  call  to  the  ministry  he  returned  to 
South  Carolina  and  entered  the  ministerial  ranks  un- 
der Bishop  Salter,  being  appointed  to  the  South  San- 
tee  Circuit,  remaining  there  from  December  to  the 
following  August,  when  he  was  transferred  to  the 
Michigan  conference  by  Bishop  Turner,  1894,  remain- 
ed in  Michigan  ten  years  and  pastored  Flint,  Ann  Ar- 
bor and  Jackson.  Was  made  presiding  elder  by  Bish- 
op Grant  in  1901,  and  given  charge  of  the  Grand  Rap- 
ids District.  While  pastoring  Ann  Arbor  he  entered 
the  University  of  Michigan  and  took  the  full  law 
course  of  three  years,  graduating  with  credit  with  the 
degree  of  LL.B.  in  a  class  of  250,  only  three  being  col- 
ored. 

Returning  to  South  Carolina  in  the  latter  part  of 
1904,  he  was  elected  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  Allen  Uni- 
versity,   teaching   the    subjects    of    physics,    political 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


economy  and  general  history.  Bethel  Church,  Colum- 
bia, becoming  vacant,  he  was  appointed  to  same  by 
Bishop  Coppin.  In  ten  months  he  succeeded  in  can- 
celling a  debt  of  22  years'  standing,  thus  saving  that 
historic  church  to  the  connection. 

After  a  stay  of  four  years  at  Bethel,  refusing  to 


REV.  SANDY  SIMMONS,  D.D. 

stay  for  the  fifth  year,  he  was  transferred  to  the  South 
Carolina  Conference  by  Bishop  Lee  and  stationed  at 
Ebenezer,  Charleston.  At  the  end  of  the  year  he  was 
made  presiding  elder  of  the  Georgetown  district.  The 
first  year  raised  over  $1800  for  education.    After  four 


was  chief  reading  clerk,  and  at  Kansas  City  chief  mar- 
shal of  the  episcopal  committee. 

Since  entering  the  ministry  in  1893  he  has  been  a 
success.  At  one  time  he  was  the  "dollar  money  king" 
of  Michigan,  being  the  first  to  raise  more  than  one 
dollar  per  capita.  After  delivering  the  address  to  the 
graduating  classes  of  1907,  Allen  University  conferred 
the  degree  of  D.D.  upon  him. 

Dr.  Simmons  is  a  32  degree  Mason,  a  member  of 
the  uniform  rank,  K.  of  P.,  an  M.  V.  P.  of  the  G.  U.  O. 
of  O.  F.  and  a  Good  Samaritan.  He  is  also  a  trustee  of 
Wilberforce  and  Allen  Universities. 

Simmons,  Mrs.  S.  G.,  acting  president  of  the  W. 
H.  &  F.  Missionary  Society,  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  Sandy 
Simmons,  of  Charleston,  S.  C.  She  was  made  presi- 
dent of  the  Columbia  branch  of  W.  H.  &  F.  Mission- 
ary Society  in  1905  by  Bishop  Coppin,  serving  two 
years  with  success.  Moving  to  the  South  Carolina 
Conference,  she  was  made  president  of  the  same  by 
Bishop  Lee.  After  serving  one  year,  the  conference 
was  divided  and  she  was  appointed  president  of  the 
Palmetto  Conference,  which  position  she  still  occu- 
pies (1915). 

Going  as  a  delegate  to  the  quadrennial  meeting 
of  the  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  Society  at  Birmingham,  Ala., 
in  191 1,  she  was  unanimously  elected  connectional 
vice-president.  At  the  quadrennial  session  at  New 
Orleans,  in  191 5,  she  was  again  elected  to  the  same 
position.  Upon  the  death  of  Mrs.  Laura  Lemon  Tur- 
ner, Oct.,  1915,  she  became  president  of  the  W.  H.  & 
F.  M.  Society  and  was  chosen  editor  of  "the  Woman's 
Missionary  Recorder. 

Sims,  Handy  Samuel,  one  of  nine  children,  of 
Robert  and  Eva  Sims,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  1869  at  Madison  County,  Florida. 


MRS.  S.  G.  SIMMONS. 

years  on  the  district,  was  appointed  to  Morris  Brown 
Sta.,  Charleston,  and  raised  $250  for  education  the  first 
year.  He  has  been  a  member  of  five  general  confer- 
ences :  Columbus,  Ohio ;  Chicago,  Norfolk,  Kansas 
City  and  Philadelphia.  At  Columbus  he  was  elected 
fourth  assistant  secretary;  at  Chicago  and  Norfolk  he 

203 


'   REV.  H.  S.  SIMS,  D.D. 

He  attended  school  from  the  age  of  six  to  fifteen  years, 
going  to  Richardson's  Academy,  Lake  City,  Florida ; 
received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Paul  Quinn  College ; 
was  converted  in  1881  and  joined  the  Hamburg  A.  M. 
E.  Church;  served  as  steward,  trustee,  class  leader, 


<B 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


exhorter,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher  and 
superintendent ;  was  licensed  to  preach  1890  at  Lake 
City,  Florida,  by  Dr.  S.  M.  Coleman;  ordained  deacon 
in  1894,  at  Ocala,  Fla.,  by  Bishop  Grant;  ordained 
elder  in  1895  at  Tampa,  Florida,  by  Bishop  Grant; 
joined  the  annual  conference  in  1893  at  Sanford,  Flori- 
da, under  Bishop  Ward ;  held  the  following  appoint- 
ments in  Florida :  West  Palm  Beach,  Florida,  1S94- 
95 ;  Crescent  City,  Florida,  1896-97 ;  Wildwood  Sta- 
tion, 1898-1899;  Goldsboro,  Florida,  Station,  1900- 
1902;  Eatonville,  Fla.,  1903-04;  in  Texas,  presiding 
elder  El  Paso  district,  1905-09;  presiding  elder  Austin 
district,  1910-11;  pastor  Mt.  Vernon  Station,  1912-13; 
Bethel  Station,  1914-15.  He  built  Payne  Chapel,  West 
Palm  Beach,  at  a  cost  of  $2500.  in  1894 ;  Allen  Chapel 
in  Wildwood,  Florida,  $400,  189S ;  parsonage,  Golds- 
boro, Fla.,  $tooo.  1901  ;  repaired  parsonage  at  Eaton- 
ville, Fla.,  $250,  1903  ;  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  San 
Antonio,  Texas,  $11,500;  parsonage  at  San  Antonio, 
Texas,  $1500.  Lifted  mortgages  on  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  at  Crescent  City,  "Florida,  $248,  1896;  Mt. 
Vernon  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  Palestine,  Texas,  $502, 
1912;  has  taken  into  church  about  2150  people  and 
baptized  285  ;  was  a  delegate  to  general  conferences 
at  Kansas  City  (1912)  and  Philadelphia  (1916). 

Singleton,  Richard  Henry,  son  of  Richard  and  Ce- 
cilia Singleton,  members  of  the  Baptist  Church,  was 
born  September  11,  1865,  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C.  Was 
one  of  twelve  children.  Entered  school  in  1871  and 
spent  about  12  years  in  school.  Attended  over  two 
years  primary  public  school,   Giles  Academy,  Morris 


1890,  at  Brunswick,  Ga.,  by  Rev.  Henry  Strickland, 
P.  E.  Ordained  deacon  in  1891  at  Savannah,  by  Bish- 
op W.  J.  Gaines.  Ordained  elder  in  1896  at  Bain- 
bridge,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  Turner.  Joined,  the  Annual 
Conference  in  1,892,  at  Thomasville,  Ga.,  under  Bishop 
Grant. 

Held  the  following  appointments :  Payne's  Chap- 
el, Brunswick,  Ga.,  1892-97;  Gaines  Chapel,  Waycross, 
1897-99;    St.    Philip   Monumental    Station,    Savannah, 


REV.  RICHARD  HENRY  SINGLETON. 

Brown  College.  Received  diploma  and  degree  of  D.D. 
from  Morris  Brown,  also  a  diploma  from  Giles  Acade- 
my. Studied  to  a  great  extent  under  private  instruc- 
tors. Converted  November  28,  1888,  and  joined  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  many 
offices  in  the  church.    Licensed  to  preach  October  10, 

204 


MRS.  R.  H.  SINGLETON. 

1899-1904;  St.  Philip  Station,  1 909-1916;  Presiding 
Elder  of  Valdosta  District,  1904-1908;  West  Savannah 
District,  1908-09. 

Built  churches  at  Brunswick,  Ga. ,  Payne  Chapel, 
at  a  cost  of  $1,200,  in  1895;  St.  Philip,  at  Savannah, 
Ga.,  at  a  cost  of  $42,500,  in  191 1.  Rebuilt  St.  Philip 
Monumental  at  Savannah,  Ga.,  at  a  cost  of  $18,500,  in 
1902.  Rev.  Singleton  has  taken  2,312  people  into  the 
church,  baptized  657  people,  and  married  342. 

Was  a  delegate  to  General  Conferences,  1904-08- 
12,  and  leads  his  delegation  in  the  Georgia  Conference 
to  the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916.  He  is 
at  present  a  member  of  the  Financial  Board,  1912-16. 

In  General  Conference  of  1908,  Dr.  Singleton  was 
voted  for  Bishop  for  West  Africa.  He  married  Mrs. 
Josephine  Singleton,  of  Lumber  City,  Ga.,  April  18, 
1889,  who  is  a  great  aid  to  him  in  all  of  his  work  for 
the  church  and  race.  He  has  contributed  to  the  Re- 
corders, Atlanta  Independent  and  Savannah  Tribune. 

Has  made  the  "Opening  Address,  Bishop  Turner's 
Quarto-Centenary,"  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  an  address  to  the 
graduates  of  Morris  Brown  College  in  1904;  to  the 
graduates  of  Allen  University ;  to  the  Y.  W.  C.  A., 
etc.  He  is  director  in  Union  Development  Co.,  Savan- 
nah, Ga. 

Member  of  F.  and  A.  M.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  and 
K.  of  P.  Has  held  important  offices  in  each ;  is  a  Re- 
publican and  a  property  owner.  Founder  of  Central 
Park  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute,  Savannah,  Ga., 
treasurer  of  Negro  Civic  League,  trustee  of  Old  Folks' 
Home,  treasurer  of  Savannah  Branch  of  Urban  Con- 
dition of  Negroes.  Dr.  Singleton  is  a  man  of  unim- 
peachable character  and  a  great  asset  to  any  commun- 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3 


ity.  He  has  pastored  nearly  12  years  in  Savannah, 
now  in  his  seventh  year  at  St.  Philips,  and  is  more 
popular  and  useful  today  than  ever  before. 


Smith,  Charles  Spencer,  son  of  Nehemiah  Henry 
and  Catherine  Smith,  was  born  in  Colborne,  Canada, 
March  16th,  1852.  He  resided  in  Canada  for  about 
fourteen  years,  chiefly  at  Bowmanville,  a  town  about 
forty  miles  east  of  Toronto,  and  in  the  public  school 
of  Bowmanville  he  received  his  elementary  education. 
When  about  twelve  years  of  age  he  was  apprenticed 
to  learn  the  trade  of  furniture  finishing.  A  disastrous 
fire  having  destroyed  the  factory  in  which  he  worked, 
his  apprenticeship  ended  about  one  year  after  it  had 
begun. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  left  Bowmanville  and 
went  to  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  employed  as  a 
general  utility  boy  in  a  boarding  house.  In  1868  he 
went  to  Chicago,  where  he  worked  for  a  time  as  a  por- 
ter in  a  barber  shop.     He  was  there  during  the  meet- 


BISHOP  C.  S.  SMITH,  D.D. 

ing  of  the  National  Republican  convention  which  nom- 
inated General  Grant  for  the  presidency.  He  then 
engaged  in  service  on  certain  boats  plying  the  Great 
Lakes,  serving  as  deck  hand,  second  cook  and  waiter. 
The  last  boat  on  which  he  was  employed  ran  in  the 
lumber  trade  between  Detroit  and  Saginaw,  Mich. 
This  was  in  1869,  and  the  last  trip  for  the  season  was 
made  in  the  latter  part  of  October  of  that  year.  With 
a  cold  winter  staring  him  in  the  face,  and  finding 
himself  but  ill-adapted  to  the  service  which  he  had 
rendered  on  board  various  boats,  and  despairing  of 
making  a  success  of  similar  duties  in  connection  with 
hotel  service,  and  remembering  that  he  had  knowledge 
of  the  elements  of  a  common  school  education,  he 
decided  to  go  south  and  engage  in  teaching,  and  try 
to  obtain  a  position  under  the  Freedman's  Bureau. 

He  went  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  and  reported  to  Col. 
Runkel,  who  had  charge  of  the  Freedman's  Bureau 
for  that  state,  and  who  employed  him  as  a  teacher  and 
sent  him  to  Payne's  station  on  the  Lexington  branch 
of  the  Louisville  and  Nashville  railroad,  about  11  miles 
from  Lexington.  His  stay  here  was  short,  as  the  Ku- 
Klux  broke  up  his  school  and  ordered  him  to  leave 
within  forty-eight  hours.  He  returned  to  Louisville, 
reported  the  facts  to  Col.  Runkel,  who  assigned  him  to 


duty  at  Hopkinsville,  Ky.  He  was  very  successful  at 
this  place,  very  much  enjoyed  his  work,  and  formed 
the  acquaintance  of  a  young  lady  who  afterward  be- 
came his  wife.  He  remained  here  from  November, 
1869,  to  June,  1870.  While  at  Hopkinsville  he  was 
strongly  convicted  of  sin,  and  sought  and  obtained 
forgiveness  therefor.  He  was  succeeded  as  teacher  at 
Hopkinsville  by  the  Rev.  Allen  Allensworth,  a  Bap- 
tist minister,  who  afterward  became  a  chaplain  in  the 
United  States  army. 

From  Hopkinsville  he  went  to  Jackson,  Miss., 
where  he  became  acquainted  with  most  of  the  colored 
men  who  figured  conspicuously  in  politics.  Among 
them  were  James  Lvnch,  secretary  of  state ;  John  R. 
Lynch,  speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives ;  B. 
K.  Bruce,  sergeant  of  the  Senate  and  afterwards  Uni- 
ted States  senator;  Sam.  Ireland,  sergeant  of  the 
House ;  Thomas  W.  Stringer,  and  James  Hill,  after- 


MRS.  C.  S.  SMITH. 


wards  secretary  of  state.  Hiram  Revels  was  then  Uni- 
ted States  senator,  but  he  did  not  meet  him  while  he 
occupied  that  position.  After  remaining  in  Jackson  a 
brief  time,  he  went  to  Greenwood,  afterwards  the 
home  of  Governor  Vardaman,  where  he  taught  school 
for  a  few  months.  He  also  taught  school  in  Yazoo 
City,  Meridian,  Loundes  County,  Noxubes  County, 
West  Point,  and  Kemper,  DeKalb  County. 

During  1871  he  spent  several  months  in  and 
around  Jackson,  and,  in  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Chas. 
Evans,  conducted  a  panorama  of  Biblical  scenes. 

In  August,  1871,  he  was  licensed  as  a  local  preach- 
er bv  the  quarterly  conference  of  the  African  Method- 
ist Episcopal  Church,  in  Jackson,  Miss.,  under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  O.  A.  Douglass.  At  the  suggestion 
of  Rev.  O.  A.  Douglass  he  attended  the  Mississippi 
Annual  Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  session 
at  Yazoo  City,  in  December,  1872,  Bishop  T.  _M.  D. 
Ward  presiding,  for  the  purpose  of  making  application 
to  be  received  into  the  conference  on  trial  as  an  itiner- 
ant preacher.  For  some  inexplicable  reason  he  found 
that  there  was  considerable  prejudice  against  his  being 
received,  and  on  the  advice  of  the  Rev.  Adam  Jackson 
and  the  Rev,  John  Allen,  he  withdrew  his  application, 


205 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


and  thus  made  it  possible  for  him  to  be  taken  up  and 
given  an  appointment  ad  interim  of  the  annual  confer- 
ence. Bishop  Ward,  who  was  very  favorably  impress- 
ed with  him,  appointed  him  to  the  China  Grove  Mis- 
sion. This  was  immediately  after  the  adjournment  of 
the  conference,  but  on  reaching  Jackson  Bishop  Ward 
was  induced  to  change  the  appointment  and  send  him 
to  Raymond  Mission,  where  he  remained  until  the  end 
of  November,  1873,  when  he  was  transferred  to  the 
Alabama  Conference,  where  he  was  ordained  a  deacon 
under  Bishop  Ward  in  Emanuel  Church,  Mobile,  Ala., 
December  6th,  1873,  and  was  appointed  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Union  Springs,  the  county  seat  of  Bullock 
County.  Here  he  became  active  in  politics,  and  Nov. 
3d,  1874,  was  elected  a  member  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives of  the  State  Legislature  of  Alabama  for 
a  period  of  two  years.  One  of  .his  colleagues,  G.  W. 
Allen,  afterwards  became  a  minister  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  and  in  1904  was  elected  editor  of  the  Southern 
Christian  Recorder,  one  of  the  official  organs  of  said 
church.  In  1875  he  performed  the  ceremony  which 
united  his  colleague,  Mr.  Allen,  in  the  bonds  of  holy 
wedlock.  In  1876  he  was  a  delegate  to  and  a  leader 
of  the  Colored  Men's  National  convention,  which  met 
in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  in  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives of  the  capitol  building.  Many  distin- 
guished men  were  in  attendance  at  that  conference, 
among  them  John  M.  Langston,  P.  B.  S.  Pinchback 
and  M.  W.  Gibbs. 

On  October  22,  1S76,  he  was  ordained  an  elder  by 
Bishop  R.  S.  Foster,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  This  is  explained  on  the 
ground  that  desiring  to  obtain  favorable  facilities  for 
pursuing  some  special  lines  of  study,  he  temporarily 
changed  his  relationship  from  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  to 
the  M.  E.  Church,  and  became  a  student  in  Central 
Tennessee  College,  now  Walden  University,  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  During  his  brief  connection  with  the  M. 
E.  Church  he  held  pastorates  in  Nashville  and  Mur- 
freesboro.  In  April,  1876,  during  his  pastorate  at  Mur- 
freesboro,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Katie  Josephine 
Black,  the  ceremony  being  performed  in  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  by  the  Rev.  John  Braden,  D.D.,  the  founder  of 
and  for  many  years  the  president  of  Central  Tennessee 
college.  This  union  was  blessed  by  three  children, 
two  of  whom  died  in  early  life,  leaving  one  still  living, 
Susan  Elnora.  Death  deprived  him  of  the  further 
care  and  affection  of  his  wife,  July  28th,  1885.  She 
died  while  on  a  visit  to  his  sister,  Mrs.  Lucy  Thurman, 
Jackson,  Mich.,  and  was  buried  in  Mt.  Evergreen 
Cemetery  of  said  city.  In  1904  the  body  was  disen- 
tombed and  re-interred  in  Elmwood  Cemetery,  Detroit, 
Mich.  While  a  student  at  Central  Tennessee  college, 
in  connection  with  other  studies,  he  pursued  a  course 
in  medicine  and  was  graduated  from  the  medical  de- 
partment in  1880.  He  never,  however,  entered  upon 
the  active  practice  of  the  profession. 

In  the  spring  of  1878  he  rejoined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  and  was  appointed  by  Bishop  Wayman  to 
Brownsville,  Pa.,  where  a  vacancy  at  that  time  existed. 
October,  1878,  he  was  received  by  the  Pittsburgh  Con- 
ference, in  session  at  Salem,  O.,  and  was  appointed  to 
the  charge  of  Allen  Chapel  and  East  Liberty  Circuit, 
both  churches  being  located  in  Pittsburgh.  At  the 
Pittsburgh  Conference,  held  September,  1879,  East 
Liberty  was  made  a  station  and  he  was  appointed  to 
the  pastorate  thereof.  At  the  general  conference  of 
1880,  Bishop  Ward  having  been  assigned  to  the  super- 

206 


vision  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  being  fondly  at- 
tached to  him,  he  desired  to  be  connected  with  one  of 
his  conferences,  and  in  July,  1880,  made  application  to 
Bishop  Shorter,  who  then  had  charge  of  the  Pitts- 
burgh Conference,  for  a  transfer  to  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference. In  the  following  September  he  placed  his 
transfer  in  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  was  appointed 
to  Bloomington.  While  at  Bloomington  he  engaged 
his  services  as  traveling  agent  for  the  great  Sunday 
school  Publishing  House  of  David  C.  Cook,  of  Chi- 
cago. In  September,  1881,  at  the  session  of  the  Il- 
linois Conference,  Chicago,  111.,  he  asked  for  and  was 
granted  a  supernumerary  relation  in  order  that  he 
might  enter  Air.  Cook's  employ.  During  his  brief  con- 
nection with  the  M.  E.  Church,  he  had  been  much  im- 
pressed with  the  utility  and  value  of  its  Sunday  school 
Union,  so  much  so  that  when  he  resumed  his  connec- 
tion with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  he  formulated  a  plan 
for  the  organization  of  a  similar  institution  therefor, 
and  presented  the  plan  to  the  Bishops'  Council,  held  in 
New  York  City,  May,  1882.  This  being  a  special  ses- 
sion of  the  Council,  it  was  decided  by  the  Bishops  to 
waive  the  formal  consideration  of  the  plan  until  the 
meeting  of  their  annual  session,  which  took  place  Au- 
gust, 1882,  at  Cape  May,  N.  J.,  where  his  plan  for  the 
organization  of  the  Sunday  school  Union  was  formally 
approved,  and  he  was  appointed  the  corresponding  sec- 
retary. The  plan  was  carried  to  the  general  confer- 
ence of  1884,  in  session  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  and 
was  unanimously  adopted.  He  was  elected  without 
opposition  its  corresponding  secretary  and  treasurer, 
a  position  in  which  he  continued  until  May,  1900.  The 
work  he  accomplished  for  the  Sunday  school  Union 
during  the  18  years  of  his  connection  with  it  is  so  well 
known  that  it  need  not  be  recited  here. 

He  was  a  delegate  to  the  second  Ecumenical 
Methodist  Conference,  held  in  Washington  City,  D.  C., 
1891  ;  was  a  delegate  to  the  third  Ecumenical  Method- 
ist Conference,  held  in  London,  England,  September, 
1901.  At  this  conference  he  participated  in  the 
discussion  on  Ecumenical  Methodism,  in  which 
he  emphasized  the  capacity  of  the  native  African 
for  intellectual  development,  and  asserted  that  in 
the  empire  of  intellect  no  color  line  can  be  drawn. 
At  the  close  of  the  London  Conference  he  de- 
livered addresses  in  provincial  meetings  in  Hull 
and  Sheffield.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  fourth  Ecu- 
menical Methodist  Conference,  Toronto,  Canada,  Oc- 
tober, 191 1.  He  assisted  in  all  the  preliminary  work 
of  the  executive  committee,  the  business  committee 
and  the  committee  on  program.  Through  his  watch- 
fulness and  insistency,  the  distinctively  Colored  Meth- 
odist denominations  were  more  largely  represented  on 
the  program  than  at  any  of  the  preceding  conferences. 
He  presided  at  the  morning  session  of  the  third  day, 
during  which  he  delivered  a  brief  address  on  foreign 
missionary-  enterprises,  which  was  regarded  as  one  of 
the  unique  features  of  the  conference.  The  ease  and 
dignity  with  which  he  presided  was  the  subject  of  gen- 
eral and  most  favorable  comment.  While  in  attend- 
ance at  this  conference,  Victoria  College,  located  in 
Toronto,  conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Di- 
vinity, which  was  the  first  time  that  it  had  conferred 
that  degree  on  a  man  of  color.  June,  1913,  Wilberforce 
University  honored  him  with  the  title  of  LL.D. 

He  has  been  much  sought  after  as  a  political 
speaker,  and  was  elected  an  alternate  delegate  by  the 


» 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


Illinois  State  Republican  convention  to  the  National 
Republican  convention  of  1884,  which  nominated  Jas. 
G.  Blaine  as  its  presidential  candidate.  He  possesses 
oratorical  powers  of  a  high  order  and  is  an  eloquent 
and  impressive  speaker,  whether  on  the  platform  or  in 
the  pulpit.  His  three  most  memorable  addresses  are, 
"Ballots  and  Bullets,"  "The  Conflict  between  John  and 
Tom — a  Review  of  the  Race  Question"  and  "The  Noa- 
chian  Curse."  He  produced  three  sermons  which  may 
be  regarded  as  masterpieces:  "What  is  Truth?",  "A 
Great  Tribute  Unwittingly  Paid,"  and  "Love,  the  Es- 
sential of  Christianity."  He  delivered  a  magnificent 
and  thrilling  address  on  "The  Relation  of  the  British 
Government  to  the  Natives  of  South  Africa,"  before 
the  Negro  Young  People's  Christian  Educational  Con- 
gress, in  Convention  Hall,  Washington,  D.  C,  August 
1st,  19x16.  He  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  leading 
newspapers  and  magazines,  and'  his  writings  are  char- 
acterized by  originality  of  thought,  vigor  of  expression 
and  elegance  of  diction. 

December,  1888,  he  married  Miss  Christine  Shoe- 
craft,  of  Muncie,  Ind.  The  ceremony  took  place  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  was  performed  by  the  Rev.  G. 
L.  Jackson.  The  fruit  of  this  union  was  one  child, 
Charles  Spencer  Smith,  Jr. 

In  1900  he  was  elected  a  bishop  by  the  general 
conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  session  at  Co- 
lumbus, Ohio,  and  was  assigned  to  the  Twelfth  Epis- 
copal District,  comprising  Ontario,  Nova  Scotia,  Ber- 
muda, Windward  Islands  and  the  South  American  An- 
nual Conferences.  Bishop  Moore  having  died  in  1900, 
he  was  given  the  additional  work  of  superintending 
the  Louisiana  and  the  North  Louisiana  Annual  Con- 
ferences. At  the  general  conference  held  in  Chicago, 
1904,  he  was  assigned  to  the  Thirteenth  Episcopal 
District,  comprising  the  annual  conferences  in  South 
Africa.  Complications  of  a  formidable  and  intricate 
nature,  which  had  formed  before  his  going  there 
greatly  militated  against  him,  and'  finally  led  to  an  ex- 
change of  jurisdictions  in  the  African  work  between 
him  and  Bishop  Derrick,  so  that  the  latter  assumed 
charge  of  South  Africa,  while  he  took  over  the  super- 
vision of  the  work  in  West  Africa,  November  24, 
1906.  He  sailed  from  New  York  for  West  Africa,  via 
Liverpool,  to  hold  the  Sierra  Leone  and  Liberia  An- 
nual Conferences.  At  the  General  Conference  held  in 
Norfolk,  Va.,  1908,  he  was  assigned  to  the  Sixth  Epis- 
copal District,  which  embraces  the  State  of  Georgia. 
The  outstanding  feature  of  his  administration  in 
Georgia  was  the  raising,  m  1910,  of  $30,000  for  Chris- 
tian education.  This  was  the  largest  amount  raised 
for  education,  as  the  result  of  a  single  rally,  by  any 
fragment  of  colored  people  in  the  history  of  America. 
In  addition  to  this,  the  increase  in  the  Dollar  Money 
for  the  quadrennium  was  over  $23,000.  At  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  held  in  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  1912,  he 
was  assigned  to  the  Tenth  Episcopal  District,  which 
embraces  the  State  of  Texas.  His  administration  in 
that  district  was  chiefly  characterized  by  rescuing 
Paul  Quinn  College,  Waco,  from  serious  financial  em- 
barrassment, and  the  extensive  repairing  and  improv- 
ing of  the  several  buildings  situated  on  the  campus. 

In  1887  Wilberforce  University,  Wilberforce,  O., 
conferred  on  him  the  title  of  D.D.,  and  in  1913  the  title 


Smith,  George  Thomas,  was  born  December  30, 

1S63,  in  Pittsylvania  Co.,  Va. ;  attended  school  at 
Lexington,  Va.,  and  the  rural  schools ;  was  licensed  to 
preach  by  Rev.  D.  F.  Callinan  ;  admitted  to  the  Pitts- 
burgh Conference  by  Bishop  Lee,  October  14,  1898; 
was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Arnett,  October  19, 
1902;  has  held  the  following  appointments:  Erie,  Pa.; 


REV.  G  T.  SMITH,  D.D. 

Bellvernon,  Conn.;  Bradford,  Conn.:  McKeesport, 
Pa. ;  Clarksburg,  W.  Va. ;  Phillipsburg,  Conn. ;  Scran- 
ton,  Pa.,  and  Williamsport,  his  present  charge.  He 
built  the  following  churches:  Phillipsburg,  Scranton, 
Pa.,  at  a  cost  of  over  $13,500.  He  has  always  been  a 
hard  student :  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Prince- 
ton (Ind.)  University.  His  wife  has  worked  faith- 
fully with  him.  He  edited  "The  Christian  Sentinel," 
a  journal  that  had  a  large  circulation. 

Smith,  Irene  B.,  whose  parents  were  Rone  and 
Kate  Smith,  was  reared  on  her  father's  farm  near  Pine 
Bluff,  Jefferson   County,  Ark.     She   was  educated   at 


of  LL.D, 


MRS.  IRENE  B.  SMITH. 

the  Branch  Normal  College,  Pine  Bluff,  and  taught 
several  years  in  the  rural  school  of  Arkansas.  At  the 
age  of  14  she  joined  Warren  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  has 


207 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


served  as  superintendent,  secretary  and  teacher  in  the 
Sunday  school;  also  as  class  leader,  stewardess,  sec- 
retary of  the  stewards'  and  trustees'  board,  juvenile 
superintendent  of  the  Sherrill  district ;  also  a  mission- 
ary representative  to  the  general  conference  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  May,  1916. 

Smith,  James  Henry,  was  born  of  Henry  and 
Edith  Smith,  both  of  whom  were  slaves,  in  Lincoln 
County,  Tenn.,  January  3,  1874.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Lincoln  County  and  at  Turner 
College,  Shelbyville,  Tenn.,  from  which  he  graduated 
in  1904,  and  received  the  degree  of  D.D.  in  1914.  He 
began  public  life  in  1880  as  a  public  school  teacher, 
and  taught  some  of  the  best  schools  in  Lincoln  County. 


REV.  J.  H.  SMITH. 

He  was  converted  and  joined  St.  John  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Mulberry,  Tenn.,  April,  1894,  under  the  pas- 
torate of  the  Rev.  E.  Crockrel ;  licensed  to  preach  Oc- 
tober, 1895,  by  Dr.  S.  R.  Reed,  Presiding  Elder  of  the 
North  Nashville  District,  and  admitted  into  the  Ten- 
nessee Annual  Conference,  at  Fayetteville,  Tenn.,  Oc- 
tober, 1898,  by  Bishop  Salter.  He  was  ordained  dea- 
con in  Nashville,  Tenn.,  October  22,  1899,  by  Bishop 
Salter  and  ordained  elder,  November  9,  1903,  by  Bish- 
op Tanner. 

Dr.  Smith  has  filled  the  following  charges  with 
credit  to  himself  and  church :  Shelbyville  Mission, 
from  1898-1899;  Center  Grove  Circuit,  1899-1900; 
Chapel  Hill  Circuit,  1900-1902;  Lewisburg  Circuit, 
1902-1904.  Having  been  transferred  to  the  East  Ten- 
nessee Conference  by  Bishop  Lee  in  1904  he  has  serv- 
ed the  following  appointments :  Bethel,  Knoxville, 
1904-1905;  Presiding  Elder  over  the  Knoxville  Dis- 
trict, 1905-1906;  Presiding  Elder  of  the  Fayetteville 
District,  1906-1911;  pastor  Warren  Chapel,  Chatta- 
nooga, 191 1  to  the  present.  During  his  services  as 
Presiding  Elder  on  the  Knoxville  and  Fayetteville 
Districts  he  won  for  himself  the  title  "Educational 
Money  King"  of  Tennessee. 

Dr.  Smith  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic,  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  Odd  Fellows  Lodges ;  Secretary  of  the 
East  Tennessee  Conference;  Treasurer  of  Turner  Col- 


lege; Secretary  of  the  United  Pastors'  Association 
(composed  of  white  and  colored  ministers),  of  Chat- 
tanooga, Tenn. ;  President  of  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  the  Associated  Charities  of  Chattanooga  (colored 
department)  ;  Trustee  of  Wilberforce  University  and 
Turner  College  and  a  member  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence from  1908-1916. 

He  was  married  November  20,  1898,  to  Mrs.  Mat- 
tie  J.  Mitchell,  who  has  proven  a  faithful  companion. 

Smith,  Rev.  Lewis  Henry,  the  third  son  of  Joseph 
and  Ann  Smith,  both  slaves,  was  born  June  11,  1853, 
in  Talbot  County,  Ga.  He  remembers,  when  six  years 
old,  that  his  mother  took  him  to  a  Methodist  church. 

From  the  year  1859,  when  he  decided  for  the  Lord, 
to  the  year  1866,  the  preaching  he  heard  and  the 
teaching  he  received  were  not  the  best  for  deep,  wide 
and  high  growth  in  the  truth,  the  way  of  life,  and  the 


REV.  LEWIS  HENRY  SMITH,  SR. 

knowledge  of  God  as  taught  by  Jesus  Christ.  But  as 
a  minder  of  his  slave  master's  sheep  he  was  aided 
much  spiritually.  Hence  Lewis  Henry  was  very 
anxious  to  study  and  know  the  truth  and  the  way  of 
the  true  Christian  life. 

In  1886  he  found  a  colored  man  who  agreed  to  aid 
him  in  the  study  at  nights.  His  father,  seeing  his  de- 
sire and  efforts  to  learn,  allowed  him  to  go  on  Sunday 
to  a  colored  man,  two  miles  away,  who  aided  him  some 
in  spelling  and  reading.  It  was  then  and  there  near  his 
father's  home  that  a  Christian  white  man  of  their 
community  opened  a  day  school  for  Negro  children, 
but  other  white  men  forced  him  to  discontinue  his 
teaching  at  the  end  of  one  month.  But  that  good 
month  added  so  much  to  Lewis  Henry's  stock  of 
book  learning  that  he  thereafter  allowed  no  oppor- 
tunity to  pass  him  by  which  he  could  increase  it. 

He  was  baptized  and  fellowshipped  in  the 
Methodist  Church ;  he  opened  a  Sunday  school  which 
he  superintended  and  taught  each  Sunday  as  best  he 
could,  and  as  soon  as  he  could  reach  Presiding  Elder 
H.  M.  Turner's  camp-meeting,  in  Talbotton,  Ga.,  he 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  then  returned  to  his 
own  church  in  the  county  and  resumed    his    Sunday 


208 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


« 


school  work,  looking  for  stronger  help  and  better  days 
when  Dr.  Turner  would  send  to  his  home  church  an 
ordained  A.  M.  E.  preacher.  The  Rev.  Robert  Strick- 
land and  Presiding  Elder  Andrew  Brown  were  thus 
sent,  and  with  them  young  Smith  served  faithfully  as 
steward  and  secretary  of  the  church  and  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sunday  school. 

He  was  licensed  to  exhort  and  then  to  preach  as 
per  A.  M.  E.  Discipline,  and,  in  June,  1874,  when  their 
pastor,  Rev.  Zachariah  Armstrong  died,  he  was  ap- 
pointed, by  Presiding  Elder  William  Ravens,  to  pas- 
tor his  home  church. 

He  thus  entered  the  itinerant  ranks,  where  he 
has  served  as  follows :  pastor,  one  year  on  the  Guyton 
Circuit,  at  Guyton,  Ga. ;  two  years  at  Mobley  Pond 
Circuit,  Scriven  County,  Ga. ;  two  years,  Darien,  Ga. ; 
two  years,  Bainbridge,  Ga. ;  four  years,  Eatonton,  Ga. ; 
one  year,  Augusta,  Ga. ;  two  years,  presiding  elder, 
Augusta  (Ga.)  District;  pastored  four  years,  steward 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Macon,  Ga. ;  presided  two  years  on 
the  Macon  (Ga.)  Presiding  Elder  District;  returned  to 
Macon,  serving  one  year  as  pastor  to  redeem  the 
credit  of  the  church ;  pastored  St.  Philip's  Church,  Sa- 
vannah, Ga.,  four  years ;  served  Milledgeville  District 
as  presiding  elder  one  year;  Forsyth  District,  four 
years;  Milledgeville  District  again,  three  years;  the 
Augusta  District  again,  one  year;  the  Macon  District 
again,  five  years,  and  is  now  serving  the  Forsyth  Dis- 
trict as  presiding  elder,  the  second  time  and  in  this 
second  conference  year. 

In  Sept.,  1873,  he  married  Miss  Hester  S.  Love 
and  they  have  been  blessed  with  ten  children,  three  of 
whom  have  died :  Miss  M.  Etta  Smith,  the  oldest  and 
the  first  C.  E.  president  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
Georgia,  June  20,  1903 ;  Mrs.  Mattie  J.  Smith  Johnson, 
wife  of  Prof.  J.  A.  Johnson,  June  6,  191 5,  and  one  in 
infancy.  The  other  seven,  with  their  mother  and 
father,  are  alive  and  working  for  Jesus. 

Rev.  Lewis  H.,  Jr.,  is  a  faithful  and  very  success- 
ful pastor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  the  State  of 
Georgia.  The  daughters  are  Miss  Minnie  L.  Smith, 
one  of  the  best  teachers  of  the  public  schools  of  Ma- 
con, Ga. ;  Miss  Beda  A.  Smith,  a  successful  dress- 
maker; Miss  Lovia  T.  Smith,  a  well-trained  sick 
nurse,  and  Miss  Roberta  F.  Smith,  one  of  the  teachers 
at  Payne  College,  Cuthbert,  Ga. ;  Nathaniel  Grant  and 
James  LeRoy  Smith  are  under  age.  Of  the  children 
of  his  deceased  brother,  Rev.  R.  V.  Smith,  which  chil- 
dren were  reared  by  Rev.  L.  H.  Smith  and  wife,  there 
remain  alive  Dr.  Edward  W.  Smith,  a  practicing  den- 
tist, of  Winston-Salem,  N.  C,  and  Mrs.  Lillian  S. 
Youngblood. 

The  Rev.  L.  H.  Smith,  Sr.,  having  entered  the 
itinerant  ministry  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  the  year 
1874,  continued  to  study.  His  clearest  and  most  sav- 
ing knowledge  of  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ  was 
obtained  by  him  when  he  first  read  Whitfield's  ser- 
mon on  Christ  the  Redeemer  of  the  world;  and  then 
his  study  of  Wesley's  works,  John  Fletcher's  works, 
Clark's  Commentary,  the  Philosophy  of  the  Plan  of 
Salvation,  etc.,  so  fixed  his  mind,  heart  and  soul  in 
God's  truth  and  way,  and  also  in  the  doctrine  and  prin- 
ciples of  Methodism  that  he  has  accomplished  much 
for  God,  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  mankind,  as  the 
records  of  churches  and  districts  he  served  will  show. 
For  many  years  he  has  held  that  many  theologi- 
ans, preachers  and  seekers   of   the    Christian  religion 

14  2» 


have  misunderstandingly  magnified  Nicodemus'  visit 
to  Jesus  by  night,  and  also  the  words  then  and  there 
spoken  by  Nicodemus  to  Jesus  and  also  Jesus' 
answers  to  Nicodemus.  He  is  now  writing  a  book  ex- 
plaining more  fully  his  view. 

The  degree  of  D.D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
Morris  Brown  College,  in  1900.  He  has  been  elected 
by  his  annual  conference  as  delegate  and  has  attended 
seven  consecutive  A.  M.  E.  general  conferences.  For 
nearly  eight  years  he  has  been  the  treasurer  of  Morris 
Brown  College  or  of  the  A.  M.  E.  university  system 
in  the  State  of  Georgia. 


Smyth,  Rev.  Theobald  Augustus,  was  born  on  the 
Island  of  Jamaica.  After  attending  school  on  that 
island  he  came  to  America  and  entered  Boston  Uni- 
versity School  of  Theology.  After  spending  one  year 
in  that  school  he  entered  the  Wesleyan  College  of  Mc- 
Gill  University,  Montreal,  Canada.  The  following 
year  he  joined  the  annual  conference,  being  the  first 
and  only  colored  man  to  be  admitted  and  given  work 
in  the  Methodist  Church  of  Canada.     Graduating  in 


REV.  THEOBALD  AUGUSTUS  SMYTH,  D.D. 

first-class  standing  he  returned  to  the  States  and  took 
up  work  in  the  Philadelphia  Conference  until  1906, 
when  he  was  transferred  to  the  Michigan  Conference, 
and  took  charge  of  Bethel  Church  in  Detroit. 

At  this  station  the  congregations  became  so  large 
that  galleries  had  to  be  added  for  the  accommodation 
of  those  who  came  to  worship  there.  Here  also  was 
installed  a  pipe  organ,  had  the  church  renovated,  the 
parsonage  remodeled,  paid  for  all  the  improvements 
and  reduced  the  debt  from  $7000  to  $3000. 

From  here  he  went  to  Indianapolis,  where  he  paid 
off  a  long-standing  mortgage  indebtedness,  decorated 
the  church,  installed  electric  lights  and  left  the  church 
free  of  debt.  In  1912  he  was  appointed  to  Bethel 
Church,  Chicago,  where  he  remained  until  his  death, 
January  24,  1916. 

Snelson,  Rev.  F.  Grant,  the  son  of  Rev.  Floyd  and 
Nancy  Snelson.  He  was  born  December  19,  1865,  at 
Ellaville,  Ga.  He  was  one  of  three  children.  He  en- 
tered school  at  the  age  of  six  years  and  attended  rime- 


t> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


teen  years,  attending  principally  Dorchester  Academy, 
Beach  Institute  and  Atlanta  University.  He  has  re- 
ceived the  following  degrees:  A.B.  from  Atlanta  Uni- 
versity ;  M.A.  from  Allen  University ;  Ph.D.  from  Wil- 
berforce ;  D.D.  from  Morris  Brown ;  F.R.G.S.,  Lon- 
don, England,  Fellow  Royal  Society  of  Arts,  Manu- 
facturers and  Commerce  of  Great  Britain.  He  was 
converted  in  1874  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at 
Mcintosh,  Ga.  He  has  held  nearly  every  office  in  the 
church.  He  was  superintendent  of  African  mission 
work  1896-1900.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1889 
at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  by  Rev.  D.  T.  Green.  He  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1894  at  Athens,  Ga.,  by  Bishop  A.  Grant, 
and  ordained  elder  in  1896  at  Cedartown,  Ga.,  by  Bish- 
op Turner.  He  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1892 
at  Marietta,  Ga.,  under  Bishop  Grant.  He  has  held 
the  following  appointments:    St.  Peter's  Mission,  At- 


His  first  wife  was  Mrs.  Waterloo  Bullock  Snelson, 
of  Atlanta,  Ga.  His  second  wife  is  Mrs.  Blanche 
Ward  Snelson,  of  Columbus,  Ohio.  He  has  four  chil- 
dren living  by  the  first  wife,  Floyd  G.  Snelson,  Jr.,  age 
24  years;  La  Ursa,  age  22;  Blydena  Lovett,  age  20, 
and  Arnetta  Snelson,  age  9  years.  Floyd  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  high  school  and  La  LTrsa  is  a  graduate  of 
Wilberforce. 

He  has  contributed  to  many  church  papers  and 
has  written  many  pamphlets.  He  has  made  noted 
addresses  in  this  country-  and  abroad.  He  is  connect- 
ed with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  has  held  offices  in 
it.     He  owns  his  home. 

Snelson,  Mrs.  Blanche  Ward,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Shelton  Ward  and  Mary  Hodge  Ward,  grand- 
daughter of  John  Thomas  and"  Katherine  Moss  Ward, 


REV.  FLOYD  GRANT  SNELSON,  F.R.G.S. 


MRS.  BLANCHE  W.  SNELSON. 


lanta,  Ga.,  six  years;  St.  Matthew's  Mission,  1891-92; 
Warrenton,  N.  C,  1893;  Cartersville,  1894-95;  Bethel,  . 
Athens,  Ga.,  1896;  Supt.  of  West  African  Missions, 
1896-1900;  Bethel,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  1900-02;  To- 
peka,  Kan.,  1903-04;  P.  E.  Kansas  City  District,  1904- 
05;  St.  Paul,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1905-07;  Supt.  P.  E. 
Bermuda  Islands,  1907-08;  Hamilton,  Lockland,  Bel- 
laire,  Flushing,  Cleveland,  Steubenville,  Columbus  and 
St.  Mary's,  Chicago,  1908-1915. 

He  built  Bethel,  Cartersville,  Ga.,  at  a  cost  of 
S900  in  1894;  Mt.  Zion,  Freetown,  Sierra  Leone,  at  a 
cost  of  $5000,  in  1897;  Allen  Chapel,  Rotumba  and 
Port  Lokkoh,  all  of  Sierra  Leone,  in  1898  and  1899. 
He  lifted  mortgages  on  Bethel,  San  Francisco,  to  the 
amount  of  $2500  in  1901  ;  St.  John,  Topeka,  Kan.,  to 
the  amount  of  $8000  in  1904;  Benton,  Springfield,  Mo., 
to  the  amount  of  $800  in  1905  ;  St.  Paul,  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  to  the  amount  of  $9600  in  1906;  St.  Paul,  Ham- 
ilton, Bermuda,  to  the  amount  of  $2300  in  1907;  Beth- 
el, Bellaire,  Ohio,  to  the  amount  of  $600  in  1910. 

He  has  taken  4030  people  into  the  church,  bap- 
tized 2500  and  married  600.  He  has  been  delegate  to 
the  general  conferences  of  1896,  1900,  1904  and  1908. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  educational  board  of  1900- 
04.    He  was  voted  for  for  the  bishopric  in  1900. 

210 


and  great  granddaughter  of  Littleberry  Moss  and 
Elizabeth  Moss,  all  of  whom  lived  in  Columbus,  Ohio, 
for  more  than  fifty  years,  comes  of  royal  Virginia 
blood.  The  grandparents  were  farmers  and  stock- 
raisers  on  their  owned  land  in  Truro  Township.  The 
grandparents  were  useful  in  "The  Underground 
Railroad,"  assisting  many  slaves  to  freedom.  The 
grandfather  was,  for  fifty  years,  messenger  for  the 
City  Council.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Snelson,  when  a 
boy,  was  employed  as  a  messenger  in  ''The  Under- 
ground Railroad"  service,  and  during  the  Civil  War 
conducted  teams,  hauling  bread  for  the  commissary, 
then  stationed  at  Camp  Chase ;  later  on  engaged  in  the 
transfer  business  until  his  death.  Mrs.  Snelson  was 
born  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  June  18,  1879.  She  entered 
the  public  schools  at  an  early  age,  and  came  out  of  the 
High  School  in  the  year  1894,  well  equipped  for  the 
position  of  bookkeeper,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
E.  E.  Ward  Transfer  and  Storage  Company,  which 
does  a$20,ooo.  annual  business,  and  which  position  she 
filled  for  about  fourteen  years.  At  the  age  of  seven 
vears  Mrs.  Snelson  started  in  the  Sunday  school  of 
the  Mt.  Vernon  Avenue  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  still 
possesses  cups,  vases,  etc.,  she  received  for  soliciting 
pennies  for  the  Woman's    Mite    Missionary    Society, 


£• 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


and  in  all  the  succeeding  years  she  has  ever  been 
found  busy  in  the  interest  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
Sunday  school  work,  missionary  work  and  every  other 
department  of  the  church. 

At  twelve  years  she  was  elected  secretary  of  Mt. 
Vernon  Avenue  Sunday  school,  and  served  faithfully 
nearly  five  years.  She  was  junior  superintendent  of 
the  same  Sunday  school  for  four  years;  taught  in 
same  Sunday  school  for  about  ten  years,  was  delegate 
to  the  Sunday  school  Institute  for  seven  consecutive 
years,  vice-president  of  the  Allen  Christian  Endeavor 
League  for  three  years;  she  was  junior  stewardess  in 
Mt.  Vernon  Ave.  Church  for  several  years.  She  was 
converted  under  Rev.  C.  S.  Gee  and  baptized  by  him  in 
1893.  In  1900,  when  the  general  conference  met  in  Col- 
umbus, she  represented  Mt.  Vernon  Ave.  Church  in 
serving  refreshments  to  the  delegates  and  visitors.  She 
was  delegate  to  the  Missionary  Convention  of  1914; 
delegate  to  the  State  Federation  of  Colored  Women's 
Clubs,  1914;  was  delegate  to  the  Quadrennial  Con- 
vention at  Detroit,  1915;  was  a  member  of  "The  Mar- 
ried Ladies'  League"  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  for  more 
than  eleven  years,  a  member  of  the  National  Associa- 
tion for  Advancement  of  Colored  People  for  more  than 
three  years ;  a  member  of  Civic  Betterment  Associa- 
tion, the  City  Federation  of  Colored  Women's  Clubs, 
vice-president  of  Pierian  Coterie  Literary  Club,  sec- 
retary of  Ministers'  Wives'  Circle  of  Columbus,  Ohio, 
and  a  member  of  Queen  Etta  Court  of  Calantha.  She 
is  a  real  estate  owner,  and  bought  her  first  piece  of 
real  estate  when  single  and  under  23  years  of  age.  She 
now  owns  in  her  own  right  two  valuable  pieces  of  resi- 
dence property. 

Mrs.  Snelson  was  married  to  Rev.  James  Timothy 
Byrd,  December  31,  1905,  and  they  lived  happily  to- 
gether until  his  death  about  3  years  ago.  On  October 
21,  1914,  she  was  married  to  Rev.  Dr.  Floyd  Grant 
Snelson,  F.R.G.S.,  now  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Chicago,  111.  Besides  her  husband,  she  has 
living  with  her  in  Chicago,  her  mother,  Mary  J.  Ward. 
She  also  has  three  brothers  in  business  in  Columbus, 
Ohio.  She  has  at  various  times  read  papers  on  the 
following  subjects:  "A  Model  Christian  Endeavor," 
"What  Our  Men  are  Doing  in  Foreign  Fields,"  "A 
Cluster  Ring  of  Women,"  "Mother,  Her  Charms," 
"The  Importance  of  Personal  Work,"  "Gleanings 
from  Mission  Fields,"  "The  Modern  Esther,"  "Palm 
Tree  Christians,"  "The  Need  of  Temperance,"  "The 
Necessity  of  Education." 

Snowden,  Mrs.  Leanna  C,  was  born  in  Lexington, 
Ky.  Six  years  of  her  childhood  was  spent  in  Cincin- 
nati, O.  She  became  a  member  of  Quinn  Chapel,  A. 
M.  E.,  of  Lexington,  Ky.,  when  she  was  twelve  years 
of  age,  later  on  transferring  her  membership  to  St. 
Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church,  of  Lexington,  Ky.,  where  for 
twenty  years  she  has  been  an  active  and  an  energetic 
worker.  Although  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  she 
was  never  too  busy  to  respond  to  any  request  from 
her  church.  Her  faithfulness  to  duty  and  earnestness 
in  whatever  she  undertakes  has  won  for  her  great  es- 
teem. She  served  as  recording  secretary  of  the  local 
missionary  society  fourteen  years,  being  elected  con- 
ference branch  president  of  the  W.  M.  M.  Society  of 
Kentucky  in  1912,  and  has  succeeded  herself  up  to  the 
present  time.  She  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  Par- 
ent Mite  Missionary  Society,  which  convened  in  De- 


troit, October,  1916,  where  she  responded  pleasingly 
to  the  welcome  address  of  Michigan.  At  present  she 
is  president  of  Allen  C.  E.  League,  a  member  of  the 
stewardess  board,  choir  and  Sunday  school  and  one 
of  three  in  her  church  who  hold  a  diploma  of  the 
Standard  Teachers'  Training  Course  of  the  Interna- 
tional Sunday  School  Association.     She  is  the  wife  of 


MRS.  LEANNA  C.  SNOWDEN. 

John  B.  Snowden,  U.  S.  mail  carrier  and  fraternal  man, 
to  whom  she  was  married  in  1898.  She  has  one  daugh- 
ter, Leland  Weldon  Snowden,  who  is  a  student  at 
K.  N.  &  I.  I.,  at  Frankfort,  Kentucky.  She  is  also  in- 
terested in  club  work,  being  the  first  president  of  the 
City  Federation  of  Women's  Clubs  in  Lexington  and 
at  present  first  vice-president  of  State  Clubs,  and  an 
influential  worker  in  the  women's  department  of  the 
fraternal  orders  in  Kentucky. 

Spearman,  Henry  Kuhns,  son  of  Edward  Daniel 
and  Josephine  E.  Spearman,  was  born  in  Newberry, 
S.  C,  Dec.  21,  1875.  Both  parents  were  slaves,  but  the 
father  later  became  one  of  the  pioneer  A.  M.  E.  preach- 
ers in  South  Carolina,  where  he  labored  35  years,  dy- 
ing in  1908.  The  mother,  a  woman  of  strong  person- 
ality, simple,  direct,  forceful,  stood  shoulder  to  should- 
er with  her  husband  and  made  thereby  doubly  strong 
the  goodly  heritage  that  was  to  come  to  Henry  Kuhns 
Spearman  as  his  birthright.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
attended  the  public  schools  of  Sumter,  Winnisboro 
and  Newberry,  S.  C,  and  was  graduated  from  the 
Hoge  graded  school  of  Newberry,  S.  C,  in  1895.  He 
taught  one  year  in  Newberry  County,  spent  one  year 
at  the  Colored  State  College  of  South  Carolina,  win- 
ning oratorical  honors ;  one  year  at  Biddle  University, 
and  in  1898  entered  Lincoln  University  and  was  grad- 
uated with  the  class  of  1901  .  He  was  awarded  the 
mental  science  honor  and  oration,  and  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts  was  conferred  upon  him.  He  entered 
Yale  Divinity  School,  of  Yale  University,  at  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  where  he  completed  the  full  course  of 
three  years  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  his  race,  and 
was.  awarded  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Divinity.   Af- 


211 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


ter  delivering  the  annual  address  at  the  Literary  So- 
cieties of  Allen  University  in  June,  1914,  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was  conferred  upon  him.  Rev. 
Spearman  not  only  worked  his  way  through  school 
and  secured  his  education  without  cost  to  his  parents, 
but  in  the  meantime  became  the  support  of  his  widow- 


REV.  HENRY  K.  SPEARMAN,  B.A.,  B.D.,  D.D. 

ed  mother.  He  was  converted  in  1895  and  joined  Mil- 
ler Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Newberry,  S.  C.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1899  at  Oxford,  Pa.,  by  Rev. 
J.  H.  Buckner.  In  June,  1901,  he  was  admitted  to  the 
New  England  Conference  and  in  June,  1903,  was  or- 
dained  elder  by   Bishop  Derrick  at  Newport,   Rhode 


Rev.  Spearman  was  transferred  to  the  New  Jersey 
Conference,  and  entered  upon  his  first  appointment  in 
June,  1909,  at  Macedonia  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Camden, 
N.  J.  Signal  success  marked  this  six  years'  pastorate, 
the  chief  accomplishment  of  which  was  the  payment 
of  a  $3000  mortgage  indebtedness  and  the  burning  of 
the  mortgage  on  April  23,  1914. 

His  present  appointment  at  St.  James  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Newark,  N.  J.,  was  received  at  the  hands  of 
Bishop  Tyree  in  May,  1915.  June  30,  191 5,  he  was 
married  to  Elizabeth  Frances  Morris,  of  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Camden,  N.  J. 
He  was  elected  an  alternate  delegate  to  the  general 
conference  of  1912  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  and  a 
delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference  of 
1916  at  Mother  Bethel,  Phila.,  Pa. 

• 

Stark,  Rev.  William  H.,  was  born  May  11,  1842, 
at  Medina,  New  York,  and  reared  in  St.  Catherine, 
Ontario.  He  attended  the  common  schools  up  to  the 
opening  of  the  Civil  War,  when  he  ran  away  and  en- 
listed in  the  3rd  United  States  Infantry  and  served  with 
honor  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Then  he  followed 
cooking  on  lake  steamers  and  dining  cars  for  a  number 
of  years,  making  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  his  home.  At  a  re- 
vival  in   Buffalo   he   was    converted.     Soon   after  his 


MRS.  HENRY  K.  SPEARMAN 

Island.  His  first  appointment  was  People's  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  at  Chelsea,  Mass.,  where  he  served  for  two 
years  acceptably.  While  here  he  joined  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  Star  of  the  East  Lodge  of  Chelsea,  Mass., 
and  became  Keeper  of  Records  and  Seals.  He  went 
next  (1905)  to  Mailey  St.  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Lynn, 
Mass.,  and  in  four  years  increased  the  membership  list 
from  17  to  60  and  erected  a  handsome  church  edifice. 

212 


REV.  WILLIAM  H.  STARK. 

conversion  the  call  was  laid  upon  him  to  preach  the 
Gospel.  He  went  west  and  settled  in  Bedford,  Iowa, 
and  married  Miss  Laura  B.  Keen,  his  Christian  com- 
panion and  faithful  worker  from  nineteen  years  of  age. 
Brother  Stark  was  admitted  to  the  Chicago  Confer- 
ence in  local  relations  as  he  was  past  the  age  limit. 
He  has  pastored  two  years  in  Centerville,  where  he 
built  the  foundation  for  a  new  church;  2  years  in 
Boone  and  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  and  straightened  the 
title  to  the  church  property  at  Marshalltown,  and  at 
Newton,  Iowa.  Brother  Stark  is  a  forceful  speaker, 
an  ardent  revivalist,  a  power  as  a  temperance  worker. 

Stepteau,  Rev.  C.  Harold,  pastor  of  the  Metro- 
politan A.  M.  E.  Church,  Washington,  D.  C,  was  born 
in  Lynchburg,  Va.    He  attended  the  public  schools  of 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Wytheville,  Va.,  went  through  the  high  school  of  the 
same  city,  and  completed  his  education  at  Wilber- 
force  University  at  Wilberforce,  Ohio.  He  has  travel- 
ed very  extensively  throughout  the  South,  West,  and 
Northern  States  and  has  visited  Cuba  in  interest  of 
his  church.  He  began  his  public  life  as  a  school  teach- 
er and  has  taught  in  Virginia,  Ohio,  Texas  and  Louisi- 
ana.   He  was  pastor  of  the  Ebenezer  A.  M.  E.  Church 


REV.  C  H.  STEPTEAU. 

at  Baltimore,  Md.,  for  four  years,  afterward  serving  as 
presiding  elder  of  Potomac  district  five  years.  Shortly 
after  graduating  from  Wilberforce  University,  which 
was  in  1892,  he  was  unanimously  elected  presi- 
dent of  Ward  Academy,  at  Natchez,  Miss.,  where  he 
served  for  three  years,  and  served  as  principal  of  the 


tor  of  the  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Washington, 
D.  C.  Since  he  has  taken  charge  he  has  made  wonder- 
ful improvement  in  the  building  and  has  added  many 
to  the  church. 


Steady,  Rev.  H.  M.,  was  born  at  the  village  of 
Waterloo  in  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa,  June  21,  1859. 
He  was  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  Steady,  and 
grandson  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Steady,  the  founder  of 
St.  Mark's  Church,  of  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon's 
Connection,  Waterloo. 

He  received  his  primary  education  at  the  Countess 
of  Huntingdon,  Wesleyan  and  Church  of  England 
Schools,  respectively,  at  Waterloo.  In  the  latter  he 
was  appointed  pupil-teacher  to  the  Cathedral  School 
in  Freetown,  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  Cheetham,  D.D., 
Bishop  of  Sierra  Leone.  In  1879  he  was  received  in 
the  C  M.  S.  Grammar  School,  Freetown,  for  his  sec- 
ondary education,  and  after  two  years  and  six  months 
of  diligent  and  successful  career,  he  was  elected  and 
appointed  among  his  comrades  Head  Master  of  Kent, 
Church  of  England  School  in  January,  1882. 

In  1885  he  was  invited  by  the  Rev.  S.  Trotter  Wil- 


MRS.  E.  L.  "STEPTEAU. 

Algiers  High  School,  at  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  for 
two  years,  and  while  in  this  capacity  he  did  very  much 
for  the  colored  people  of  that  vicinity.  He  has  served 
as  a  pastor  and  presiding  elder  in  the  Louisiana,  Vir- 
ginia and  the  Baltimore  Conferences.    He  is  now  pas- 

2tt 


REV.  H.  M.  STEADY. 

liams,  superintendent  of  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon, 
to  take  charge  of  St.  Mark's  School,  Waterloo.  Here 
under  the  influence  of  Mother  Elizabeth  Steady,  he 
knew  Christ  as  his  personal  Saviour,  and  became  more 
devoted  to  the  cause  of  Christianity,  and  after  a  year 
of  successful  service,  he  was  promoted  to  serve  as  as- 
sistant to  the  superintendent. 

In  1887  he  married  to  Miss  Hannah  Adelicia  Bea- 
trice George,  the  sister  of  Rev.  A.  T.  George  (Wes- 
leyan). 

In  1889,  in  consequence  of  some  misunderstand- 
ing on  the  Great  Doctrine  of  Sanctification,  he  resign- 
ed his"  official  relation  with  St.  Mark's,  Countess  of 
Huntingdon. 

In  1890  he  accepted  an  invitation  to  take  charge 
of  "Zion"  A.  M.  E.  school  in  the  metropolis  of  "Sierra 
Leone,  and  there  he  joined  the  church  and  became  a 
licensed  local  preacher  under  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Frederick, 
superintendent.     In  November,  1891,  at  the  arrival  of 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Bishop  Turner,  he  was  recommended,  examined 
and  ordained  deacon  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  In 
April,  1893,  at  the  second  visit  of  Bishop  Turner,  he 
was  ordained  an  elder.  In  March,  1895,  at  the  third 
visit  of  Bishop  Turner,  he  was  appointed  pastor-in- 
charge  of  St.  John's  (Maroon)  Methodist,  and  princi- 
pal for  the  educational  work  in  the  Sierra  Leone  Con- 
ference. In  1896  he  was  appointed  acting  presiding 
elder  of  the  Sierra  Leone  Conference,  by  the  Rev.  W. 
H.  Heard,  who  was  the  general  superintendent  of 
Sierra  Leone  and  Liberia  Conferences.  In  February, 
1897,  he  resigned  his  pastoral  relation  with  St.  John's, 
as  they  separated  themselves  from  the  A.  M.  E- 
Church.  In  March,  1897,  he  started  open-air  preach- 
ing, which  was  marvelously  blessed  by  God,  and  after 
one  year  of  devoted  and  successful  labors  with  the 
help  of  Bishop  Turner  and  Dr.  Parks,  the  general  sec- 
retary of  missions,  he  built  "New  Zion''  Church,  at  a 
cost  of  $3600.  In  1899,  at  the  arrival  of  Bishop  Grant, 
who  held  a  session  of  the  conference,  he  was  elected 
delegate  to  the  general  conference,  sitting  in  Colum- 
bus, Ohio,  in  May,  11,00.  In  1903  he  was  appointed 
by  Bishop  Shaffer  presiding  elder  of  the  Sierra  Leone 
Conference.  On  June  16,  1910,  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  was  conferred  on  him  by  the  faculty  of 
Wilberforce  University. 

For  twelve  years  he  was  the  presiding  elder  of  the 
Sierra  Leone  Conference,  a  position  which  he  holds 
with  credit  to  himself  and  his  church.  He  has  faith- 
fully served  and  still  serving  the  church  under  Bishops 
Turner,  Moore,  Grant,  Shaffer,  Derrick,  Smith  and 
Heard.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to  every  general  con- 
ference since  1900,  and  is  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial 
Session  in  Philadelphia,  1916.  His  son,  Mr.  Isaac  E. 
Steady,  is  a  student  at  Wilberforce,  O. 

Sterrett,  Rev.  Norman  B.,  was  born  on  his  fath- 
er's farm  at  Annapolis,  in  Baltimore  County,  Mary- 
land, September  28th,  1841,  the  youngest  son  of  Jesse 
and  Rachel  Ann  Sterrett. 

He  was  converted  at  a  revival  during  the  pastor- 
ate of  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Brown,  at  Bethel  Church,  Balti- 
more, in  1858,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1862. 

He  entered  the  Army  as  Sergeant-Major  and 
served  during  the  war. 

He  served  as  pastor  in  the  Baltimore,  Florida  and 
Georgia  Conferences.  During  his  pastorate  in  the 
Baltimore  Conference  he  built  the  church  in  "Quaker 
Bottom,"  known  as  Stephen's  Chapel.  While  pastor 
at  Gainesville,  Florida,  he  purchased  the  lot  on  which 
the  fine  church  now  stands. 

He  was  elected  principal  of  the  Gainesville  Acad- 
emy at  a  salary  of  one  hundred  dollars  a  month,  which 
position  he  served  so  acceptably  that  the  board  offered 
to  increase  his  salary  if  he  would  return.  He  also 
served  as  magistrate  of  Duval  County,  Fla. 

In  the  year  1877  he  was  transferred  to  the  South 
Carolina  Conference  and  appointed  to  Beaufort. 
During  his  two  years'  pastorate  he  remodeled  the 
church  and  entertained  the  annual  conference. 

He  was  appointed  to  Emanuel  Church,  Charles- 
ton, by  Bishop  John  M.  Brown,  where  he  paid  off  the 
indebtedness,  remodeled  the  church  and  bought  an- 
other church  for  $15,000.  He  divided  Emanuel's  con- 
gregation and  organized  what  is  now  known  as  Mount 
Zion  Church. 

After  four  years'  pastorate  at  Emanuel  he  served 

214 


one  year  at  Mt.  Zion,  and  paid  off  all  the  purchase 
debt  except  $8000.  He  served  three  years  at  Bethel 
Church,  Georgetown,  at  which  time  he  paid  off  a  large 
debt  under  which  the  people  had  become  greatly  dis- 
couraged. 

He  served  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Georgetown 


REV.  N.  B.  STERRETT,  D.D. 

District  for  four  years,  and  raised  the  dollar  money 
from  five  hundred  dollars  to  fourteen  hundred  dollars. 
He  served  four  years  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Charles- 


MRS.  N.   B.   STERRETT. 

ton  District  and  one  year  on  the  Beaufort  District. 
He  was  then  appointed  the  second  time  to  Emanuel 
Church,  which  was  overshadowed  with  an  immense 
debt,  that  he  managed  with  skilled  ability.  He  put 
a  steel  ceiling  in  the  church,  installed  two  furnaces 
and  fitted  up  temporarily  the  main  audience  room, 
moving  the  congregation  from  the  basement  to  the 
same,  and  raised  the  dollar  money  from  three  hundred 


fi- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


dollars  to  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  He  again" 
served  five  years  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Georgetown 
District  and  five  years  on  the  Edisto  District. 

He  has  just  closed  his  third  term  at  Emanuel 
Church,  where  he  has  again  liquidated  the  debt  and 
thoroughly  renovated  the  church,  purchased  the  lot 
next  door  and  completed  the  steeple. 

He  has  been  a  member  of  several  general  confer- 
ences and  is  now  the  oldest  member  of  the  South 
Carolina  Conference. 

Steward,  Dr.  S.  Maria,  wife  of  Rev.  T.  G.  Steward, 
of  Wilberforce,  O.,  was  born  in  .Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  the 
daughter  of  Sylvanus  and  Anna  Smith.  When  Dr. 
Steward  undertook  the  study  of  medicine  it  was  a 
rare  thing  for  a  woman  of  any  race.  She  studied  in 
the  New  York  Medical  College  and  Hospital  for 
Women,  and  was  valedictorian  of  her  class ;  took  a 


S.  MARIA  STEWARD,  M.D. 

post-graduate  course  in  the  Long  Island  College  Hos- 
pital, the  only  woman  student  in  her  class.  She  main- 
tained consulting  offices  in  two  different  sections  of 
New  York  City  and  catered  to  both  white  and  colored. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Kings  County  Homeopathic 
Society  and  of  the  New  York  State  Medical  Society. 
She  is  a  proficient  musician  and  served  as  organist  of 
Bridge  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church  28  years.  Dr.  Steward 
is  now  resident  physician  at  Wilberforce  University. 
She  has  traveled  extensively  both  at  home  and  abroad. 

Stewart,  Henry  E.,  son  of  Henry  and  Louise 
Stewart,  both  members  of  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
born  in  1867  at  New  Albany,  Ind.  Was  one  of  ten 
children.  Entered  school  at  age  of  six  and  continued 
about  nine  years.  Spent  over  two  years  at  Seymour, 
Ind.,  Wilberforce  University  and  Payne  Seminary. 
Received  degrees  B.D.  and  D.D.  from  Wilberforce. 
Converted  in  1881  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the 
same  year.  Has  held  nearly  every  office  in  the  church. 
Licensed  to  preach  in  1889  at  Seymour,  Ind.,  by  Rev. 
A.  A.  Mason.  Ordained  deacon  in  1891,  at  Indianap- 
olis, Ind.,  by  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown.     Ordained  elder, 


1893,  at  South  Bend,  Ind.,  by  Bishop  Turner.  Joined 
Annual  Conference  at  Marion,  Ind.,  in  1890,  under 
Bishop  J.  M.  Brown. 

Has  pastored  the  following  churches :  Indianap- 
olis Mission,  1890;  Dublin  Circuit,  1890-92;  Pontiac, 
Michigan,  1892;  Adrian,  Michigan,  1893;  Greencastle, 


REV.  HENRY  ELIJAH  STEWART. 

1894;  Mineie,  1895-96;  Washington  Court  House,  O., 
1897-8-9;  Columbus,  Ohio,  1900;  Allen  Chapel,  Terre 
Haute,  1901-03;  Allen  Chapel,  Indianapolis,  1904-05; 
Institutional  Church,  Chicago,  1906  to  1909;  Wayman 


MRS.  LIDA  E.  STEWART,  B.S. 


Chapel,  Chicago,  1910  to  1913;  Ebenezer,  Evanston, 
1914.  Built  churches  at  Pontiac,  Mich.,  $400,  in  1892 ; 
Muncie,  Ind.,  $1200,  in  1895;  Allen  Chapel,  Terre 
Haute,  $2,500,  in  1901  and  1903. 

Lifted  mortgage  on  Allen  Chapel,  Terre  Haute, 
to  the  amount  of  $500,  in  1901.  Has  taken  about  1,100 
people  into  the  church,  baptized  400  and  married  200. 
Delegate  to  General  Conference  in  1904.     Member  of 

215 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3> 


Educational  Board  and  Church  Extension,  1904-1908. 
Married  Lida  Stewart,  of  Canada,  in  1893.  They  have 
five  children.  His  son,  Hilbert,  is  a  graduate  of  High 
School  and  Chicago  Musical  College,  from  which  he 
won  a  gold  medal. 

Made  addresses  at  High  School  Commencement, 
Princeton,  Ind.,  and  Payne  Seminary. 

Wrote  the  musical  number,  "Hold  Thou  My 
Hand."  Member  of  K.  of  P.  and  Eastern  Star.  Mem- 
ber of  Lincoln  and  Fred  Douglass  Law  and  Order 
League. 

Stewart,  Mrs.  Lida  E.,  wife  of  Rev.  H.  E.  Stewart, 
was  born  in  Amherstburg,  Ontario.  At  the  age  of 
four  her  family  moved  to  Michigan.  After  finishing 
high  school  at  Adrian  she  went  to  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity and  completed  the  scientific  course  in  1892, 
where  she  made  a  splendid  record.  She  organized  the 
first  Colored  Y.  W.  C.  A.  in  Ohio  and  the  second  in 
the  United  States.  At  the  time  of  graduation  she  was 
president  of  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  president  of  the  Philo- 
mathian  Society,  also  secretary  of  the  Sunday  school. 

In  1892  she  went  to  Georgia  and  taught  school  in 
Columbus  and  Lumber  City.  She  married  Rev.  H.  E. 
Stewart  in  October,  1893.  To  this  union  have  been 
four  sons  and  one  girl,  the  oldest  son  completing  high 
school  and  Chicago  Musical  College.  The  second  son 
completed  high  school  and  is  now  taking  classical 
course  in  Northwestern  University. 

While  her  husband  was  pastor  of  the  Institutional 
Church  she  had  charge  of  the  various  departments  of 
the  church  and  was  the  head  of  the  millinery  class, 
graduating  a  large  number  of  women,  many  of  them 
now  successful  business  women  in  Chicago  and  various 
parts  of  the  country.  She  has  been  for  a  number  of 
years  closely  identified  with  the  women's  clubs  of  the 
city,  was  one  of  the  first  in  forming  the  Chicago  City 
Federation  of  Women's  Clubs,  which  is  now  an  import- 
ant factor  in  the  city  of  Chicago.  She  is  at  the  present 
time  chairman  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  City 
Federation,  president  of  the  Chicago  Coupon  Branch 
of  the  Women's  Mite  Missionary  Society  and  the  pres- 
ident of  the  Loyal  Temperance  League  of  Evanston, 
colored  department;  president  of  Girls'  Club  and  a 
worker  in  various  organizations  for  social  and  racial 
advancement. 

Stewart,  Rev.  Nicholas  Bernard,  a  native  of 
Georgetown,  Demerara,  British  Guiana,  South  Amer- 
ica, was  converted  July  4,  1875.  His  early  training 
was  given  to  him  by  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
school.  Deciding  to  preach  the  Gospel,  it  was  his 
privilege  to  study  theology  in  the  University  at  Edin- 
burgh, Scotland,  and  from  this  venerable  institution 
he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He 
was  ordained  at  Chatham,  Canada,  by  Bishop  R.  R. 
Disney  in  1884,  He  returned  to  South  America  and 
organized  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Dutch  Guiana;  also 
established  a  church  in  British  Guiana,  planted  the 
church  in  Porto  Rico,  in  Trinidad,  Toago  and  Barba- 
does.  He  was  presiding  elder  of  the  isles  of  San  Sal- 
vador under  Bishop  Arnett.  He  operated  in  Hayti 
and  St.  Thomas.  Returning  to  the  United  States 
again,  he  became  connected  with  the  New  Jersey  con- 
ference, was  transferred  to  Florida,  then  to  Mississ- 
ippi. He  served  as  pastor  in  Canada,  Washington  and 
New  York  City  and  was  presiding  elder  in  New  York 
City  and  pastored  in  city  of  Chicago. 


He  was  dean  in  Edward  Waters  College  in  Flor- 
ida and  also  dean  in  Campbell  College,  Mississippi, 
and  served  as  financial  agent  to  Campbell  College.  His 
culture  in  ancient  and  modern  languages  is  very  wide. 
He  reads  without  difficulty  Greek,  Latin  and  Hebrew 
and  speaks  fluently  the  Spanish  and  Hindustan  ton- 
gues and  can  preach  with  ease  in  the  vernacular  of  the 
"Bush  Negroes"  of  Dutch  Guiana.  He  is  now  trustee 
of  Campbell  and  dean  of  the  theological  department. 

Stewart,  Mr.  William  Augustus,  was  born  in  New 
Albany,  Floyd  County,  Indiana,  March  4th,  1869,  a 
son  of  Henry  and  Louisa  Stewart,  devout  Christian 
people.  When  he  was  a  child  he  was  taken,  by  his 
father  and  mother,  to  reside  at  Martinsburg,  Wash- 


MR.  WILLIAM  AUGUSTUS  STEWART. 

ington  County,  Indiana.  There  being  no  colored 
church  within  twenty  miles,  the  parents  joined  the 
United  Brethren  Church  of  that  place,  and  kept  their 
children  under  divine  instruction.  The  family  remain- 
ed at  Martinsburg  until  1878.  when  they  removed  to 
Seymour,  Jackson  County,  Indiana,  where  they  united 
with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Mr.  Stewart  was  converted  in  early  life,  and  join- 
ed the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  which  his  entire  Christian 
life  and  work  have  been  placed. 

He  spent  his  boyhood  much  the  same  as  other 
country  lads  of  his  day,  pursuing  studies  during  the 
winter  and  working  on  the  farm  during  the  summer. 
He  later  learned  the  barber  trade  and  was  successfully 
employed  in  that  pursuit  until  appointed  to  his  pres- 
ent position,  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  Indiana.  He 
has  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  colored  man  to 
have  been  employed  by  that  court,  and  recommended 
to  confidence  by  that  honoroble  body-  He  is  a  mem- 
ber and  trustee  of  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Indian- 
apolis, Ind. 

He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  general  confer- 
ence held  in  Norfolk,  Virginia,  in  1908,  and  again  to 
the  Centennial  General  Conference  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  in  1916. 

Rev.  H.  E.  Stewart,  D.D.,  of  Evanston,  Illinois,  a 
ministerial  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence, is  a  brother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 


216 


B- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


Stinson,  George  T.,  was  born  in  Grenada  County, 
Mississippi,  son  of  Rev.  S.  B.  and  Sallie  J,  Stinson, 
and  had  his  early  training  in  the  rural  school  of  his 
nativ.e  county.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church  in  1895;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1902 
by  Rev.  S.  R.  Andrews;  joined  the  North  East  Mis- 
sissippi Conference  in  1906  at  Grenada,  Miss. ;  ordain- 


REV.  GEORGE  T.  STINSON,  B.D. 

ed  deacon  in  1907  at  Coldwater,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  M- 
B.  Salter,  and  appointed  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the 
Okolona  Station,  where  he  served  faithfully  two  years. 
Having  a  desire  for  a  better  education  he  matriculated 
in  the  Okolona  Normal  College,  where  he  was  a  stu- 
dent for  two  years,  as  well  as  pastor.  In  1907  he  and 
Miss  Nancy  B.  Wilson,  of  Grenada,  Miss.,  were  mar- 
ried, and  after  talking  the  matter  over  with  his  wife, 
he  decided  to  go  to  Campbell  College,  where  he  grad- 
uated from  the  regular  theological  course  in  1912,  the 
degree  of  B.D.  being  conferred  upon  him;  was  ordain- 
ed elder  at  Grenada,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  Turner,  and  is 
now  appointed  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  West 
Point  Station  three  years,  where  he  is  meeting  with 
large  success.  He  is  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  Gen- 
eral Conference  at  Philadelphia,  May,  1916. 

The  Lord  has  blessed  his  home  with  four  chil- 
dren: Dorothy  J.,  Priscilla  B.,  Urias  B.  and  G.  T.  Stin- 
son, Jr. 

Stovall,  Thomas  Beauford,  was  born  at  West 
Point,  Ky.,  August  15,  1865,  the  son  of  Beauford  and 
Edna  Wales  Stovall.  He  was  bound  out  at  the  age  of 
six  years  to  T.  F.  McClure,  a  white  man,  with  whom  he 
remained  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  learning 
at  this  time  that  he  was  to  be  McClure's  servant  until 
he  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  So  he  decided  to 
seek  a  place  where  he  would  be  free.  Accordingly  he 
went  to  a  distant  relative,  not  over  thirty  miles  from 
McClure's,  who  sought  him  diligently,  but  did  not  find 
him.  He  stayed  well  under  cover  until  he  was  assist- 
ed by  his  relative  to  Jeffersonville,  Indiana,  arriving 
there  in  1879,  when  he  entered  the  public  schools,  hav- 
ing received  up  to  this  time  but  very  little  education. 

He  finished  his  common  school  education  in  Jef- 

217 


fersonville,  removing  from  there  to  New  Albany,  In- 
diana, where  he  graduated  from  the  old  Scribner 
High  School  in  May,  1889. 

After  finishing  High  School  he  taught  a  part  of  a 
year  in  the  New  Albany  public  school,  being  used  as 


REV.  T.  B.  STOVALL. 

a  substitute  for  the  principal.  After  this  he  taught  in 
Logan  County,  Kentucky,  for  three  years. 

Thomas  B.  Stovall  was  converted  at  the  age  of 
thirteen  at  Cecilia  Junction,  Kentucky,  and  joined  the 
Baptist  Church,  remaining  a  Baptist  until  he  had  an 
opportunity  of  coming  in  contact  with  the  African 
Zion  Methodist  Church  in  New  Albany,  Indiana, 
which  he  joined. 

Coming    to    Chicago    later,    where    there    was    no 


MRS.  T.  B.  STOVALL. 

Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  that  time,  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  under  Dr.  R.  C.  Ran- 
som. Becoming  active  in  that  great  church,  he  soon 
felt  impressed  to  enter  the  ministry  and  the  pastor, 
Rev.  R.  C.  Ransom,  put  him  up  for  a  trial  sermon. 
The  result  of  his  trial  sermon  was  that  young 
Thomas  B.  was  granted  a  local  license  in  May,  1899, 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


and  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  A.  Grant  on  March 
3,  1902,  at  St.  Mary's  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

Admitted  on  trial  in  1902 ;  full  member  in  1905. 
Ordained  elder  in  1904  at  Galesburg,  111.  Has  pastor- 
ed  successfully  at  the  following  charges :  Redeem- 
er's Mission,  Chicago,  two  years ;  A.  M.  E.  Church  at 
Superior,  Wis.,  one  year;  Wayman  Chapel,  Racine, 
Wis.,  one  year;  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  Beloit, 
and  Delavan,  Wis.,  two  years;  Shorter  Chapel  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  Oskaloosa,  la.,  one  year;  Washington  and 
Fairfield  Circuit,  two  years,  building  a  new  church  at 
Fairfield  costing  $2,700,  leaving  it  free  of  debt. 

Appointed  to  Davenport.  Iowa,  charge  in  1909. 
Here  Rev.  W.  W.  Williams  had  started  a  new  $10,000 
church.  The  church  was  up  and  under  cover.  Money 
had  given  out  and  two  mechanics'  liens  had  been  plac- 
ed on  the  church  by  the  contractors,  carpenter's  lien 
for  $2,200,  anil  mason's  lien  for  $1,100.  making  this 
indeed  a  difficult  problem  to  handle.  He  held  services 
in  one  half  of  the  basement  in  three  weeks  after  his 
appointment  as  pastor.  The  five  years'  stay  in  this 
charge  has  resu'ted  in  one  of  the  finest  A.  M.  E. 
Churches  in  the  Middle  Weft.  He  is  now  the  success- 
ful pastor  of  St.  Peter's,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Storm,  Jeddie  L.,  the  son  of  Raleigh  H.  and  Mary 
Ann  Storm,  was  born  June  17,  1884,  at  Caldwell,  Tex- 
as. He  began  to  attend  school  at  seven  years  of  age 
and  attended  about  eleven  years,  studying  at  Prairie 
View  State  Normal  and  Industrial  School.  He  was  con- 


PROF.  1EDDIE  L.  STORM. 


Sturges,  Littleton,  was  born  in  Washington  Coun- 
ty, Md.,  October  12,  1840.  His  parents  took  him  to 
New  York  at  the  age  of  ten  years  where  he  first  at- 
tended school  in  the  old  Union  church  on  15th  street, 
between  6th  and  7th.  From  New  York  he  moved 
to  Frogtown,  now  Marshallville,  N.  J.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-one  or  twenty-two  he  left  home,  went  to  Phil- 
adelphia ;  he  then  went  to  Liverpool,  England,  and 
followed  the  sea  for  about  ten  years,  going  to  Aspin- 
wall,  Trinidad,  St.  Thomas,  Greenland,  and  many 
other  places.     He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M. 


verted  in  April,  1808,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
though  his  father  was  a  Baptist  and  his  mother  a  mem- 
ber of  the  M.  E.  Church.  He  has  served  as  steward, 
class  leader,  teacher,  secretary,  treasurer  and  superin- 
tendent of  the  Sunday  school.  He  was  married  in 
1909  and  owns  his  home.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Elvira  O. 
Storm,  was  born  in  Tanglewood,  Texas ;  they  have  had 
two  children,  Blanche  and  Jewel  L.  (deceased).  Prof. 
Storm  was  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Con- 
ference, is  assistant  secretary  of  the  West  Texas  an- 
nual conference,  and  has  been  teaching  for  ten  years, 
six  of  which  as  principal  of  the  Lexington  colored 
school. 

218 


REV.  LITTLETON  STURGES. 

E.  Church,  Fenwick,  N.  J.,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
Peter  Loper ;  received  exhorter's  license  in  1875 ;  en- 
tered the  New  Jersey  conference  at  Trenton  in  1877 ; 
was  ordained  deacon  at  Morristown,  N.  J.,  by  Bishop 
J.  M.  Brown  in  1882  and  ordained  elder  under  Bish- 
op Turner.  He  held  the  following  appointments,  all 
in  New  Jersey:  Bethel,  Camden,  and  East  Camden  as 
a  circuit ;  Orange,  where  he  served  three  years,  and 
attended  Drew  Theological  Seminary ;  Asbury  Park, 
where  he  served  three  years  very  acceptably;  New 
Iirunswick,  where  he  attended  Rutgers  College; 
Woodbury,  where  he  built  a  new  church  at  North 
Woodbury ;  Atlantic  City,  where  he  served  two  years 
with  marked  success  and  entertained  the  annual  con- 
ference ;  presiding  elder  of  the  Newark  district,  which 
he  served  for  five  years  with  great  success ;  presiding 
elder  of  the  Camden  district  for  one  year ;  pastor  at 
Orange  one  year ;  Atlantic  Highlands,  five  years; 
Morristown,  where  he  served  four  years;  Plainfield, 
serving  two  years,  and  Riverton,  where  he  was  taken 
with  a  fatal  illness  and  fell  asleep,  going  home  to  meet 
his  God.  Rev.  L.  Sturges  was  one  of  the  best  known 
men  of  the  New  Jersey  conference  and  he  did  as  much 
for  the  spread  of  African  Methodism  in  the  State  of 
New  Jersey  as  any  man  of  his  day. 


Sturges,  Samuel  L.,  was  born  in  Salem  County, 
N.  J.,  September  1,  1874,  and  was  raised  on  a  farm 
in  that  county,  in  which  he  attended  the  public  schools. 
Upon  reaching  manhood  he  served  as  waiter  and 
coachman  at  nearby  seashore  resorts.     For  two  win- 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


o 


ters  he  attended  the  Institute  for  Colored  Youths  in 
Philadelphia.  In  1896  he  entered  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity, graduating  in  1901.  He  then  entered  upon  min- 
isterial work  in  the  New  Jersey  annual  conference. 
The  first  two  years  he  spent  at  Heightstown ;  then 
three  years  at  Haddonfield.  From  here  he  was  sent 
to  Cape  May,  where  he  married  Miss  Edith  Murray, 
of  St.  Louis,"  Mo.,  daughter  of  Prof.  P.  H.  Murray.  He 
served  two  vears  here  and  entertained  the  New  Jer- 


REV.  S.   L.  STURGES. 

sey  annual  conference.  From  here  he  was  appointed 
to  Salem,  N.  J.,  one  of  the  leading  charges,  and  served 
five  years  with  marked  success,  receiving  into  the 
church  300  persons ;  also  renovating  and  repairing  the 
church.  He  was  then  sent  to  Princeton,  where  the 
church  had  been  sold  and  the  congregation  scattered. 
He  redeemed  the  church  and  brought  the  congregation 
together,  receiving  80  persons  into  the  church  the 
first  year,  and  re-establishing  a  mission  at  Rocky  Hill, 
where  a  burying  ground  was  bought  and  paid  for. 
Rev.  Sturges  has  received  456  converts  into  the 
church. 

Sutton,  Rev.  J.  M.,  was  born  of  humble  parents, 
Silas  and  Elmill  Sutton,  at  Holly  Grove,  Monroe  Co., 
Arkansas,  1865.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of 
his  county.  Later  attended  Southland  College  in 
Phillips  Co.,  Ark.  (Quaker  institution).  He  took  a 
private  course  in  English  theology  under  Dr.  Frank 
Lawson,  a  Presbyterian.  He  taught  public  school  in 
Monroe,  Bradley,  Dallas  and  Woodrough  Counties, 
Arkansas.  He  served  two  years  principal  of  Flipper 
Academy  in  Columbia  Co.  Dr.  Sutton  is  a  pulpit 
orator.  He  delivered  the  baccalaureate  sermon  at  the 
Presbyterian   Seminary,   Monticello,   in    1901,  the  an- 


nual  sermon  at  Harrison  Academy  in  1902,  the  an- 
nual missionary  sermon  at  Shorter  College  in  1907. 
The  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was  conferred  upon 
him  by  the  Turner  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute, 
Tenn.,  in  1906. 

He  was  converted  in  1883  at  Holly  Grove,  Ark., 
joined  the  annual  conference  in  1890  at  Holly  Grove 
under  Bishop  Disney.  He  has  had  the  following 
charges :  Poplar  Grove  Circuit,  2  years ;  Old  Town 
Circuit,  1  year;  Marianna  Station,  3  years;  Warren 
Station,  3  years ;  Monticello  Station,  5  years ;  For- 
dyce  Station,  4  years;  15  years  a  station  preacher;  3 
years  presiding  elder  of  the  Magnolia  District  West 
Arkansas  Conference,  and  now  serving  the  third  year 
on  the  Augusta  District  as  presiding  elder.  He  served 
three  years  as  chief  secretary  of  the  South  Arkansas 
Conference  and  was  delegate  to  three  general  con- 
ferences, viz.:  Chicago,  111.,  1904;  Norfolk,  Va.,  1908, 
and  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  1912,  leading  his  delegation  to 


REV.  J.  M.  SUTTON. 

the  last  named  conference.  As  a  musician  he  has  ac- 
quired considerable  proficiency  in  the  art,  and  is  an 
instructor  both  vocal  and  instrumental. 

He  owns  a  beautiful  home  at  Holly  Grove,  besides 
owning  some  property  in  Pine  Bluff  and  Marianna, 
Ark.  Dr.  Sutton  has  twice  married.  His  first  wife 
died  in  1910.  Each  of  his  wives  being  a  model  wom- 
an, made  home  a  model  one-  His  second  wife  was  a 
public  school  teacher.  He  is  a  Mason,  Odd  Fellow, 
Mosaic  Templar  and  Grand  Chief  of  the  St.  Joseph 
Aid  of  Texas. 

As  a  debater  he  is  forceful  and  logical,  and  is  one 
of  the  most  popular  preachers  of  Arkansas.  He  was 
ordained  a  deacon  by  Bishop  Tanner  in  1891 ;  an  elder 
by  Bishop  Turner  in  1893 ;  appointed  presiding  elder 
by  Bishop  J.  S.  Flipper  and  Bishop  Chappelle. 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


I  ALBERT,   REV.  HORACE,  the  son 

of  William  and  Jane  Ellen  Talbert, 
his  father  a  Baptist,  and  mother  was 
a  member  of  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
Was  born  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  1853. 
Began  attending-  school  in  1868  and 
received  about  ten  years  school- 
ing. 
Parents  had  seven  children.     He  is  a  graduate  of 

Wilberforce,  receiving  degrees  of  B.A.,  M.A.  and  D.D. 

from   Wilberforce,   Payne  Seminary  and   Paul   Ouinn 


REV.  HORACE  TALBERT,  D.D. 

College.  Took  special  courses  in  Hebrew,  Greek  and 
Philosophy  at  Boston  University.  Converted  in  1864 
and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  Has 
held  nearly  every  office  in  the  church.  Licensed  to 
preach  at  Wilberforce  by  Rev.  R.  G.  Mortimer,  at  Wil- 
berforce. Ordained  deacon  in  1877  at  Midway,  Ky.,  by 
Bishop  A.  W.  Wayman.  Ordained  elder  in  1879  at 
New  Bedford,  Mass.,  by  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne.  Joined 
Annual  Conference  in  1875  at  Springfield,  Ohio,  under 
Bishop  Payne. 

Has  held  the  following  appointments :  Cam- 
bridge Port,  Mass.,  1877;  Lynn,  Mass.,  1879;  Bridge- 
port, Conn.,  1880;  Bordentown,  N.  J.,  1883;  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  1884;  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  1886;  Jamaica,  L.  I.,  N.  Y., 
1889;  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  1891  ;  Walnut  Hills,  Ohio,  1896; 
Dayton,  Ohio,  1897.  Bought  church  and  parsonage 
at  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  in  1S86  at  a  cost  of  $1,000;  bought 
church  at  Westberry,  L.  I.,  N.  Y.,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000 
in  1889.  Secured  parsonage  at  Bordentown,  N.  J.,  in 
1883  at  the  amount  of  $1,900. 

He  has  received  833  people  into  the  church,  bap- 
tized 780  and  married  670.  Was  delegate  to  General 
Conferences  at  Indianapolis  and  Norfolk,  Va.  Mem- 
ber of  the  Missionary  Board  in  1892.  Made  a  pro- 
fessor at  Wilberforce  in   1892. 

In  1879  he  married  Sarah  Black,  of  Baltimore, 
Md.  They  had  fourteen  children.  The  following  ones 
have  graduated :  Eugene,  Henry,  Wendell,  William, 
Ruby  and  Elizabeth.  All  of  these  have  good  positions. 
Dr.  Talbert  is  Editor  and  Manager  of  "The  African 
Watchman."  Has  written  the  following  pamphlets 
and  books:     "Life  and  Times  of  Moses,"  "Qualifica- 


tion Needed  to  Succeed  in  the  Methodist  Ministry," 
and  "The  Sons  of  Allen,"  "My  Graduation  Ode,"  a 
musical  selection. 

Talbert,  Mr.  Henry  P.,  is  one  of  ten  sons  born  to 
Doctor  and  Mrs.  Horace  Talbert;  was  born  in  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  March  13,  1884.  He,  with  his  parents,  moved 
to  Wilberforce  University,  Ohio,  in  the  fall  of  1892, 


MR.  HENRY  P.  TALBERT. 

where  he  received  his  training.  He  was  connected 
with  Wilberforce  University  from  1908  to  1916  as  as- 
sistant secretary,  and  for  a  short  time  acting  secre- 
tary of  the  institution.  Mr.  Talbert  is  director  of  the 
public  schools  of  Wilberforce  and  a  clerk  of  the  elec- 
tion board  of  his  precinct,  and  in  19 10  was  appointed 
one  of  the  representatives  of  Holy  Trinity  church, 
Wilberforce,  O.,  to  the  Laymen's  Missionary  Con- 
vention in  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  in  May,  1915,  was  elect- 
ed lay  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference 
from  the  Ohio  conference.  He  is  a  steward  in  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church  at  Wilberforce.  Mr.  Talbert  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Dora  A.  Russell,  of  Xenia,  Ohio,  in  June, 
1909.     Four  children  have  come  to  bless  their  home. 

Tanner,   Benjamin  Tucker,   eighteenth   bishop   of 
the   A.   M.    E.   Church,  was   born   in    Pittsburgh,   Pa., 


BISHOP  B.  T.  TANNER,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

December  25,  1835,  tnc  son  °f  Hugh  S.  and  Isabel  H. 
Tanner ;  was  educated  at  Avery  College,  Allegheny, 
and  Western  Theological  Seminary ;  received  the  A.M. 


220 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


•e 


degree  from  Avery  in  1870;  D.D.  and  LL.D.  from 
Wilberforce;  married  Sarah  E.  Miller,  August  19, 
1858;  was  converted  in  Pittsburg  in  1856  and  joined 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church ;  was  licensed  to  preach  1856  by- 
Rev.  J.  A.  Warren ;  admitted  to  conference  and  or- 
dained deacon  in  i860;  also  elder  the  same  year;  was 
editor  of  the  Christian  Recorder  from  1868  to  1884; 
founder  and  editor  A.  M.  E.  Church  Review,  1884-8; 
elected  bishop  in  1888;  retired  in  1908.  Author:  "The 
Origin  of  the  Negro,"  "Is  the  Negro  Cursed?"  "Apol- 
ogy for  African  Methodism,"  "Outline  of  A.  M.  E. 
Church  Historv,"  "The  Dispensations  in  the  History 
of  the  Church,"  "The  Negro  in  Holy  Writ,"  "Hints 
to  Ministers,  Especially  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church," 
"The  Color  of  Solomon — What?"  He  was  a  delegate 
to  the  third  Ecumenical  Conference  of  Methodism, 
September,  1901,  in  London,  England,  and  read  a  pa- 
per before  that  body  on  "The  Elements  of  Pulpit  Ef- 
fectiveness." He  is  the  father  of  Henry  O.  Tanner, 
distinguished  artist  of  Paris,  France;  Dr. -Carl  Tanner, 
of  Georgia ;  Mrs.  Bell  Temple,  one  of  the  editors  of 
the  Women's  Recorder,  and  Dr.  Hallie  Johnson  (de- 
ceased), first  Negro  woman  physician  of  Alabama, 
and  three  other  daughters. 

Taylor,  George  C,  was  born  in  Putnam  Co.,  near 
Eatonton,  Ga.,  July  12,  1862.  His  parents  were  George 
and  Mary  Anne  Taylor.  He  was  reared  in  Sparta,  Ga., 
and  worked  on  his  father's  farm.  He  received  his  first 
schooling  in  the  public  schools  of  that  town.     He  en- 


REV.  GEORGE  CLAUDIUS  TAYLOR,  D.D. 

tered  the  Payne  College,  of  Augusta,  Ga.,  in  1884, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1888.  Feeling  the  need  of 
better  preparation  for  his  vocation  he  entered  Gam- 
mon Theological  Seminary  in  1891,  and  graduated  in 
1893.  Payne  Theological  Seminary  conferred  the  hon- 
orary degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  on  him  in  1903. 

He  was  converted  in  Sparta,  Ga.,  in  1879,  and  re- 
ceived into  the  church  by  Rev.  Wm.  Smalley.  He  has 
served  in  every  office  in  the  church  from  a  Sunday 
School  teacher  to  a  Presiding  Elder.  He  was  licens- 
ed to  exhort  by  Rev.  Samuel  Stinson,  in  1881,  and 
licensed  to  preach  by  Elder  J.  R.  Jones,  in  1883.  Joined 


the  traveling  connection  in  1886;  ordained  deacon  in 
1887,  at  Milledgeville,  Ga.,  and  ordained  elder  in  1889, 
at  Atlanta,  Ga. 

He  bought  the  church  lot  for  the  Methodist 
Church  of  East  Athens,  Ga. ;  paid  the  church  out  of 
debt  in  West  Augusta,  Ga. ;  remodeled  the  church  at 
Elberton,  Ga.,  at  a  cost  of  $1,200;  bought  the  church 
lot  on  West  Mitchell  Street,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  was 
transferred  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  made  Presiding 
Elder  of  the  Washington  District.  Built  the  church 
at  Oakland,  Md.,  and  renovated  the  church  at  West- 
ernport,  Md.  Paid  off  a  debt  on  the  church  at  Hagers- 
town  which  had  been  standing  for  twenty-six  years, 
and  left  enough  money-in  the  bank  to  pay  off  the  sec- 
ond mortgage  debt  on  the  church. 

Bishop  Lee  asked  him  to  go  to  Newport  News, 
Va.,  and  save  our  church,  which  was  to  be  sold  in 
thirty  days.  He  consented  and  saved  the  church,  and 
bought  a  nice  nine-room  parsonage.  He  remodeled 
the  parsonage  at  Oceana,  Va.,  and  comfortably  furn- 


MRS.  G.  C.  TAYLOR. 


ished  it.  At  Roanoke,  his  present  charge,  he  bought  a 
nice  lot  and  built  a  church  at  a  cost  of  $1,745,  and  has 
paid  more  than  half  of  it.  The  parsonage  is  being  re- 
modeled at  a  cost  of  $750  and  forty  clubs  are  at  work 
preparing  to  pay  for  it  when  completed. 

Since  he  has  been  in  the  ministry  he  has  taken 
into  the  church  3,763  souls  and  has  never  been  at  the 
Annual  Conference  and  reported  a  cent  behind  on  our 
General  Claims. 

Today  he  is  a  trustee  of  Kittrell  College,  and  a 
delegate  elected  to  represent  the  Virginia  Annual 
Conference  at  the  Centennial  General  Conference  to 
be  held  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  1916. 

Married  to  Miss  Siddie  A.  Morrison,  of  Augusta, 
Ga.,  1889,  who  traveled  with  him  and  helped  him  to 
build  up  the  Master's  Kingdom  for  twenty-four  years 
and  eight  months.  Unto  them  were  born  ten  children. 
She  died  at  Oceana,  Va.,  June  1,  1912,  and  was  buried 
in  Norfolk,  Va.,  in  Calvary  Cemetery. 

He  then  married  Mrs.  Nora  Belle  Satchell,  of 
Kindall  Grove,  Va.,  principal  of  the  Thernsville  grad- 
ed school,  who  is  helping  him  to  succeed  in  his  pres- 
ent charge. 


221 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Taylor,  Rev.  Frederick  D.,  was  born  of  Christian 
parents  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  April  i,  1859.  His  parents 
were  John  and  Katie  Taylor.  At  the  time  of  his  birth 
his  parents  were  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist 
Church  and  trained  their  children  up  in  that  faith.  He 
was  converted  in  his  youth.  In  1879,  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  he  married  Miss  Rosa  Williams,  who  was  of 
the  same  age.  One  child,  a  girl,  was  born  to  this 
union,  Katherine.  E.  Taylor.  His  wife  died  in  1882, 
leaving  him  the  care  of    the    infant    daughter,    who 


REV.  F.  D.  TAYLOR,  D.D. 

reached   an    honorable   womanhood    and    died    in    her 
senior  year  at  Wilberforce  University,  July  19,  1903. 
In  1885,  at  the  death  of  his  parents,  he  joined  the 

A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Edwardsville,  111.,  and  in  August, 
1893,  he  joined  the  Illinois  Conference  under  the  late 
Bishop  Wayman.  His  first  appointment  was  Quincy 
Mission,  Quincy,  111.  From  there  he  went  to  Villa 
Ridge,  111.,  where  he  married  Mrs.  Frances  E.  Todd, 
of  Quincy,  in  1894. 

At  Equality  (his  next  charge),  he  built  a  frame 
church  and  paid  for  it.  In  1896  Bishop  Arnett  trans- 
ferred him  to  the  Pittsburgh  Conference  under  Bishop 

B.  F.  Lee.  He  was  appointed  to  Charleston,  W.  Va., 
where  he  built  a  fine  brick  church  at  a  cost  of  $7,500. 
In  order  that  the  church  might  be  completed  for  the 
conference  in  1897  he  and  his  wife  obligated  them- 
selves for  and  paid  several  hundred  dollars,  for  which 
they  took  notes,  but  they  were  never  paid.  The  trans- 
action was  unfortunate,  as  it  resulted  in  domestic 
trouble  later  on.  In  1898  he  was  transferred  to  the 
Ohio  Conference  by  Bishop  B.  F.  Lee,  in  order  that 
he  might  send  his  daughter  to  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity. Circleville  was  his  first  charge  in  that  confer- 
ence. From  there  he  was  sent  to  Sabina.  While 
pastoring  this  charge  he  took  a  correspondence  course 
in  theology  in  the  Iowa  Christian  College,  from  which 
he  graduated  with  the  degree  of  Master  of  Ancient 
Literature.  He  next  pastored  Ironton,  from  where  he 
was  sent  to  Mt.  Vernon  Ave.  Church,  Columbus,  to 
fill  out  the  unexpired  term  of  Rev.  J.  S.  Masterton. 
During  this  pastorate  the  old  church  was  sold  and  lots 
purchased  on  21st  Street  and  Mt.  Vernon  Ave.,  and  a 
beautiful  brick  building  erected  at  the  cost  of  more 
than  twenty  thousand  dollars.  From  this  point  he 
was  sent  as  a  presiding  elder  to  the  West  Virginia 


Conference.  He  was  returned  from  this  appointment 
by  Bishop  Derrick  to  the  Ohio  Conference,  to  succeed 
Rev.  W.  H.  Thomas  at  Portsmouth.  In  1910,  while 
pastoring  at  Georgetown,  he  married  Mrs.  Anna 
Blanche  Berry.  In  191 1  Bishop  Derrick  transferred 
him  to  the  North  Ohio  Conference  and  appointed  him 
to  Kenton,  where  the  old  church  being  condemned  by 
the  authorities  he  sold,  and  built  the  first  story  of  the 


MRS.  F.  D.  TAYLOR. 

new  church  at  a  cost  of  fourteen  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars.  One  thousand  dollars  were  paid  before  he 
left.  In  1913  he  was  sent  to  Van  Wert  and  Wren  by 
Bishop  Shaffer.  Here  the  old  church  was  dilapidated 
to  such  a  shape  you  could  not  remain  inside  when  it 
rained.  It  has  been  remodeled  at  a  cost  of  five  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five  dollars.  It  was  dedicated  to  C.  T. 
Shaffer.  In  191 5  he  was  transferred  to  the  Pittsburgh 
Annual  Conference  and  stationed  at  Donora,  Penna. 
In  all  of  these  churches  the  spiritual  interest  kept  pace 
with  the  financial. 

Taylor,  Mrs.  Nora  Fields,  the  evangelist,  was 
born  of  humble  Christian  parents  in  Carrollton,  Car- 
roll Co.,  Mo.,  January  22,  1870.  At  the  age  of  six 
years  was  found  to  be  an  exceptional  child.  She  was 
converted  at  the  age  of  12  years  and  began  an  active 
Christian  life.  She  was  greatly  intimidated  by  older 
persons  who  doubted  child  conversion.  However,  she 
joined  the  church  of  her  father  and  mother  and  was 
baptized  March,  1881,  and  became  a  teacher  in  the 
Sabbath  school.  She  also  spent  all  of  her  spare  time 
in  the  homes  of  the  sick,  the  infirm  and  distressed,  be- 
ing a  succor  to  many.  The  thought  of  her  conversion 
being  doubted,  weighed  heavily  upon  her,  so  at  the 
age  of  18  years  she  sought  positive  evidence  of  her 
acceptance  with  God  and  received  it,  and  having  then 
moved  to  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  she  joined  Ebenezer  A. 
M.  E.  Church  in  1888,  Rev.  B.  W.  Stewart,  pastor.  In 
March,  1889,  while  on  her  knees  at  the  altar  in  a  re- 
vival praying  over  mourners,  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
poured  out  on  her  and  God  gave  a  definite  call  to  the 
work  of  an  evangelist.  She  was  too  timid  to  begin  at 
once,  but  spent  13  years  in  preparation,  during  which 


222 


£ 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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time  she  served  three  years  as  stewardess  in  her  home 
church.  She  came  to  Chicago  in  1891  for  a  short  stay 
and  united  with  Quinn  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Rev. 
J.  T.  Jenifer,  pastor.  In  1892  she  moved  to  Chicago  to 
live,  bringing  her  letter  from  Ebenezer  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Kansas  City,  Mo.  She  was  received  into  full 
membership  of  Quinn  Chapel  by  Dr.  Geo.  C.  Booth, 
pastor,  where  she  spent  three  years  as  stewardess,  at 
the  same  time  doing  a  great  deal  of  prison  and  slum 
work.  The  Iowa  Annual  Conference,  which  met  at 
Des  Moines,  Iowa,  September,  1903,  Bishop  A.  Grant, 


MRS.  NORA  FIELDS  TAYLOR. 

of  sainted  memory  presiding  officially  authorized  her 
as  singing  missionary  evangelist  and  from  that  time 
she  has  given  her  life  to  the  call  of  God  and  the  cause 
of  humanity.  She  is  now  president  of  the  Local  Mite 
Missionary  Society  of  Quinn  Chapel,  president  of  the 
Chicago  District  Missionary  Society,  which  she  or- 
ganized, and  treasurer  of  the  Chicago  Conference 
Branch  Missionary  Society,  a  position  she  has  held  for 
several  years,  and  an  active  member  of  the  Parent 
Mite  Missionary  Society,  at  whose  conventions  in 
Chicago  and  Detroit  she  took  active  part.  She  has 
held  successful  revival  services  in  the  North  and  East, 
and  is  always  in  demand.  She  is  the  author  of  several 
songs  and  small  pamphlets,  and  is  a  woman  of  great 
force  and  unspotted  reputation. 

Thomas,  Rev.  Charles  Henry,  was  born  of  slave 
parents,  near  Decatur,  Morgan  County,  Alabama,  Au- 
gust 3d,  1849.  His  name  was  originally  Bolden 
Thompson,  but  he  ran  away  from  slavery  at  the  age 
of  thirteen  years  and  changed  his  name.  He  came 
with  the  34th  Indiana  to  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  where 
the  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  service.  He  went 
to  Greensburg,  Decatur  County,  Indiana,  where  he 
lived  in  the  family  of  Captain  William  Joshlin,  who 
befriended  him  and  helped  him  in  his  education. 

He  attended  the  First  M.  E.  Sunday  school,  having 
learned  the  barber's  trade ;  he  went  to  Indianapolis, 
pursued  his  trade,  studied  in  Bryant  and  Stratton's 
Business  College  at  night ;  also  in  a  school  in  Allen 
Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church.    He  moved  to  Franklin,  Ind., 


and  there  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  afterwards  re- 
turning to  Indianapolis  to  go  into  business.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  and  joined  the  Indiana  Conference 
at  Ypsilanti,  Mich.,  in  1879,  under  Bishop  Shorter.  He 
served  the  following  charges:  Spencer  Circuit  (Ind.), 
2  years,  built  parsonage  and  repaired  church,  and  add- 
ed 11  members;  Brownsville  (Mich.)  Circuit,  2  years; 
Richmond,  Ind.,  2  years,  building  parsonage,  raising 
membership  from  47  to  133;  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  2 
years;  Jackson,  Mich.,  1  year;  Bethel,  Chicago;  St. 
Peter's,  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  9  months;  St.  James,  St. 
Paul,  3  months ;  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  2  years ;  Washing- 
ton, Iowa,  2  years;  Monmouth,  111.,  3  months;  presid- 
ing elder  of  Chicago  district,  2  years,  during  which 
time  churches  were  organized  at  Englewood  (St. 
John),  Hyde   Park,  and  North   Side,  Chicago    (Way- 


REV-  CHARLES  HENRY  THOMAS. 

man),  St.  Paul  Mission  and  Bismark,  N.  D.,  Mission, 
La  Grange  and  Hinsdale  Missions  reorganized ;  Gales- 
burg,  111.,  1  year;  Rock  Island,  1  year;  Batavia,  1  year; 
Litchfield  and  Taylorville  Circuit  (111.)  1  year;  Quincy 
and  Pittsfield  Circuit ;  Belleville  and  Kohoky  Circuit, 
2  years;  Clinton,  la.,  2  years;  Cedar  Rapids,  la.,  Trin- 
ity Mission,  Chicago,  1  year;  Burlington,  la.,  3  years; 
Madison,  Wis.,  2  years,  and  is  now  evangelist  of  the 
Chicago  Annual  Conference. 

He  was  a  delegate  to  the  convention  of  colored 
men  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  in  1884.  He  presented  a  plan 
for  a  temperance  department  to  the  Bishops'  Council, 
at  Columbus,  Ohio ;  was  nominated  for  legislature, 
was  delegate  to  National  Negro  Educational  Congress, 
and  connected  with  the  Wisconsin  exhibit  at  the  Half 
Century  Lincoln  Jubilee  of  Freedom  at  Chicago  in 
I9I5- 

Thomas,  John  Edward,  was  born  in  "Thomas 
Town,"  Bishopville,  South  Carolina,  August  19,  1875. 
His  father,  Mr.  Ned  Thomas,  a  soldier  and  farmer, 
and  his  mother,  Mrs.  Hettie  Thomas,  were  practically 
unlearned,  but  endeavored  to  give  their  eleven  chil- 
dren a  good  education.  John  Edward  worked  on  the 
farm  and  attended  the  public  school  until  of  age.  He 
entered  Allen  University,  October  1,  1894,  and  gradu- 


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ated  from  the  Normal  Course,  and  in  Law  in  1898, 
under  the  presidency  of  Rev.  W.  D.  Chappelle.  His 
father  having  died,  he  had  to  leave  college  and  take 
charge  of  the  farm.  He  also  taught  the  "Thomas 
Town"  school  one  year,  and  the  St.  Charles  school 
one  vear;  was  principal  of  the  Whitamore  graded 
school,  Conway,  S.  C,  two  years ;  principal  of  the  Fleg- 
ler  High  School,  Marion,  S.  C,  two  years.  He  had 
been  a  probationer  in  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Eishopville,  from  boyhood.  After  witnessing  the  new 
birth,  he  was  called  to  the  ministry  and  licensed  to 
exhort  and  to  preach  by  Rev.  C.  P.  Nelson,  pastor, 
and  Rev.  G.  J.  Hamilton,  P.  E.  After  teaching  on  the 
Waccamaw,    Little    River    section,    and    preaching    a 


REV.  J.  E.  THOMAS,  A.B.,  B.D. 

while,  he  entered  Turner  Theological  Seminary,  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  1905,  worked  at  night,  studied  during  the 
day,  and  graduated  with  B.D.  degree  in  1907.  After 
pastoring  Allen  Mission  he  was  ordained  deacon  at 
"Thomas  Town"  by  Bishop  Turner,  and  appointed 
pastor  of  Trinity  Station,  South  Atlanta.  Here  the 
membership  was  doubled  and  the  church  remodeled. 
He  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Turner,  assisted  by 
Bishop  Smith.  He  finished  the  college  course  at  Mor- 
ris Brown  College  June,  1908.  He  married  Miss  Hat- 
tie  Louise  Ware,  who  graduated  from  Clark  Univer- 
sity, and  was  appointed  by  Bishop  Smith  as  pastor 
of  the  Rock  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Conyers,  Ga.,  succeed- 
ed one  year  and  transferred  to  the  N.  E.  South  Car- 
olina Conference,  Bishop  Lee  presiding,  and  sent  to 
Hartsville  Mission ;  from  there  to  Camden  Mission, 
where  he  served  acceptably  ten  months.  Then  he 
was  sent  to  Allen  Temple  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Green- 
ville, S.  C,  October  26,  1910;  remained  there  four 
years  and  five  weeks,  doubled  the  membership,  im- 
proved the  property,  both  church  and  parsonage,  and 
left  $750  for  the  new  church,  all  mortgages  having 
been  burned  during  his  stay.  In  1914  he  was  appoint- 
ed presiding  elder  of  the  Newberry  District  and  in 
191 5  was  re-appointed  and  elected  a  delegate  to  the 
Centennial  General  Conference  from  the  Piedmont 
Conference.  He  has  three  children.  Louise  Eddie, 
Gladys  Madora  and  Francis. 


Thomas,  Rev.  Lawrence,  was  born  at  Mariana, 
Fla.,  about  1848  or  1849,  but  was  reared  in  Atlanta, 
Ga.  His  education  was  obtained  from  some  of  the 
first  missionary  teachers  that  came  to  Georgia  after 
the  war  of  secession,  among  whom  was  Prof.  Edmund 
A.  Ware,  founder  and  first  president  of  Atlanta  Uni- 
versity. This  training  was  afterwards  supplemented 
by  private  instruction  running  through  almost  all  the 
rest  of  his  life.  In  younger  manhood  he  taught  school 
with  marked  success  and  at  the  same  time  was  inter- 
ested in  business  ventures.  During  his  whole  life  as 
a  man  his  word  was  unquestioned  and  his  check  good 
with  business  men  wherever  he  was  known. 

Soon  after  the  war  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
under  the  influence  of  Rev.  J.  A.  Wood,  in  Atlanta, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  Georgia  Conference  in  1869. 
From  that  time  to  the  day  of  his  death  he  was  ever 


REV.  LAWRENCE  THOMAS. 

faithful  to  everv  trust  and  pastored  successfully  some 
of  the  most  important  charges  in  our  Southern  work, 
among  which  were  Mt.  Zion,  Jacksonville,  Fla. ;  St. 
James,  Columbus,  Ga.,  and  Big  Bethel,  Atlanta  Ga. 
The  present  site  of  that  great  church  was  purchased 
and  a  magnificent  building  erected  during  his  pas- 
torate. The  building  was  afterwards  remodeled  on 
account  of  certain  errors  made  by  the  firm  of  archi- 
tects that  furnished  the  plans. 

He  was  always  deeplv  interested  in  all  questions 
involving  the  interest  of  his  people  or  his  church,  and 
was  associated  with  Bishop  Gaines  and  others  in  the 
building  of  Morris  Brown  College  from  the  beginning 
He  was  a  liberal  giver  while  he  lived,  and  bequeathed 
his  library  to  that  institution.  He  was  alive  to  the 
material  advancement  of  our  people,  and  hundreds  of 
persons  in  Georgia  would  gladly  testify  to  the  fact 
that  they  owe  their  first  start  upward  to  his  advice 
and  example. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  general  conference  ot 
1880  at  St.  Louis;  1884,  Baltimore;  1888,  Indianapolis, 
and  1896,  Wilmington,  N.  C. 

Was  married  in  i860,  to  Miss  Mary  Green  Tinslev, 
of  Atlanta,  and  eleven  children  were  born  to  them.  He 
died  at  his  home  in  Atlanta,  Dec.  1,  1899.  loved  and 
honored  by  all  who  knew  him. 


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Thomas,  Rev.  Wm.  H.,  was  born  in  Utica,  New 
York,  October  22,  1871,  and  is  a  son  of  the  late  Rev. 
Wm.  H.  Thomas,  Sr.,  who  for  many  years  was  one 
of  the  honored  preachers  of  the  New  England  Confer- 
ence and  who  in  1902  was  transferred  to  the  pastorate 
of  Mother  Bethel,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  where  he  died  in 
1903.  !   H--*i--*\Q 

Rev.  Wm.  H.  Thomas,  Jr.,  was  educated  in  the 
public  and  high  schools  of  New  England.  In  1890  he 
entered  the  Lincoln  University,  the  Alma  Mater  of 
his  father,  where  he  was  graduated  from  both  the  col- 
lege and  theological  departments.  In  1895  he  joined  the 
New  England  Conference  and  was  ordained  deacon 
under  the  missionary  rule  and  sent  to  Jamestown,  R. 
I.,  where  he  organized  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  bought 
the  property  which  we  hold  there  today.     In  1897  he 


REV.  WILLIAM  H.  THOMAS,  JR.,  D.D. 

was  sent  to  Chelsea,  Mass.,  a  suburb  of  Boston,  where 
he  labored  for  three  years,  during  which  time  he  took 
the  post-graduate  course  at  Boston  University,  School 
of  Theology.  He  received  the  Master's  degree  from 
his  Alma  Mater  in  1897,  and  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  in  1913. 

His  successive  pastorates  have  been  New  Bed- 
ford, Mass. ;  Providence,  R.  I, ;  Newport,  R.  I.,  where 
during  a  five  year  pastorate  he  burnt  the  mortgage 
which  had  been  standing  for  thirty-three  years ;  his 
next  pastorate  was  at  the  old  historic  Charles  Street 
Church,  Boston,  Mass.  His  work  here  attracted  such 
attention  that  when  the  pulpit  of  Allen  Chapel,  Kan- 
sas City,  Mo.,  the  seat  of  the  general  conference  of 
1912,  became  vacant,  he  was  invited  by  Bishop  H.  B. 
Parks  to  become  its  pastor,  which  pastorate  he  as- 
sumed in  October,  1913.  His  work  at  Kansas  City  has 
been  steadily  successful ;  over  five  hundred  members 
have  been  added  to  the  Church  in  less  than  two  years. 

In  1901  he  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Emily 
Webster,  of  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  who  has  been  a  help- 
mate in  every  wav.  Three  children — two  boys  and  a 
girl — adorn  their  happy  home. 

Rev.  Thomas  is  not  long  in  a  city  before  he  identi- 
fies himself  with  all  matters  of  public  interest.  He 
seeks  to  come  in  touch  with  the  larger  relationships  of 
life.    He  is  a  man  of  broad  sympathies  and  is  genuine- 


ly fraternal.  He  never  shirks.  He  is  always  at  his 
post,  and  can  be  counted  on.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
general  conference  of  1912  from  New  England  Con- 
ference, and  is  a  member  of  the  Centennial  General 
Conference  of  1916.  He  was  an  officially  appointed 
delegate  from  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  the  Second 
Quadrennial  Council  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  which  convened  in 
Chicago,  December  4-9,  1912. 

Thompson,  Blanche  Victoria,  daughter  of  James 
and  Elizabeth  Thompson ;  was  born  in  Goldsboro,  N. 
C.  She  was  one  of  10  children.  Her  father  died 
when  she  was  quite  young,  and  her  mother  moved  to 
Philadelphia.  She  entered  school  when  six  years  of 
age,  receiving  her  education  in  the  Philadelphia  pub- 
lic schools.  She  graduated  from  the  High  and  Normal 
School  of  Philadelphia,  completing  a  six  year  course 


MISS  BLANCHE  V.  THOMPSON. 

in  four  years.  She  has  been  teaching  in  the  Philadel- 
phia public  schools  since  1908.  Besides  carrying  on 
her  school  work  she  is  matriculated  in  Temple  Uni- 
versity, taking  a  course  for  A.B.  degree.  She  was 
converted  in  1898,  and  is  a  member  of  Mt.  Pisgah  A. 
M.E.  Church.  She  has  been  a  Sunday  school  teacher, 
superintendent  of  primary  department  and  is  district 
superintendent  of  the  West  Philadelphia  district  Sun- 
day schools. 

Thompson,  Charles  Wesley,  was  born  in  Caroline 
County,  Md.,  in  1870,  one  of  the  thirteen  children  of 
J.  M.  and  Marv  Thompson,  who  were  both  members 
of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Charles  began  school  at  the 
age  of  15,  attending  10  years  in  all.  He  started  at 
Princess  Ann  Academy,  Md.,  the  Delaware  State  Col- 
lege and  the  Extension  University,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
1882.  He  has  held  all  the  offices  in  the  local  church. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1892  in  Maryland  by 
Rev.  A.  R.  Shorley ;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1896,  in 
Philadelphia,  by  Bishop  Grant,  and  Elder  in  1902 
in  Indiana  by  Bishop  Grant.,     In  1897  he  joined  the 


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Annual  Conference  in  Philadelphia,  Bishop  Grant  pre- 
siding. He  has  held  the  following  appointments : 
West  Dover,  Del.,  three  years ;  Coatesville,  three 
years ;  Wayman,  Indianapolis,  three  years ;  Joliet, 
111.,  three  years;  Carbondale,  111.,  three  years;  Alton, 
111.,  three  years;  Louisville,  Ky.,  St.  James,  three 
vears,  and  is  now  presiding  elder  of  the  Louisville 
District.  He  built  St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  West 
Dover,  Del,  at  a  cost  of  $500,  in  1898;  Brown's  Chapel, 
Joliet,  111.,  at  a  cost  of  $800,  in  1901 ;  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Carbondale,  111.,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000,  in  1904; 
Campbell  Chapel,  Alton,  111.,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000,  in 
1907,  and  St.  James,  Louisville,  Ky.,  at  a  cost  of  $500, 
in  191 1.  He  lifted  a  mortgage  of  $1,700  on  Wayman 
Chapel,  Indianapolis ;  a  mortgage  of  $340  on  the 
Church  at  Coatesville,  and  a  $500  mortgage  on  St. 
Tames,  Louisville.  He  has  taken  into  the  church  300 
people  and  baptized  175.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Estella 
Thompson,  of  Sparta,  111.,  he  married  in  1906,  and 
they  have  one  son.  Rev.  Thompson  has  the  degree 
of  D.D.,  and  has  twice  been  elected  a  member  of  the 
World's  Christian  Endeavor  Convention.  He  has 
contributed  to  the  Christian  Recorder,  Voice  of  Mis- 
sions, and  was  editor  of  the  Kentucky  Reporter.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  U.  B.  F.  and  K.  of  P.,  in  which  or- 
ganization he  has  served  as  chaplain.  He  was  a  no- 
tary public  for  four  years  in  Illinois.  He  served  as 
corresponding  secretary  of  the  Home  Finding  So- 
ciety, of  Louisville.  Politically  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  he  owns  a  home. 

Thompson,  Rev.  J.  O.  S.,  of  Lower  Buchanan,  Li- 
beria, Africa,  was  born  a  slave,  in  Jackson,  La.,  July 
27,  i860.  His  father  entered  the  Civil  War,  and  was  a 
member  of  Company  D,  Eighty-fourth  Colored  United 
States  Troops,  and  his  mother,  thinking  that  her  hus- 
band had  been  killed,  moved  to  Arkansas  in  1865,  and 
there  was  married  again,  to  William  Reed,  January  23, 
1879.  His  mother  died  March  14,  1879,  leaving  four 
small  children,  two  boys  and  two  girls,  who  were 
cared  for  until  1882  by  their  step-father.  In  1882  Rev. 
Thompson  entered  Natchez  -  Seminary,  working  his 
way  through  school  by  milking  cows,  sawing  wood, 
washing,  etc.  Began  teaching  school  in  1884,  and 
aided  his  younger  brothers  and  sisters  in  their  educa- 
tion. Married  Miss  Martha  Moore  in  1885.  Married 
again  in  1888  to  Mrs.  T.  J.  Gelippie,  of  Pine  Bluff, 
Ark.,  who  still  labors  with  him.  He  was  converted 
March  11,  1891.  In  1895  he  felt  called  to  the  ministry, 
but  sought  not  to  obey  the  call,  which,  however,  was 
so  insistent,  that  in  1908  he  felt  impressed  to  enter  the 
foreign  mission  field,  and  that  year  went  with  Bishop 
Heard  to  Liberia,  where  he  has  had  a  successful  eight 
years  stay.  He  is  presiding  elder  of  the  Lower  Buch- 
anan District  in  Liberia  Annual  Conference,  which 
has  a  membership  of  278  and  six  appointments.  Rev. 
Thompson  and  his  wife  have  sacrificed  much  for  the 
good  of  the  work  to  which  God  seems  to  have  called 
them. 


Thompson,  Rev.  William,  was  born  in  Marion 
County,  Fla.,  1872 ;  converted  in  1889,  at  Palatka,  under 
Rev.  S.  P.  Patties.  He  has  built  four  churches  and 
pastored  Loveview  Mission,  Nesbit,  Silver  Hill,  Fett- 
nal  Point  and  North  Palatka,  in  the  Central  Florida 
Conference. 


Thornton,  Rev.  Montrose  William,  was  born  at 
Mt.  Pleasant,  Iowa,  February  3,  1873.  His  early  life 
was  spent  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town  un- 
til his  twelfth  year.  His  parents  moving  to  Des 
Moines,  Iowa,  he  entered  the  High  School,  completed 
the  course  with  honor,  ranking  with  the  youngest 
graduates  of  this  school.  He  took  a  business  course  at 
the  Capital  City  Commercial  College,  expecting  to 
enter  business.  At  this  time  he  was  impressed  with 
the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry.  Being  a  Christian 
and  a  member  of  the  African  M.  E.  Church  since  eight 
years  old,  an  officer  and  superintendent  at  the  time  in 
the  St.  Paul  Church  and  Sunday  school,  he  entered 
Drake  University  as  a  divinity  student,  becoming  its 
first  Negro  graduate,  June  15,  1892,  receiving  the 
bachelor's  degree.  He  went  South  and  served  a  year 
in  the  Freedmen's  Bureau.  Having  been  ordained 
elder  upon  graduation,  one  of  the  theological  condi- 
tions of  Drake,  he  joined  the  West  Tennessee  Confer- 
ence, at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  November  13,  1892.  He  was 
ordained  a  deacon  bv  Bishop  John  M.  Brown,  and  ap- 
pointed to  Etna  and  Allen  Creek,  Tenn.  Transferred 
to  the  Iowa  Conference,  September  12,  1893,  assigned 


REV.  MONTROSE  WILLIAM  THORNTON,  D.D. 

to  Iowa  City,  Iowa,  thence  Davenport  and  Washing- 
ton. Transferred  to  the  Illinois  Conference  and  as- 
signed to  Carmi  Circuit.  Re-obligated  as  an  elder  at 
Peoria,  111.,  presided  over  by  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett, 
transferred  to  the  Michigan  Conference  and  assigned 
at  Lansing,  August  13,  1896.  Married  Miss  Olive  E. 
Black,  of  Wabash,  Ind.,  September  1,  1897,  from 
which  union  their  were  born  four  children.  Appointed 
pastor  at  Logansport,  Ind.  Transferred  to  the  Cen- 
tral Mississippi  Conference  January  23,  1898,  to  take 
charge  of  the  educational  work  of  the  Eighth  Episco- 
pal District ;  appointed  educational  commissioner  and 
president  of  Campbell  College  under  Bishop  W.  B. 
Derrick.  It  was  here  the  subject  of  our  sketch  began 
to  demonstrate  his  great  abilities  as  an  organizer  and 
a  man  of  affairs,  and  came  into  connectional  promi- 
nence. Five  acres  of  land  were  purchased,  the  first 
college  building  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $3000,  fully 
equipped,  and  an  enrollment  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
students  recorded;  under  his  management  Campbell 


226 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


a 


prospered.  Elected  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ence at  Columbus,  Ohio,  he  was  transferred  to  the 
Philadelphia  Conference,  and  was  assigned  to  Bryn 
Mawr,  Pa.,  June  n,  1900,  and  educational  commission- 
er of  the  First  Episcopal  District;  June  3,  1901,  ap- 
pointed presiding  elder  of  the  Harrisburg  District; 
October  16,  1902,  appointed  pastor  of  Bethel,  Wil- 
mington, Del.,  the  second  largest  church  in  the  con- 
ference, where  he  served  for  five  years,  breaking  any 
previous  record  of  time,  made  numerous  improve- 
ments, established  the  fund  for  relieving  the  mort- 
gage on  the  parsonage ;  became  most  prominent  in  the 
fight  against  the  mobs  that  burned  George  White, 
stirring  the  country  with  his  burning  words  of  denun- 
ciation which  held  the  attention  of  the  press  of  the 
country  for  several  days.  Was  a  delegate  to  the 
general  conference  at  Chicago,  in  1904;  was  elected 
leader  of  his  conference  as  delegate  to  the  gen- 
eral conference  at  Norfolk,  in  1908,  and  appointed 
pastor  of  Mother  Bethel,  Philadelphia,  May  15,  1907, 
serving  this  historic  church  for  five  years,  breaking 
the  record  of  time  in  successive  appointments.  Here 
he  reduced  the  bonded  indebtedness  from  $24,000  to 
$16,000,  burned  one  of  the  mortgages,  completed  the 
tomb  of  the  sainted  Bishop  Allen  and  other  endeavors 
that  made  his  pastorate  one  of  the  most  brilliant  in 
the  history  of  Bethel.  Was  appointed  presiding  elder 
of  the  Philadelphia  District,  the  mother  district  of  the 
connection  at  Chester,  Pa.,  June,  1912,  where  he 
served  with  distinction,  being  called  to  the  Charles 
Street  Church,  Boston,  to  assume  the  pastorate  in  the 
vacancy  made  by  the  transfer  of  Rev.  W.  H.  Thomas ; 
here,  as  elsewhere,  Dr.  Thornton  is  doing  a  great 
work.  One  mortgage  paid  and  electric  lights  installed 
after  forty  years  at  present  site.  Dr.  Thornton  is  the 
recipient  of  the  doctor's  degrees  from  three  colleges, 
Campbell  College,  Jackson,  Miss. ;  Paul  Quinn  College 
and  Wilberforce  University,  and  the  philosophy  degree 
from  the  Philadelphia  Bible  College.  He  is  the  au- 
thor of  several  books,  under  nom  de  plume  titles;  he 
has  edited  a  magazine,  several  weekly  papers,  and  a 
contributor  to  racial  and  church  literature.  He  is  vice- 
president  of  the  National  Equal  Rights  League ;  has 
presided  and  addressed  large  audiences  at  Faneuil 
Hall,  Boston :  Tremont  Temple  and  other  historic 
forums.  He  is  the  leader  of  the  delegation  from  the 
New  England  Annual  Conference  to  the  Centennial 
General  Conference  of  1916. 

Tillman,  Dr.  George  M.,  is  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, having  been  born  and  reared  on  a  farm  in  York 
County,  forty  miles  from  Baltimore.  Born  of  pious 
parents,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  converted  at 
seventeen,  and  soon  after  entered  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity, where  by  dint  of  much  hard  work  and  sacrifice 
he  was  able  to  stay  four  years,  part  of  which  time  he 
lived  in  the  home  of  Bishop  Shorter,  who  proved  a 
strong  friend  to  the  young  lad. 

While  at  Wilberforce  the  young  student  was  li- 
censed to  preach,  and  was  sent  by  Bishop  Payne  to 
supply  both  Cedarville  and  Selina,  Ohio.  The  next 
decisive  step  of  his  life  was  the  entering  of  the  active 
ministry  in  1890,  at  Galesburg,  111.,  under  Bishop 
Brown,  as  a  member  of  the  Iowa,  now  the  Chicago 
Conference. 

He  has  served  successively :  Yankton,  S.  D. ;  Os- 
ceola, Newton,  Davenport,    Keokuk    and    Clinton,  in 


Iowa,  and  five  years  at  St.  John's  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Chicago,  where  he  paid  off  the  mortgage,  improved 
the  property  and  more  than  trebled  the  membership. 
From  Chicago  he  was  sent  by  Bishop  Grant  to  Payne 
Chapel,  Colorado  Springs ;  here  he  paid  the  church 
debt  and  purchased  a  handsome    six-room    parsonage, 


DR.  G.  M.  TILLMAN. 

with  bath,  electricity,  gas  and  a  handsome  lawn,  at  a 
cost  of  $2500.  From  this  point  he  went  to  Oakland, 
Cal.,  to  the  pastorate  of  the  First  A.  M.  E.  Church.  A 
splendid  revival  was  held  here,  over  a  hundred  dollars 
raised  each  Easter  for  missions  and  the  debt  reduced. 
From  Oakland  the  doctor  went  to  Pasadena,  in  South- 


MRS.  KATHERINE  D.  TILLMAN,  A.M. 

ern  California,  where  he  built  a  beautiful  $10,000  con- 
crete church  in  mission  style;  bought  and  remodeled 
a  five-room  modern  parsonage;  held  successful  re- 
vivals each  year,  and  increased  all  conference  claims. 
After  a  three  years/    stay   at    Pasadena,  Dr.  Tillman 


227. 


<B 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


was  brought  by  Bishop  Parks  to  the  North  Missouri 
Conference,  and  appointed  presiding  elder  of  St. 
Joseph  District.  After  a  most  successful  year's  labor 
with  the  splendid  ministers  of  this  district  he  was  as- 
signed to  the  historic  church  at  Hannibal,  where  he 
remained  two  years,  reducing  the  mortgage  and  pay- 
ing oft  many  floating  debts,  with  Dr.  R.  L.  Beal  as 
presiding  elder.  At  the  last  session  of  the  North  Mis- 
souri Conference,  Dr.  Tillman  was  assigned  to  St. 
Paul's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  the  head  of  the  Columbia 
District,  with  Rev.  P.  C.  Crews  as  presiding  elder.  A 
robed  choir,  garbed  stewardess  board,  Junior  League 
choir,  and  five  hundred  dollars  raised  are  the  improve- 
ments made  in  the  two  months  of  his  stay  in  his  new 
field.  Dr.  Tillman  is  an  earnest,  aggressive  pastor, 
and  has  a  wife,  Mrs.  Katherine  D.  Tillman,  who  takes 
a  deep  interest  in  his  work  and  plans.  She  is  a  great 
lover  of  the  missionary  work  and  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  conference  branch  at  their  last  session  in 
St.  Joseph. 

Since  leaving  school  Dr.  Tillman  has  studied  at 
Moody  Institute,  Chicago ;  Bible  School  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Berkeley.  Cal.,  and  with  private  teachers. 
His  sermons  are  marked  by  deep  spirituality,  and  have 
resulted  in  the  transformation  of  many  lives.  His  con- 
ference has  honored  him  with  the  position  of  trustee 
of  Western  University,  and  elected  him  first  alternate 
to  the  general  conference.  Campbell  College  gave 
him  the  degree  of  D.D.  in  1914. 


Tillman,  Mrs.  Katherine  D.,  is  a  product  of  Illi- 
nois, and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  at  the  State  University,  the  public  schools 
of  Yankton,  S.  D.,  and  was  for  awhile  a  student  at 
Wilberforce.  Mrs.  Tillman  has  a  strong  literary  ten- 
dency and  has  been  a  constant  contributor  to  church 
and  secular  periodicals.  She  has  published  in  book 
form  "How  to  Live  Well  on  a  Small  Salary,"  "The 
Afro-American  Queen,"  "Thirty  Years  of  Freedom." 
Of  her  recitations  and  dramas,  "Fifty  Years  of  Free- 
dom" is  well-known  and  over  a  thousand  copies  of 
her  poem,  "Bring  Me  the  Flowers  Now,"  have  been 
sold,  and  there  is  a  constant  demand  for  her  poems 
and  plays  for  entertainments.  Mrs.  Tillman  has  a 
book  of  new  plays  and  poems  almost  ready  for  the 
press  now. 

She  is  an  enthusiastic  worker  in  the  W.  M.  M.  S., 
serving  as  secretary  of  the  Iowa  branch  twelve  years. 
She  is  now  president  of  the  North  Missouri  Confer- 
ence Branch.  She  is  also  president  of  the  Tunior 
League  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Columbia,  Mrs.  Tillman 
has  also  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  work  of  the  fed- 
erated clubs,  and  is  honorary  president  of  the  City 
Federation  of  Colorado  Springs,  honorary  president 
of  the. California  State  Federation,  and  is  serving  her 
sixth  year  as  an  officer  of  the  National  Association  of 
Colored  Women,  being  elected  chairman  of  wavs  and 
means,  and  afterwards  appointed  by  Mrs.  Booker  T. 
Washington  as  superintendent  of  public  posters  and 
prints.  She  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  G.  M.  Tillman,  pastor 
of  St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Columbia,  Mo. 


Tisdale,  James,  was  born  at  Taft,  S.  C,  April  12, 
1883,  converted  August  21,  1906,  and  became  a  mem- 
ber of  St.  Mary  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Taft,  S.  C.  He  is  an 
ardent  church  and  Sunday  school  worker.    His  life  has 


not  been  one  round  of  success.  He  has  regarded  fail- 
ures as  stepping  stones  to  success.  His  parents  were 
great  church  workers. 


JAMES  TISDALE. 


Townsend,  Rev.  James  Matthew,  was  born  in 
Gallipolis,  Ohio,  August  18,  1841,  the  only  son  of  his 
parents,  who  gave  him  the  most  careful  religious  and 
moral  instruction.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  after  moving 
to  Oxford,  Ohio,  he  professed  religion  and  united  with 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  had  a  common  school  edu- 
cation, to  which  he  added  much  by  habits  of  reading 
and  thought.  He  became  an  exhorter  at  sixteen  and 
a  local  preacher  two  years  later.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  war  he  enlisted  in  the  Fifty-fourth  Massachusetts 
Volunteers,  and  served  till  the  close  of  the  war.  Dur- 
ing a  two  years'  stay  at  Oberlin  College,  at  the  close 
of  the  Avar,  he  lost  his  father,  and  upon  him  was  left 
the  care  of  the  family.  He  secured  a  commission  from 
the  American  Missionary  Board,  and  later  was  made 
principal  of  the  colored  schools  of  Evansville,  Ind. 

In  1871  Bishop  Wayman  ordained  him  deacon, 
and  the  same  year  he  married.  The  next  year  he  took 
a  charge  in  Richmond,  Ind.  Two  years  later  he  was 
ordained  elder  and  sent  to  Terre  Haute.  He  was  a 
delegate  in  1876  to  the  general  conference  and  served 
as  secretary  to  the  same.  The  same  year  he  was  sent 
to  Indianapolis,  and  while  here  was  elected  corre- 
sponding secretary  of  the  Parent  Home  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Society.  He  was  one  of  the  commission- 
ers on  "Organic  Union"  and  a  delegate  to  the  Ecu- 
menical Conference,  which  met  in  London,  in  1881.  A 
unique  accomplishment  of  his  was  the  securing  of  an 
iron  church  for  Hayti.  In  1884  he  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature  of  his  State. 

Townsend,  V.  M.,  is  a  native  of  Arkadelphia,  Ark., 
was  converted  at  the  age  of  thirteen  years  and  joined 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Though  a  child  and  converted 
in  a  big  Baptist  revival  with  many  others  who  went  to 
the  Baptist  Church,  he  was  the  one  in  the  whole  crowd 
that  could  not  be  moved  from  his  faith  in  the  African 
Methodist   Church.      He  worked    at  the    carpenter's 


228 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


trade  until  grown,  then  he  entered  the  ministry  of 
the  West  Arkansas  Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  receiving  his  first  appointment  to  a  mission 
charge  from  the  hands  of  Bishop  Derrick.  He  labored 
and  studied,  and  his  rapid  progress  soon  turned  the 
eyes  of  the  whole  state  upon  him.  Though  having 
been  admitted  into  the  conference  three  years  pre- 
vious, he  attended  the  general  conference  at  Columbus, 


REV.  V.  M.  TOWNSEND,  D.D. 

j 

Ohio,  in  1900,  and  again  at  Chicago  in  1904  at  his  own 
expense.  Because  of  young  Townsend's  push  and  ef- 
forts to  prepare  himself  the  brethren  of  his  confer- 
ence honored  him  as  a  delegate  to  the  general  con- 
ference at  Norfolk  in  1908,  and  Kansas  City  in  1912. 
He  was  the  honored  chairman  of  the  state  delegation 
in  the  general  conference  at  Kansas  City.  He  served 
as  a  member  of  the  Financial  Board  from  1912  to  1916, 
also  represented  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  on  the  Com- 
mission of  Federation  of  Negro  Methodists,  which 
met  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  June  30,  191 5,  and  was  sec- 
retary of  the  A.  M.  E.  Commission. 

Townsley,  Rev.  Luther  Alexander,  was  born  in 
Talbottom,  Talbot  County,  Ga.,  September  15,  1865. 
He  is  a  self-made  man.  His  mother  died  when  he  was 
nine  months  old  and  his  father  when  he  was  three. 

He  is  the  baby  child  of  Reuben  and  Frances 
Townsley.  After  the  death  of  his  father  he  was  given 
away  to  Mr.  Anderson  Stroud,  of  Strouds,  Ga.  This 
gentleman  was  kind  to  him,  but  he  being  a  blacksmith 
was  away  from  the  farm  life,  and  thus  the  life  of  little 
Luther  was  made  very  unhappy  and  miserable  by 
those  on  the  farm  where  he  was  reared.  He  entered 
public  school  at  Strouds,  Ga.,  in  1872,  and  attended 
consecutively  till  1877.  In  1878  he  attended  the  public 
school  at  Russelville,  Pine  Grove  Academy,  and  1879- 
80-81,  Strouds  Academy,  Strouds,  Ga. ;  in  1882,  Anti- 
och  Academy,  where  he  prepared  himself  to  enter  col- 
lege. Circumstances  then  prevented  him,  but  he  took 
hold  of  bookkeeping,  and  so  well  did  he  carry  on  this 
work,  Mr.  Anderson  Stroud  rewarded  him  with  a  gift 
of  money,  and  from  that  moment  he  pushed  forward 
with  a  zeal  and  determination  to  become  a  man.     He 


organized  the  Cross  Roads  Debating  Society,  and  be- 
came locally  famous  as  a  debater.  He  married  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Rooks,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry 
Rooks,  of  Yatesville,  Ga.  In  1883  he  took  charge  of 
the  dairy  of  Mr.  William  Parker  (white)  at  Barnes- 
ville,  Ga.,  and  held  this  position  until  he  moved  to  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  in  1884,  where  he  was  employed  as  one  of 
the  first  Negro  telegraph  messengers  in  that  city. 
Here,  under  private  tutors,  he  studied  philosophy, 
Latin  and  higher  mathematics.  He  returned  to  farm 
life  in  1887  to  1889.  He  was  converted  at  Sugar  Hill 
Church,  in  Monroe  County,  Ga.,  September  6,  1888. 
He  has  served  his  church  in  every  capacity,  served  as 
janitor  of  the  public  schools  of  Griffin,  Ga.,  two  years, 
taking  private  lessons  from  Prof.   Bothwell  Graham, 


REV.  LUTHER  ALEXANDER  TOWNSLEY. 

superintendent  of  the  public  schools.  He  took  the  pub- 
lic school  examination,  made  the  highest  mark,  and 
was  appointed  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Griffin, 
Ga.,  which  place  he  held  from  1893  to  1895,  when  he 
moved  to  Senoia,  Ga.,  his  second  pastorate.  While  in 
Griffin,  Ga.,  he  studied  Greek  under  Dr.  E.  W.  Lee. 

Dr.  Townsley  joined  the  conference  at  Monticello, 
Ga.,  November,  1891,  under  Rt.  Rev.  W.  J.  Gaines, 
was  ordained  deacon  in  1893,  at  Marietta,  Ga.,  and 
elder  in  1895,  by  Rt.  Rev.  Abraham  Grant,  at  Atlanta, 
Ga. 

He  studied  Hebrew  in  1900-4-5.  He  began  at  a 
mission  near  Griffin,  Ga.,  and  had  success  at  Double 
Cabin,  Bethlehem  A.  M.  E.  Church.  At  Senioa,  Ga., 
he  doubled  the  work,  adding  hundreds  to  the  church 
in  three  years.  At  Thomaston,  Ga.,  he  was  a  most 
successful  pastor.  He  was  an  acceptable  pastor  at 
(Shiloh)  Little  Bethel,  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  at  Covington, 
Ga.,  for  three  years,  paying  off  all  debts,  and  built  a 
new  church  after  the  old  one  was  destroyed  by  fire,1 
and  paid  for  it,  leaving  only  $600  due  on  the  parsonage 
and  church  furniture.  Over  three  hundred  members 
were  added  to  the  church.  He  pastored  two  years  at 
St.  Paul,  Atlanta,  and  was  made  presiding  elder  of  the 
Griffin  district.  He  added  over  250  members  to  the 
church,  and  had  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  both 
races.     He  was  removed  next  to  the  Atlanta  District, 


229 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


and  he  was  as  a  magnet  to  the  ministers  and  people  of 
this  district.  He  was  assigned  to  St.  Philip  Monumen- 
tal A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  December,  1908,  by  Bishop  C. 
S.  Smith. 

While  pastoring  at  Savannah  he  added  1128  mem- 
bers to  the  old  Monumental  Church,  raised  $27,855,  and 
paid  every  debt,  and  a  mortgage  of  more  than  twenty 
years'  standing.  He  has  added  to  the  church  4475 
members.  After  serving  five  years  the  people  asked 
for  his  return  to  Monumental  Church,  but  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  Steward,  Macon,  Ga.  After  he  had  spent 
two  successful  years  here  he  was  made  presiding  elder 
of  the  South  Atlanta  District.  He  was  the  first  chief 
secretary  of  the  Atlanta  (Georgia)  Conference  after  it 
was  set  apart  in  1900,  and  he  held  this  position  for 
nine  years,  when  he  was  transferred  to  the  Georgia 
Conference.  He  is  thrifty,  and  owns  a  beautiful  home, 
421  West  Mitchell  street,  Atlanta,  Ga.  He  owns  more 
than  fifteen  thousand  ($15,000)  dollars  worth  of  real 
estate  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  and  fine  renting  property  in 
Edgewood,  Atlanta.  He  received  the  degree  of  D.D. 
from  Morris  Brown  University.  He  is  treasurer  of 
Central  Park  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute,  at  Sa- 
vannah, a  permanent  trustee  of  Morris  Brown  Univer- 
sity, and  a  member  of  the  General  Conference  Com- 
mission of  1916. 

He  has  been  elected  four  times  as  delegate  to  the 
general  conference,  and  is  now  the  chairman  of  the 
delegation  from  Georgia.  He  is  a  thirty-third  degree 
Mason,  Knight  Templar,  Royal  Illustrious  Imperial 
Potentate  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  R.  W.  Grand  Chap- 
lain of  the  M.  W.  Union  Grand  Lodge  of  Georgia,  Past 
Chancellor  Commander  and  U.  R.  K.  of  P. ;  member 
Grand  Council  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  P.  M.  W.  Governor 
H.  H.  of  Ruth  and  Worthy  Deputy  Grand  Master  P. 
B.  and  S.  of  Light.  Dr.  Townsley  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing ministers  of  the  A.  M.  E.  connection,  and  eminent- 
ly qualified  to  fill  any  place  in  the  Church. 

Traverse,  Rev.  Matthew  William,  son  of  John  W. 
and  Anna  M.  Traverse,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.  His  parents  had 
seven  children.  His  father  became  a  member  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  and  was  such  for  thirty-five  years. 
He  began  attending  school  in  i860,  and  spent  about 
ten  years  in  all  in  school,  principally  in  the  public 
schools  of  Baltimore  and  Douglas  Institute.  He  re- 
ceived his  degree,  D.D.,  from  Livingston  College,  in 
1900.  He  has  specialized  in  mathematics  and  lan- 
guages. He  was  converted  in  October,  1868,  and 
joined  the  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  March  26,  1876,  by  Rev.  John  Brice. 
He  was  ordained  deacon  1871,  at  Rome,  Ga.,  by  Bishop 
Isaac  Wiley,  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  ordained  elder 
by  Bishop  Matthew  Simpson,  in  1881,  at  Brunswick, 
Ga.  In  1883  he  joined  the  annual  conference  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  Macon,  Ga.,  under  Bishop  Dick- 
erson.  He  has  held  the  following  appointments  in  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church:  Sandersville,  Ga.,  1883;  Smithville, 
Ga.,  1884;  Leary  Circuit,  1885;  Long  Green,  Md., 
1886-7;  East  Baltimore,  Md.,  1888;  Allen's  Chapel, 
Washington,  D.  C,  1889-90;  Metropolitan,  Cumber- 
land, Md.,  1891-3;  Ebenezer,  Hagerstown,  Md.,  1894- 
5;  presiding  elder  Louisville  District,  Ky.,  1896-8;  pas- 
tor Avery,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  1898;  St.  Paul's,  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  1899;  St.  Paul,  Columbia,  Tenn.,  1899;  Payne's 
Memorial,  Baltimore,  1900-2;  Mt.  Moriah,  Annapolis, 


Md.,  1903-5 ;  St.  Paul,  Washington,  D.  C,  1906 ;  Vine 
Street,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  1907;  Coxsackie,  N.  Y.,  1908; 
St.  Mark's,  Kingston,  N.  Y.,  1908-10;  Catskills,  N.  Y., 
191 1 ;  Lockport,  N.  Y.,  1912;  Thomaston,  Md.,  1913; 
Elkridge,  Md.,  1913.  He  built  the  Metropolitan 
Church  at  Cumberland,  Md.,  in  1892,  at  a  cost  of  $io(- 
000.  He  has  taken  about  2000  people  into  the  Church, 
baptized  about  500  and  married  about  100  couples.  He 
was  a  delegate  to  general  conference  in  1888.  He  is  a 
trustee  of  Wilberforce.  January  10,  1878,  he  married 
Mrs.  Mary  Elizabeth  Traverse,  of  Baltimore,  Md. 
Their  children  are  William,  Florence,  Lewis,  Anna, 
Pearl,  Elzenah,    Maurice,    Leonard,    and    Mary.     The 


REV.  M.  W.  TRAVERSE. 

ones  that  have  graduated  are  Florence,  Lewis,  Mary 
and  Leonard.  Miss  Florence  Traverse  is  a  teacher; 
Miss  Mary  has  the  special  gift  of  song.  One  of  Rev. 
Traverse's  sons  married  a  granddaughter  of  Bishop 
Quinn.  He  has  contributed  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Review 
and  other  church  papers.  He  made  an  address  on 
Decoration  Day  at  Coxsackie,  N.  Y.,  and  at  Annapo- 
lis, Md.  He  is  a  member  of  the  F.  and  A.  M.,  Knight 
Templar,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.,  K.  of  P.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Republican  party  and  a  delegate  to  the  State 
Convention  at  Ba'timore,  Md.,  1891.  He  owns  prop- 
erty in  Washington,  Baltimore,  New  York  and  Ca- 
tonsville.  He  has  been  associated  with  the  Civic 
League  of  New  York  and  the  Associated  Charities,  of 
Cumberland,  Md. 

Turner,  Henry  McNeal,  was  born  at  Newberry 
C.  H.,  S.  C,  February  1,  1831,  son  of  Hardy  and  Sarah 
Turner,  learned  to  read  and  write  by  his  own  perse- 
verance;  was  employed,  when  15  years  of  age,  in  law 
office  at  Abbeville,  where  lawyers  assisted  him  with 
his  studies.  He  joined  the  M.  E.  Church  South  in 
1848;  was  licensed  to  preach  1853  bY  Dr-  Boyd,  of  the 
M.  E.  Church  South  ;  transferred  his  membership  to 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1858;  studied  Latin,  Greek, 
Hebrew  and  theology  at  Trinity  College ;  was  ordain- 
ed deacon  in  i860,  and  ordained  elder  in  1862;  received 
the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Wilberforce  in   1873;  was 


230 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


married  four  times :  Eliza  Ann  Peacher,  of  Columbia, 
S.  C,  August  31,  1856;  second,  Mrs.  Martha  DeWitt, 
of  Bristol,  Pa.,  August,  1893  ;  third,  Harriet  A.,  widow 
of  late  Bishop  Wayman,  of  Baltimore,  August  16, 
1900;  fourth,  Laura  Pearle  Lemon,  of  Atlanta,  Ga., 
December  3,  1907.  Was  pastor  of  Israel  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Washington,  D.  0,  in  1863;  commissioned 
chaplain  U.  S.  Colored  Troops  by  President  Lincoln, 
being  the  first  colored  chaplain  ever  commissioned  in 
the  U.  S.  Army;  mustered  out  September,  1865;  com- 


BISHOP  H.  M.  TURNER. 

missioned  by  President  Johnson  as  chaplain  in  the  reg- 
ular army;  detailed  as  officer  of  Freedmen's  Bureau 
in  Georgia;  after  serving  a  while  resigned  to  resume 
his  ministry;  organized  churches  in  Georgia  and 
schools  for  colored  children ;  was  elected  member  of 
Constitutional  Convention  of  Georgia  in  1867;  mem- 
ber of  Georgia  Legislature  in  1868  and  1870;  appointed 
postmaster  of  Macon,  Ga.,  later  inspector  of  customs 
and  U.  S.  secret  detective,  at  the  same  time  attending 
to  his  ministerial  duties.  Elected  manager  of  the 
Book  Concern  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1876;  elected 
bishop,  1880;  for  years  was  one  of  principal  agitators 
of  the  return  of  his  race  to  Africa ;  visited  West  Africa 
and  South  Africa,  and  organized  four  annual  confer- 
ences in  Africa ;  served  as  bishop  of  Georgia  12  years, 
making  Georgia  the  leading  state  for  African  Method- 
ism ;  was  fluent  speaker,  man  of  great  personal  force 
and  much  versatility;  founded  the  Southern  Christian 
Recorder,  the  Voice  of  Missions,  Woman's  Christian 
Recorder ;  author  of  the  "Methodist  Polity,"  compiler 
of  Hymn  Book  of  A.  M.  E.  Church;  also  Turner's  Cat- 
echism, various  sermons  and  lectures.  He  died  in 
Winsor,  Canada,  May  8,  1915,  and  was  buried  in  At- 
lanta, Ga.  His  widow,  Mrs.  Laura  P.  L.  Turner,  died 
October,   1915. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Turner,  of  Chattanooga,  Tenn.,  the  son 
of  Lucinda  Turner  (Allen),  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  1848,  on  the  plantation  of  Stroth- 
er  S.  Jones,  near  Newton,  now  Stephen  City,  in  Fred- 
erick Co.,  Va.  His  mother,  who  had  seven  children, 
was  sold  as  a  slave  when  he  was  a  year  old 

Entered  school  in  1863  and  attended  about  thir- 
teen years  in  all.  Spent  over  two  years  in  the  county 
public  schools  in  New  York  and  Maine,  public  schools 


of  Washington,  D.  C,  Lincoln  Night  School,  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Schofield's  Commercial  College,  in 
1868,  Drew  Seminary,  Howard  University,  Central 
Tennessee  College,  National  Medical  School  of  Chat- 
tanooga, Tenn.  Finished  1903  and  received  the  de- 
gree of  M.D. 

Converted  March,  1874,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  the  same  year. 

Has  held  many  offices  in  the  church.  Licensed 
to  preach,  1877,  at  Springfield,  111.,  by  Rev.  John 
Malone.     Ordained  deacon,  April,  1880,  at  Salem,  N. 


Washing- 


JAMES  HENRY  TURNER,  M.D. 

J.,  by  Bishop  Payne.  Ordained  elder,  April,  1881,  at 
Danville,  Va.,  by  Bishop  Payne.  Joined  Annual  Con- 
ference at  Trenton,  N..  J.,  under  Bishop  Payne. 

Held  appointments  at  Madison  and 
ton,  N.  J. ;  Asbury  Park,  St.  James,  Richmond,  Va. ; 
Salem,  Va. ;  Quinn  Chapel,  Frederick  City,  Md. ;  Beth- 
el Chapel,  Macon  City,  Mo.;  Bethel,  Leavenworth, 
Kans. ;  Ottawa,  Kans. ;  St.  Paul,  Brown  Chapel,  Allen 
Chapel,  Bethel,  all  of  Texas.  The  following  in  Ten- 
nessee: Woodfolk,  Shelbyville;  St.  Paul,  Columbia; 
Bethel,  Nashville;  Knoxville  Mission,  Knoxville;  Beth- 
el, Chattanooga;  Quinn,  Chattanooga. 

Built  church  at  Washington,  N.  J.,  at  a  cost  of 
$1,000  in  1879;  church  and  hall  at  Leavenworth,  Kans., 
$300,  in  1886;  church  and  hall  at  Bryant,  Texas,  $200, 
in  1890;  Brown  Chapel,  at  Houston,  Texas,  $350,  in 
1888.  He  has  taken  1,825  people  into  the  church  and 
baptized  275  and  married  90.  Delegate  to  General 
Conference  in  1904.  Member  of  Historical  and  Liter- 
ary Boards  in  1908.  Has  served  office  of  Statistician 
and  Secretary  of  the  several  Conferences  of  which  he 
was  a  member.  Presiding  Elder  in  Kansas  Confer- 
ence. Trustee  of  Turner  College.  He  has  established 
several  schools.    Joined  Wilcox  Post  16,  G.  A.  R. 

Tyree,  Bishop  Evans,  twenty-sixth  bishop  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  son  of  Harry  and  Winifred  Ty- 
ree, both  African  Methodists,  was  born  a  slave,  in 
Tennessee,  in  1853,  one  of  his  parents'  twelve  children. 
He  began  attending  school  in  1876,  and  received  about 
ten  years  schooling  in  all,  attending  principally  Cen- 
tral Tennessee  College,  Walden  University,  and 
graduated  from  the  theological  department  without  a 
degree.  He  received  D.D.  degree  from  Livingston; 
M.D.  from  Louisville  Medical  School;  LL.D.  from 
Paul  Quinn,  and  also  from  Wilberforce.     Most  of  his 


231 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


educational  struggle  was  outside  of  school  by  private 
instructors.  He  was  converted  in  1866,  at  Carthage, 
and  joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  the  same 
year,  as  there  was  no  A.  M.  E.  Church  then.    He  was 


BISHOP  EVANS  TYREE. 

always  active  in  the  Church,  and  has  held  almost 
every  office  in  the  Church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
in  1869,  at  Hartsville,  Tenn.,  by  Rev.  Jordan  W. 
Earley;    ordained     deacon    in    1875,    at    Chattanooga, 


MRS.  EVANS  TYREE. 

Tenn.,  by  Bishop  Brown ;  ordained  elder  in  1876,  by 
Bishop  Wayman,  at  Pulaski,  Tenn.  He  joined  the  an- 
nual conference  at  Clarksville,  Tenn.,  in  1872,  under 
Bishop  Brown,  and  held  the  following  appointments: 


Santa  Fe  Mission,  1874-77;  Alexander  Mission,  1872- 
74;  Salem  Station,  1877-79;  Franklin  Station,  1879-81; 
Payne  Chapel,  1881-85;  Pulaski,  1885-86;  presiding 
elder,  1886-87;  St.  Paul  Chapel,  1 887-1 891 ;  St.  Paul, 
Columbia,  Tenn.,  1891-92;  Quinn  Chapel,  Louisville, 
Ky.,  1892-97;  St.  John,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  1897-1900. 
Lifted  mortgage  on  St.  Paul's,  Nashville,  1891,  to  the 
amount  of  $3000,  and  paid  man}-  other  debts.  He  was 
always  a  popular  pastor. 

He  was  elected  bishop  at  the  general  conference 
at  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1900,  and  ordained  May  23, 
1900.  He  has  served  over  the  Eighth  Episcopal  District, 
embracing  Mississippi  and  Arkansas,  1900-4;  the  Tenth 
District,  embracing  Texas  and  Oklahoma,  1904- 
1908,  and  Texas,  1908-12.  He  filled  Bishop  Gaines'  un- 
expired term  in  the  First  District,  in  1912,  and  is  now 
serving  a  full  term  over  that  district,  including  the 
Philadelphia,  New  Jersey,  New  England  and  New 
York  Conferences,  1912-1916.  He  is  chairman  of  the 
Publication  Board  and  also  of  the  General  Conference 
Commission  for  1916.  j 

He  owns  a  beautiful    home    in    Nashville,  Tenn. 

1 

& 

Tucks,  Mrs.  L.  H.  Maxey,  was  born  in  Missouri. 
Educated  at  Wilberforce,  O.  Was  science  teacher  at 
Western  University  three  years ;  conference  secretary, 
W.  H.  and  F.  Missionary  Society  of  the  Texas  Con- 
ference; was  delegate  from  this  body  to  represent  the 


MRS.  L.  H.  MAXEY  TUCKS. 


W.  H.  and  F.  Missionary  Society  at  the  Third  Quad- 
rennial Session,  in  New  Orleans,  La.,  in  February, 
1915.  Mrs.  Tucks  is  said  to  be  the  first  woman  to 
place  the  Cradle  Roll  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  schools 
of  the  South. 


232 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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ANDERHORST,  REV.  JOHN 
FRANCIS,  now  of  Long  Branch,  N. 
J.,  the  son  of  Robert  and  Mary  C. 
Vanderhorst,  was  born  at  George- 
town, S.  C.  He  is  brother  to  the  late 
Rev.  E.  J.  Gregg,  former  secretary 
of  A.  C.  E.  League  and  cousin  to  the 
late  Rev.  H.  T.  Johnson,  for  seven- 
teen years  editor  Christian  Recorder,  Dr.  W.  A.  Sin- 


REV.  JOHN  FRANCIS  VANDERHORST. 

clair  and  Rev.  Ephraim     Johnson.     Young     Vander- 
horst received   his   training  in  the  public   schools  of 


nett,  in  1906,  at  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  and  was  or- 
dained deacon  in  1906,  by  Bishop  Gaines,  in  Orange, 
N.  J.,  and  ordained  elder  in  1910,  by  Bishop 
Gaines,  in  Camden,  N.  J.     Has  held  appointments  at 

in  the  New  Jersey  Confer- 
St.  Luke,  Newark,  N.  J.; 
N.  J.,  and  Long  Branch,  N. 
J.  In  Stroudsburg,  Milburn  and  Rahway,  he  was  the 
only  Negro  member  of  the  Ministers'  Union.  Has 
been  recording  secretary  of  New  Jersey  Annual  Con- 


the  following  places,  all 
ence  :  Stroudsburg,  Pa. ; 
Milburn,  N.  J. ;  Rahway, 


MRS.  J.  F.  VANDERHORST. 

ference  for  five  years ;  chief  secretary  of  the  Newark 
district  conference  for  six  years,  and  four  years  secre- 
tary of  trustees  of  the  district  parsonage.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  F.  and  A.  M.,  K.  of  P.,  and  G.  U.  O.  of 
O.  F.  At  Trinity  Church,  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  he  paid 
$500  on  the  principal  and  all  of  the  back  interest  paid 
up  in  full.  Rev.  Vanderhorst  cleared  a  debt  of  $925  on 
our  church  at  Rahway,  N.  J.,  and  for  two  years  has 
been  a  successful  pastor  at  Long  Branch.  During  the 
first  year  he  paid  $500  on  the  principal  of  the  church 
mortgage  and  all  of  the  overdue  interest,  and  installed 
a  new  pipe  organ.  His  presiding  elder  said  of  him,  in 
his  report  to  the  conference  in  1912,  "Marvelous  has 
been  his  achievements,"  and  again,  in  1913,  "Undoubt- 
edly this  young  man  ranks  with  the  aggressive  minis- 
ters of  the  age,"  and  still  again,  in  1914,  "He  is  highly 
respected  by  the  community."  "They  unanimously 
asked  for  his  return."  He  is  ably  assisted  by  a  conse- 
crated wife. 

Vanderhorst,     Mary    Catherine     (Johnson),    was 

born  in  Georgetown,  S.  C,  and  was  member  of  the 
Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Georgetown.  She  was 
mother  of  Rev.  J.  Francis  Vanderhorst,  B.D.,  now  pas- 
tor at  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  and  Rev.  E.  J.  Gregg,  sec- 
retary of  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League,   1904-08. 


MRS.  MARY  C.  VANDERHORST. 


Vann,  Rev.  Richard  Henry,  the  son  of  Richard 
South  Carolina,  and  is  a  graduate  of  the  School  of  and  Malinda  Vann,  both  members  of  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Theology  of  Howard  University,  Class  of  1906.  He  was  born  May  5,  1869,  at  New  Arlington,  Tenn.,  and 
joined  the  New  Jersey  conference  under  Bishop  Ar-      was  a  member  of  a  family  of  17.    He   began   attend- 

233 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3> 


ing  school  in  1880,  and  attended  in  all  about  five  years, 
spending  over  two  years  at  Hayes  Grove  School.     He 


REV.  RICHARD  HENRY  VANN. 

was  converted  in  1886,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
the  same  year.     Has    held    nearly    every    office  in  the 


local  church ;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1889,  at  Shel- 
by County,  Tenn.,  by  Rev.  Z.  Harris ;  ordained  dea- 
con in  1895,  at  Memphis,  Tenn.,  by  Bishop  Salter,  and 
ordained  elder  in  1899  at  Clarksviile,  Tenn.,  by  Bishop 
Salter.  Rev.  Vann  joined  the  West  Tennessee  An- 
nual Conference  in  1892,  at  St.  Andrews,  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  under  Bishop  Brown,  and  has  held  the  follow- 
ing appointments:  Lexington  Circuit,  1892;  Indian 
Creek  Mission,  1893;  Union  City  Mission,  1894-5; 
Huntington  Circuit,  1896-7;  Centreville  Circuit,  1898- 
9;  Pierce  Station,  1900-01;  Martin  Circuit,  1902-3 
Humboldt  Circuit,  1904;  Dickson  Station,  1905-6-7; 
New  Tyler  Station,  1908-9-10;  Waverly  Station,  191 1. 
He  built  a  church  at  Hollow  Rock,  Tenn.,  at  a  cost  of 
$800,  in  1896,  and  repaired  churches  at  Greenfield, 
Tenn.,  at  a  cost  of  $300,  in  1902;  Memphis,  at  a  cost 
of  $900,  in  1908 ;  Dickson,  at  a  cost  of  $500,  in  1905 ; 
Dresden,  at  a  cost  of  $300,  in  1503.  Lifted  mortgages 
at  Jackson  to  the  amount  of  $600,  in  1904,  and  Dick- 
son, to  the  amount  of  $ico,  1906.  He  has  received 
over  1200  people  into  the  Church,  and  baptized  about 
500  people.  He  has  been  presiding  elder  of  the  Dick- 
son District  since  191 1.  His  wife  is  Julia  Vann,  of 
Mansfield,  Tenn.,  whom  he  married  in  1898.  They 
had  five  children.  Rev.  Vann  is  a  member  of  F.  and 
A.  M.  and  K.  of  P.,  a  Republican,  and  owns  his  home. 
He  has  been  a  member  of  the  executive  board  of  Tur- 
ner College  for  thirteen  years,  and  is  considered  a 
valuable  asset  to  this  institution. 


jALKER,  REV.  JAMES  W.,  was  born 
at  Cokesbury,  S.  C,  May  15,  1867. 
His  parents,  Isaac  H.  and  Maria  E. 
Walker,  were  ex-slaves,  and  had 
twelve  children,  of  whom  James  was 
third.  James  W.  Walker  was  given 
early  educational  advantages  and 
successively  attended  Payne  Insti- 
tute, Brewer  Normal  Schoo'l  and  Allen  University, 
maintaining  a  high  record  in  each.  He  received  his 
theological  training  at  Gammon  Theological  Seminary, 
graduating  in  1890.  He  taught  school  successfully  in 
the  public  schools  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1884,  and  entered 
the  itinerant  ministry  in  1885  and  traveled  as  a  mis- 
sionary in  the  Indian  Territory  (now  Oklahoma)  for 
one  year.  He  has  pastored  as  follows:  Fairburn  and 
Fayetteville,  while  in  school,  sometimes  walking 
twenty-five  miles  to  his  appointment :  Fort  Gaines, 
Ga.,  two  years ;  Dawson,  Ga.,  two  years ;  Emanuel, 
Mobile,  Ala.,  four  years;  Brown  Chapel,  Selma,  Ala., 
five  years;  Bethel,  Mobile,  Ala.,  five  years;  Brown 
Chapel,  Selma,  Ala.,  five  years.  Few  pastors  have 
served  so  successfully  the  full  time  limit  with  a  con- 
tinuous request.  Rev.  Walker  served  as  presiding 
Elder  of  the  Selma  District  for  three  years,  during 
which  time  the  gold  medal  for  excellence  in  mission- 
ary work  throughout  the  conference  bounds  was 
awarded  to  his  district.  He  is  now  presiding  elder 
of  the  Prattville  District. 

He  has  five  times  been  elected  delegate  to  the 
general  conference,  twice  leading  his  delegation.  For 
twelve  years  he  has  held  the  position  of  treasurer  of 
the  building  fund  at  Payne  University ;  he  is  now  sec- 
retary of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Payne  University, 


having  already  rendered  three  years  of  efficient  and 
faithful  service  in  that  capacity ;  he  is  also  the  quad- 
rennial trustee  of  the  Central  Alabama  Conference  for 
Wilberforce  U"niversity  ;  for  four  years  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  General  Board  of  Missions  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church ;  he  served  as  secretary  of  the  A.  M.  E  delega- 


REV.  JAMES  W.  WALKER,  D.D. 


tion  to  the  Federal  Council  of  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America,  and  was  the  only  Negro  secretary  at  the 
Council  held  in  Chicago,  December,  1912;  he  is  now 
president  of  the  International  Alabama  State  League 


234 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


of  Christian  Endeavor  (the  only  Negro  State  League 
in  America) ;  he  was  chosen  an  alternate  to  the  late 
Ecumenical  Conference  of  Methodism  held  in  Lon- 
don, England,  in  1901. 

While  a  local  preacher  he  built  a  church  at  Cen- 
tral, S.  C,  with  five  members;  at  Ft.  Gaines,  though 
appointed  three  months  before  conference,  he  brought 
up  all  back  claims  for  the  year,  and  made  the  largest 
dollar  money  report  in  the  history  of  the  charge.  The 
next  year  he  left  several  hundred  dollars  in  the  treas- 
ury with  which  to  begin  a  new  church ;  at  Dawson, 
Ga.,  he  paid  the  church  out  of  debt,  save  $75.  At  Eman- 
uel, Mobile,  he  paid  forty-eight  notes,  of  $45  each, 
greatly  reduced  the  mortgage  debt,  finished  and  paid 
for  the  annex;  at  Brown  Chapel,  during  his  first  ad- 
ministration, he  paid  the  entire  balance  of  $1000  on 
parsonage  during  the  first  year,  and  renovated  the 
church;  at  Bethel,  Mobile,  he  finished  the  basement, 
at  a  cost  of  $1200,  and  paid  for  same  in  cash,  reduced 
the  debt  on  the  church,  erected  two-story  brick  par- 
sonage at  a  cost  of  $5000  and  paid  $4000  of  the 
amount;  at  Brown  Chapel,  Selma,  during  his  second 
administration,  he  finished  the  new  brick  building — 
one  of  the  handsomest  in  the  connection — erected  the 
annex  to  the  same,  put  in  beautiful  memorial  win- 
dows, paying  for  the  same  in  full,  paid  off  sixty  notes 
of  $75  each,  interest  on  mortgage  debts  and  made 
many  other  improvements  demanded  by  the  advance 
of  the  work.  He  has  added  thousands  of  members  to 
the  Church ;  and  invariably  made  dollar  money  in- 
creases each  year.  He  was  voted  for  missionary  sec- 
retary at  the  general  conference,  Kansas  City,  1912. 

Rev.  Walker  is  a  Christian  of  excellent  character, 
good  address,  splendid  ability,  careful  training  and 
broad  experience.  His  entire  career  has  been  marked 
by  his  whole-hearted  devotion  to  the  development  of 
whatever  work  came  to  his  hands. 


Walker,  Rev.  W.  E.,  was  born  in  Franklin 
County,  Va.,  January  21,  1869.  In  his  boyhood  days 
he  worked  on  the  farm.  At  the  age  of  eleven  years  he 
was  converted,  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  was 
baptized  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Williams.  He  worked  on  the 
railroad  to  secure  money  to  buy  a  home  for  his 
mother.  After  this  had  been  accomplished  he  went  to 
Danville,  Va.  Here  he  clerked  and  joined  St.  Paul's 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  was  appointed  class  leader  by 
Rev.  George  D.  Jamison ;  was  teacher  in  Sunday 
School,  steward,  and  also  elected  president  of  Y.  M. 
C.  A.,  in  which  capacity  he  served  for  two  years.  He 
was  also  elected  president  of  the  Royal  League,  whose 
motto  was,  "Young  men  to  the  front,  mentally,  mor- 
ally and  socially."  He  felt  God  had  called  him  to 
preach.  In  the  fall  of  1887  he  entered  Shaw  Univer- 
sity, Raleigh,  N.  C,  and  graduated  May  18,  1893,  from 
the  scientific  and  theological  departments.  While  he 
was  attending  this  college  he  was  elected  superintend- 
ent of  St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  school,  and  served 
five  terms.  Joined  the  Virginia  Conference  in  April, 
1893,  and  was  elected  to  teach  at  Kittrell  College,  N, 
C,  as  Virginia's  representative,  but  owing  to  some 
misunderstanding  he  was  not  received  by  the  trustee 
board.  He  was  then  transferred  to  Western  North 
Carolina  Conference  by  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines,  D.D., 
who  gave  him  his  first  appointment,  at  Chapel  Hill, 
N.  C,  in  May,  1893.  Was  ordained  deacon  at  Ashe- 
ville,  N.  C,  by  Bishop  Gaines,  November  28,  1893;  or- 


dained elder  at  Readville,  N.  C,  by  Bishop  Gaines.  He 
served  the  following  appointments :  Chapel  Hill,  N.  C, 
two  years ;  completed  the  church,  at  $1200,  and  re- 
ceived eighty  members ;  St.  James',  Winston-Salem, 
N.  C,  three  years;  paid  the  debt  of  $1700,  bought  a  lot 
and  built  a  mission  on  Belor  Pond,  and  received  330 
members;  St.  Joseph's,  Durham,  N.  C,  three  years; 
built  a  new  parsonage,  paid  $6000  on  church  debt,  re- 
ceived 480  members ;  organized  a  mission  in  North 
Durham  and  built  a  church ;  St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Raleigh,  N.  C,  completed  this  church,  which 


REV.  W.  E.  WALKER. 

had  been  in  the  course  of  erection  for  twenty  years, 
paid  on  same  the  sum  of  $20,000,  and  received  880 
members;  Hamilton,  Ont,  transferred  by  Bishop 
James  A.  Handy,  served  two  years;  Charleston,  W. 
Va.,  three  years,  remodeled  the  church  and  paid  $1000 
on  local  debt,  received  130  members;  Chillicothe,  O., 
two  years,  built  a  new  church,  at  a  cost  of  $15,000,  re- 
ceived 120  members;  St.  Paul's,  Hamilton,  Bermuda, 
and  presiding  elder  of  Bermuda  Conference,  now  serv- 
ing fourth  term,  having  received  into  the  Church  104 
members,  paid  the  church  out  of  debt,  increased  Sun- 
day school  over  300,  and  created  and  collected  a  par- 
sonage fund  of  $500.  Has  received  about  2004  people 
into  the  Church. 

Walters,  Rev.  J.  Josiah,  was  born  February  5, 
1855,  in  Tobago,  British  West  Indies;  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  under  private  tutors.  He  became 
a  member  of  the  Moravian  Church,  in  Montgomery, 
in  1870;  was  principal  of  public  institutes  from  1879 
to  1885,  and  won  two  government  monetary  prizes, 
1884  and  1885.  He  entered  the  Moravian  Theological 
Seminary,  Nisky,  St.  Thomas,  Danish  West  Indies,  in 
1885,  graduating  in  1889.  He  served  twelve  years  in 
the  Moravian  ministry,  British  West  Indies ;  Bethel, 
St.  Kitts,  six  years ;  Gracefield,  Antigua,  two  and  one- 
half  years ;  Gracebay,  Antigua,  three  and  one-half 
years.  In  1901  he  came  to  the  United  States  of  Ameri- 
ca and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  Elmira,  N.  Y., 
and  served  in  the  capacity  of  assistant  pastor  and  or- 
ganist, being  soon  afterward  commissioned  by  Presid- 


235 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3° 


ing  Elder  Rev.  J.  C.  Ayler,  to  start  a  mission  at  Horse- 
heads,  N.  Y.  Joined  New  York  Annual  Conference, 
1902,  at  Jamaica ;  served  at  Tompkinsville,  N.  Y., 
1502-1903;  ordained  deacon,  1903,  at  Albany,  N.  Y., 
by  Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick;  served  Albion,  N.  Y.,  1903- 


REV.  J.  JOSIAH  WALTERS. 

1906;  ordained  elder,  1905,  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  by 
Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett;  served  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  1906- 
1910;  served  Warwick,  N.  Y.,  1910-1912;  presiding  el- 
der Long  Island  district,  New  York  conference,  1912- 
16;  presiding  elder  Albany  District  since  June,  1916. 
Rev.  Walters  is  author  of  the  Centennial  Anthem  and 
the  Centennial  Ode. 

Ward,  Rev.  Armstead  Milton,  was  born  on  a 
farm  in  Lafayette  County,  Mo.,  May  30,  i860.  He  was 
one  of  four  children  of  Wesley  and  Hannah  Gordon 
Ward,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Early  in 
his  life  the  family  moved  to  Salina  County,  farming  on 
a  large  scale.  Here  young  Ward  attended  school,  his 
father  building  a  school  house  for  the  accommodation 
of  his  children.  After  reaching  manhood  he  attended 
the  Lincoln  School,  at  Sedalia,  Mo.,  and  later  entered 
Hobson  Normal  School  (established  by  the  Quakers 
of  Iowa),  in  Parsons,  Kan.,  and  graduated  in  1886.  He 
studied  theology  under  Methodist  Episcopal  min- 
isters, wherever  he  was  located  during  his  early  min- 
istry. He  taught  school  for  several  years  in  the 
states  of  Missouri  and  Kansas,  which  assisted  him  ma- 
terially while  serving  in  the  pastorate  in  the  early 
stage  of  his  ministry.  He  was  converted  in  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church  January  21,  1881,  and  united 
with  Taylor  M.  E.  Church.  There  was  no  African  M. 
E.  Church  there  at  that  time.  While  a  student  in  Hob- 
son  Normal  Institute,  Parsons,  Kan.,  he  united  with 
Brown  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  was  licensed  to 


preach  by  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Wilson,  then  presiding  elder 
in  the  South  Kansas  African  M.  E.  Conference,  Sep- 
tember, 1886;  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  John  M. 
Brown,  September,  1887,  at  Emporia,  Kan.,  and  was 
ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Ward,  assisted  by  Bishop 
Grant,  at  Wichita,  Kan.,  in  1890. 

Up  to  date  he  has  served  the  pastorate  of  the  fol- 
lowing churches :  Oswego,  Garnet,  Ossawatomie,  Bax- 
ter Springs  and  Pittsburgh  Circuits,  two  years  each ; 
at  St.  James'  Church,  Lawrence,  Kan.,  and  Bethel 
Church,  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  one  year  each;  he  was 
made  presiding  elder,  and  served  six  successive  years 
over  Fort  Scott  (now  Kansas  City  District),  and  the 
Topeka  Districts.  Following  this  he  served  Campbell 
Chapel,  Atchison,  one  year;  at  St.  John's,  Topeka,  two 
years,  and  the  First  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Kansas  City, 
Kan.,  five  years.  Then  he  was  transferred  by  Bishop 
A.  Grant  to  the  Colorado  Conference  and  stationed  at 


REV.  A.  M.  WARD. 

Shorter  Chapel,  serving  five  years.  He  is  now  serving 
his  third  year  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tain District.  He  is  styled  the  pastor-evangelist.  In 
nearly  every  charge  he  has  served  he  has  more  than 
doubled  the  church  membership.  The  Lord  has  u«.ed 
him  in  the  conversion  of  more  than  15000  person?  and 
in  adding  over  2000  to  the  Church. 

In  Kansas  City,  Kan.,  he  built  a  magnificent  brick 
structure  at  Eighth  and  Nebraska  avenue,  and  there- 
by restored  African  Methodism  in  that  city,  where  he 
found  a  discouraged  and  almost  disheartened  people. 
This  church  society,  through  someone's  blunder,  had 
lost  one  of  the  most  magnificent  and  beautiful  as  well 
as  valuable  church  sites  of  any  denomination  in  the 
United  States  of  America,  on  the  corner  of  City  Hall 
Park,  that  had  been  given  and  deeded  to  our  Church 
by  the  Indians,  who  still  hold  as  sacred,  by  the  author- 
ity of  the  United  States,  a  little  burial  ground.  Fol- 
lowing his  successes  at  Kansas  City,  Bishop  Grant 
transferred  him  to  the  Colorado  Conference,  and  ap- 
pointed him  to  Shorter  Chapel,  where  in  one  rally  and 
in  one  day  he  raised  $2200,  and  purchased  for  a  par- 
sonage the  finest  building  owned  by  any  congregation 
of  color  west  of  the  Mississippi  River.    It  is  a  modern, 


236 


ft 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3 


nine-room  brick  structure,  has  all  improvements,  nice- 
ly located,  within  about  eight  blocks  of  the  State 
Capitol.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  general  con- 
ference, attending  each  session  since  1900;  and  he  has 
led  the  delegation  of  both  the  Kansas  and  the  Colo- 
rado Conferences.  From  1900  to  1904  and  1912  to  1916 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Church  Extension  and  the 
Educational  General  Boards  respectively.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  school 
boards  of  Wilberforce  and  Western  Universities,  hav- 
ing served  as  treasurer  of  the  latter.  He  served  also 
as  a  director  and  manager  of  Douglas  Hospital,  Kan- 
sas City,  Kan.  He  took  the  initiative  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Denver  Y.  M.  C.  A.  for  Colored  Men,  and 
led  the  movement  in  the  purchase  of  its  present  build- 
ing and  site.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Ella  Nora 
Crosby,  September  30,  1887.  She  was  born  in  Hanni- 
bal, Mo.,  and  died  September  15,  1912.  Their  children 


MRS.  A.  M.  WARD. 

are  Rev.  Alexander  Wayman  Ward,  aged  27  years, 
graduate  of  Denver,  Wilberforce  and  Yale  Univer- 
sities; Hannah  Vera  Ward  (twin),  aged  24  years,  a 
music  special  at  Fiske  University ;  Thomas  Virgil 
Ward  (twin),  aged  24  years,  graduate  of  Denver  High 
School,  student  two  years  in  Denver  University,  and 
now  in  the  dental  department  of  Meharry  Medical 
College.  He  was  again  united  in  marriage  February 
10,  191 5,  to  Mrs.  Lydia  Cuffey  Smith,  general  secre- 
tary of  the  Kansas  City  (Kan.)  Young  Women's 
Christian  Association.  She  was  born  in  Berkley,  Nor- 
folk County,  Va.,  December  3,  1870,  a  daughter  of  the 
late  Jeremiah  Cuffey,  of  the  Virginia  Conference,  and 
widow  of  Richard  T.  W.  Smith.  This  second  marriage 
gave  him  two  step-sons,  Harry  Godwin  Smith,  aged 
20  years,  and  Frissell  Jeremiah  Smith,  aged  17  years. 
Presiding  Elder  Ward  and  his  family  are  residing  at 
2422  Lafayette  street,  Denver,  Col.  He  owns  a  home 
in  Kansas  City,  Kan.,  and  has  interest  in  a  farm  which 
his  father  owned,  in  Saline  County,  Mo. 

Ward,  Mrs.  Lydia  Cuffey  Smith,  wife  of  Rev. 
A.  M.  Ward,  of  Denver,  Col.,  was  on  the  reportorial 
staff  of  the    Brooklyn  Daily    Eagle  for    more  than 


twelve  years,  and  was  the  only  colored  woman  to  be 
thus  employed  on  a  New  York  City  daily  paper.  She 
served  two  years  as  general  secretary  of  the  Young 
Women's  Christian  Association,  in  Kansas  City, 
Kans.,  and  resigned  to  marry  Rev.  A.  M.  Ward,  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1915.  She  is  now  president  of  the  Y.  W. 
C.  A.  for  colored  women  and  girls  in  Denver  (organiz- 
ed October,  1915).     It  has  up  to  date  112  members. 

Ward,  Thomas  M.  D.,  tenth  bishop  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  was  born  in  Hanover,  Pa.,  September  28, 
1823.  He  was  converted  in  1838  at  Philadelphia  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church;  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1843  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  by  Rev.  Levin  Lee,  and  in 
1846  was  admitted  to  the  New  England  conference ; 
was  ordained  deacon  in  1847,  and  elder  in  1849.  After 
being  ordained  elder  he  was  appointed  missionary  for 


BISHOP  T.  M.  D.  WARD. 

the  Pacific  coast,  where  he  remained  several  years, 
organizing  churches  in  that  section,  then  but  sparsely 
populated.  In  1868  he  was  elected  bishop,  ordained 
Lexington,  Va.,  and  the  rural  schools;  was  licensed  to 
May  25,  1868,  and  returned  as  bishop  to  the  Pacific 
coast,  where  he  remained  four  years.  He  was  after- 
wards assigned  to  Alabama,  Florida  and  Mississippi 
and  other  districts  in  the  South,  where  he  did  much  to 
build  up  the  church,  and  distinguished  himself  as  a 
pulpit  orator  of  the  first  class.  The  degree  of  D.D. 
was  conferred  upon  him  by  Wilberforce  University. 
He  died  Tune  10,  1894,  and  is  buried  in  Washington, 

D.  C. 

Warren,  Rev.  F.  W.,  was  born  in  Macon,  Ga., 
September  3,  1869.  His  parents,  Edler  N.  and  Patience 
Warren,  came  to  Texas  in  1883,  and  put  him  in  the 
Garfield  High  School,  from  which  school  he  graduated 
in  1889,  and  he  entered  Paul  Quinn  College,  and  is  an 
undergraduate  of  that  institution. 

He  taught  public  school  in  Texas  eleven  years.  In 
1888  he  was  happily  converted,  and  joined  the  A.  M. 

E.  Church,  at  Tyler,  Texas.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  in  1889,  and  joined  the  traveling  connection  in 
1892,  and  was  ordained  deacon  in  1893,  by  Bishop  B. 

F.  Lee,  and  elder  in  1896,  by  Bishop  J.  H.  Armstrong. 
He  has  pastored  the  following  charges:  Quitman  Cir- 


237 


£• 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


cuit ;  Forney  Circuit,  Shiloh  Station,  Galveston, 
Texas ;  Bastrop  Station,  Huntsville  Station,  Grant 
Chapel  Station,  Austin,  Tex. ;  Alta  Station,  Grant 
Chapel  Station,  Palestine,  Texas,  and  St.  Paul  Station, 
Beaumont,  Texas.  He  has  built  seven  churches  and 
four  parsonages,  and  cancelled  five  mortgage  debts ; 


REV.  F.  W.  WARREN,  B.D. 


had    638  converts  and  500  accessions, 
in  holy  matrimony,  in  May,    1907,    to 
Nauls,  the  accomplished    daughter    of 
Henry  Nauls,  of  Madisonville,  Texas, 
dent  of  Prairie    View    State    Normal 


He  was  united 
Miss  Mary  J. 
Mr.  and  Mrs. 
She  was  a  stu- 
College.     They 


MRS.  MARY  J.  WARREN. 

have  two  children,  Mary  Belle  Warren  and  Frederick 
Wilkerson  Warren,  Jr.  He  is  at  this  writing  presid- 
ing elder  of  the  Beaumont  District,  where  he  has  la- 
bored for  three  years,  during  which  time  he  has  raised 
for  Paul  Quinn  College  over  $2000.  In  this  respect  he 
has    led   all   the   districts  of  his  (Texas)  Conference. 


He  is  loved  and  respected  by  the  brethren  and  mem- 
bers of  his  conference.  He  has  been  trustee  of  Paul 
Quinn  College  twelve  years,  and  took  great  interest  in 
paying  off  the  mortgage  debt  of  the  college  in  1914. 
He  was  elected  delegate  and  attended  the  Young  Peo- 
ple's Educational  Congress  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  in  1902. 
He  is  the  founder  of  the  Royal  Sons  and  Daughters,  a 
fraternal  beneficiary  association,  with  104  lodges  and 
3800  members.  He  has  been  Grand  Master  of  this  or- 
ganization sixteen  years.  It  has  a  capital  of  $8000. 
He  owns  forty-seven  city  lots  and  two  splendid  farms. 
He  is  a  logical  and  forceful  speaker. 

Warren,  Mrs.  Mary  J.,  was  born  in  Madisonville, 
Texas,  April  29,  1879,  and  attended  Mary  Allen  Semi- 
nary and  Prairie  View  State  Normal  and  Industrial 
College,  of  Texas. 

She  was  the  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry 
Nauls,  and  was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of  matrimony 
to  Rev.  F.  W.  Warren,  in  the  year  of  1907.  They  were 
blessed  with  two  children — Mary  Belle  and  Frederick 
Wilkerson  Warren. 

They  own  a  beautiful  home  at  Conroe,  Texas, 
where  they  now  reside.  She  taught  successfully  in  the 
public  schools  of  Texas  nine  years.  She  is  a  devoted 
wife  and  mother,  a  faithful  Christian  and  a  great  help 
to  her  husband  in  the  ministry. 

Washington,  Rev.  Samson  Pearl,  was  born  De- 
cember 21,  1882,  at  Peete,  Miss.,  son  of  Ralph  and  Re- 
becca Washington.  Attended  public  school  in  early 
life  at  Halcomb,  Peete  and  Oxberry,  Miss.  At  the 
latter  place  was  converted  August  12,  1897.  Received 
exhorter's  license  September    1,    1897;    local    license, 


REV.  S.  P.  WASHINGTON. 

April  15,  1899;  joined  the  conference  in  1900.  First 
charge,  Duck  Hill,  in  1899;  successfully  pastored  and 
arranged  to  build  a  church.  In  1900  entered  Campbell 
College,  Jackson,  Miss.,  remaining  part  of  two  years, 
and  successfully  pastored  a  mission  point  there.  He 
was  ordained  deacon  December,  1901,  by  Bishop  Ty- 
ree,  at  West  Point,  Miss.,  and  elder,  September  28, 
191 1,  by  Bishop  Derrick,  at  Youngstown,  O.    He  pas- 


238 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


tored  in  his  home  conference,  viz.,  Northeast  Missis- 
sippi Conference,  Duck  Hill,  Ramis  and  Oakland. 
While  at  the  last  charge,  by  unanimous  consent  of  his 
conference,  he  was  granted  a  scholarship  to  Payne 
Theological  Seminary,  Wilberforce,  Ohio.  Remained 
there  seven  years,  working  his  way  through  school,  at 
the  home  of  Bishop  Arnett.  He  spent  four  years  in 
the  college  department  and  three  years  in  the  theo- 
logical department.  Pastored  in  Ohio  at  Harrisburg, 
Jackson,  Berlin  and  Stewardsville,  also  Winsor, 
Canada,  where  he  was  very  successful  clearing  indebt- 
edness and  placing  the  church  on  a  better  basis. 
Graduated  from  the  divinity  course  of  Payne  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  in  191 1.  Returned  to  his  home  state. 
At  the  first  conference  at  Grenada,  Miss.,  he  was 
transferred  by  Bishop  Turner  to  Mississippi  Confer- 
ence, convened  at  Biloxi,  and  as  a  good  man  was 
wanted  for  Gulfport,  one  of  the  most  particular 
places,  the  bishop  decided  to  appoint  him.  Here  he 
was  successful  in  building  a  church.  The  next  year 
he  was  sent  to  Meridian  Station,  where  a  church  was 
needed,  and  he  built  it. 

Dr.  J.  G.  Thompson,  B.S.,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Meridian  District,  died  November  9,  1913.  Bishop 
Connor  wired  the  young  man  to  look  after  the  dis- 
trict until  conference,  November  25,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed presiding  elder  over  the  Meridian  District, 
which  position  he  still  holds.  He  was  married  June  9, 
1914,  to  Miss  Georgia  Lorena  Dunklin,  of  Meridian, 
Miss.,  one  of  the  city  teachers.  He  is  assistant  secre- 
tary of  the  Mississippi  Conference,  a  trustee  of  Camp- 
bell College,  and  lecturer  on  theology  in  Lampton 
Theological  Seminarv.  and  is  a  delegate  to  the  Cen- 
tennial General  Conference.  He  is  aggressive  and 
popular. 


Waters,  Edward,  third  bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  West  River,  Md. ;  was  converted 
in  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  licensed  to  preach  in  that  city ; 
commenced  traveling  in  1818;  was  ordained  deacon  in 


BISHOP  EDWARD  WATERS. 

same  year;  ordained  elder  in  1820;  ordained  bishop 
May  25,  1836.  He  died  May  5,  1847,  and  was  buried 
in  Baltimore,  Md.  He  never  presided  independently 
over  an  annual  conference. 


Waters,  Rev.  Hodson,  son  of  William  and  Laura 
Waters,  both  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
December  12,  1873,  at  Somerset  County,  Md.  Parents 
had  nineteen  children.  He  began  attending  school  at 
the  age  of  seven,  and  attended  about  ten  years  in  all. 
Attended  public  school  at  Fairmount,  Md.,  and  corre- 
spondence school  of  Morgan  College.  Converted  June 
29,  1884,  and  joined  the  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year, 
as  there  was  no  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  the  community. 
He  has  held  several  offices  in  the  Church.  Licensed  to 
preach  in  1902,  at  Fairmount,  Md.,  by  Rev.  Joseph 
Waters,  and  in  1903  joined  the  M.  E.  Conference.  In 
1907  he  joined  the  A.  M.  F.  Church  and  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Philadelphia  Conference.  He  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1908,  at  Carlisle,  by  Bishop  Gaines ;  or- 
dained elder  in  1909,  at  Milford,  Del.,  by  Bishop 
Gaines.  He  has  held  the  following  appointments 
in  the  M.  E.  Church:  Marion  Circuit,  Md.,  1902; 
Girdletree,  Md.,  1903-7.  In  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Ward 
A.  M.  E.,  Philadelphia,  1907-12;  Columbia,  Pa.,  1912- 
14;  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  1914  to  the  present.  Built  a 
church  at  Girdletree,  Md.,  at  a  cost  of  $3750,  in  1905 ; 
lifted  the  mortgage  on  Ward  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Phila- 
delphia, to  the  amount  of  $1350  in  1909.  He  has  taken 
318  people  into  the  Church,  baptized  117  and  married 
40.  Married  Mrs.  Lillian  Belle  Waters,  of  Fairmount, 
Md.,  April  12,  1893.  They  have  seven  children — Hod- 
son,  Jr.,  aged  20;  Bertie  E.,  aged  18;  Theodore,  aged 
12;  Mildred,  aged  9;  Dorothy,  aged  7;  William,  aged 
4;  Margaret,  aged  2.  Hodson,  Jr.,  graduated  from 
Manual  Training,  Philadelphia  High  School.  Rev. 
Waters  is  connected  with  K.  of  P.  and  F.  and  A.  M.. 
Has  held  offices  in  each. 

Watkins,  John  Calvin,  was  born  a  slave,  July  10, 
1858,  near  Madison,  Rockingham  County,  N.  C.  In 
1865  his  father,  two  brothers  and  sister  died,  the  re- 
sult of  an  epidemic  of  typhoid  fever.  After  the  Civil 
War,  the  Watkins  family  remained  on  their  former 
master's  place,  and  here  young  John  Calvin  got  his 
first  lessons  from  Miss  Phoebe  Ann,  his  former  mis- 
tress, studying  with  her  daughter.  He  attended  the 
Presbyterian  Sunday  school  Sunday  mornings,  and 
the  Union  Sundav  school,  for  colored  people,  Sunday 
afternoons.  At  the  age  of  twelve  years  he  went  to 
school  to  a  colored  lady,  and  was  able  at  sixteen  to 
teach.  In  1875  ne  was  converted  and  joined  the 
Church.  In  1876  he  entered  Howard  University,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  1883,  receiving  the  degree  of 
B.D.  He  went  to  South  Carolina  to  preach  and  to 
teach,  settling  in  Winnsboro,  where  he  met  Rev.  W.  D. 
Chappelle,  his  cousin.  In  September,  1883,  he  was 
ordained  elder.  He  pastored  at  Amelia,  Va. ;  Winns- 
boro, S.  C. ;  Sumter,  St.  Charles,  St.  Matthew's, 
Marion  and  Greenwood,  S.  C.  He  was  dean  of  theol- 
ogy at  Allen  University,  and  is  now  presiding  elder  of 
the  Manning  District  of  the  Northeast  South  Carolina 
Conference.  He  has  founded  three  schools,  built  three 
school  houses,  and  taught  more  than  5000  children.  He 
has  built  six  churches  and  made  improvements  and 
paid  debts  to  the  amount  of  several  thousand  dollars. 
He  was  married  in  1885  to  Miss  Alice  S.  Hill,  of 
Amelia,  Va..  and  thev  have  had  six  children,  those  liv- 
ing bein?  Mrs.  Sarah  B.  Bethel,  and  Ethel  L.,  at  Tus- 
kegee,  Ala. ;  John  C,  Tr.,  in  Allen  Universitv,  and 
Paul,  in  Lincoln  High  School,  Sumter,  S.  C.  He  has 
contributed  frequently  to  newspapers  and  published 


239 


<B 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


a  book  entitled  "The  Preacher,  His  Call  and  Prepara- 
tion." 

Watson,  Augustus  William,  chief  secretary  and 
historian  of  the  West  Florida  Annual  Conference. 
Converted  in  1867,  graduated  in  1870,  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1872.  ordained  a  deacon  by  Bishop  Dickerson, 
an  elder  by  Bishop  Shorter,  received  degrees  of  LL.B., 
Ph.D..  and  D.D.,  1870,  1893  and  1906;  has  repaired 
and  built  many  churches  and  parsonages.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  the  general  conference  of  1908,  and  an 
alternate  from  the  Macon.  Ga.,  conference  to  the 
general  conference  at  Philadelphia,  in  1892,  also  an 
alternate  in  1504  from  the  Florida  Conference. 

Watson,  Joseph  Hamilton,  son  of  Ralph  and  Delia 
Watson,  was  born  in  Warrenton,  Ga.,  in  1861.  His 
parents,  who  were  missionary  Baptists,  moved  to  Al- 
bany, Ga.,  in  the  early  sixties,  where  Joseph  entered 
the  Albany  public  school  at  the  age  of  six  years.  Lat- 
er he  graduated  from  the  Freedmen's  Institute,  which 
was  founded  by  Mrs.  Lucy  E.  Case,  of  Massachusetts. 


MR.  JOSEPH  HAMILTON  WATSON. 

Being  one  of  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children, 
he  had  to  help  provide  for  the  younger  children,  there- 
fore he  was  not  able  to  attend  school  any  longer,  but 
this  did  not  end  his  education.  He  became  his  own 
instructor  and  studied  at  night.  After  working  as  an 
apprentice  under  a  brick-mason  several  years,  he  soon 
became  proficient  and  later  was  known  as  one  of  the 
best  brick-masons  in  Georgia,  as  well  as  tile-setter  and 
plasterer.    For  several  years  he  was  a  contractor. 

At  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Carrie  Eveline  Jackson,"  of  Culloden,  Ga.  Later  three 
children  were  "born — Sara,  Irene  and  Joseph.  Sara 
graduated  from  Atlanta  University  in  1906,  after 
which  she  went  to  Boston,  Mass.,  where  she  took  a 
course  in  bookkeeping,  typewriting  and  embalming 
and  was  the  first  woman  to  pass  the  examination  of 
the  Georgia  State  Board  of  Embalmers.  Joseph  is  now 


attending    Meharry     Medical     College    at    Nashville, 
Tenn. 

In  1903  Mr.  Watson  was  converted  and  joined 
Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Albany  and  has  served  as 
steward,  trustee  and  Sunday  school  teacher  since.  In 
1912  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  conference  at 
Kansas  City,  Mo.,  and  is  now  a  delegate  to  the  Cen- 
tennial General  Conference  at  Philadelphia. 

In  191 1  he  built  the  Albany  Mission  Church  in 
East  Albany,  Ga.  He  has  served  as  a  trustee  of  Mor- 
ris Brown  University  since  1910  and  has  given  scholar- 
ships to  its  theological  department,  and  to  that  of 
Edward  Waters  College,  Jacksonville.  Fla.,  and  now 
has  a  student  in  each  of  them.  He  has  also  contributed 
to  the  Christian  Recorder  and  the  Western  Christian 
Recorder. 

Mr.  Watson  has  been  a  successful  business  man 
and  owns  considerable  real  estate  in  Albany,  one  piece 
of  which  is  said  to  be  valued  at  $40,000.  He  is  Su- 
preme Ruler  of  the  Supreme  Circle,  president  and  man- 
ager of  the  Supreme  Circle  News,  president  and  man- 
ager of  the  Circle  Coffin  and  Casket  Co.,  and  vice- 
president  of  the  Artesian  Drug  Co.  He  is  a  staunch  Re- 
publican and  is  a  member  of  the  County,  District  and 
State  Central  Committee  and  has  been  to  the  Republi- 
can National  .Convention  at  Chicago  several  times. 

Mr.  Watson  is  active  in  all  charitable  and  benev- 
olent institutions  to  which  he  belongs  and  has  held 
responsible  positions  in  each  as  follows:  Masons — 
Senior  and  Junior  Warden ;  Odd  Fellows — Noble 
Grand,  Advocate  and  Past  Noble  Father ;  Kniehts  of 
Pythias — Chancellor  Commander,  Master  of  Works, 
Member  of  Temple  Commission  and  Representative  to 
Supreme  Lodge ;  Supreme  Circle — Advocate  and  Su- 
preme Ruler,  and  he  is  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star, 
Household  of  Ruth  and  Court  of  Calanthe. 

In  1913  Mr.  Watson  addressed  the  East  Florida 
Conference  at  Jacksonville.  Fla.  In  1914.  he  addressed 
the  same  conference  at  Ocala,  Fla.,  and  in  1915  he  de- 
livered the  commencement  address  to  the  students  of 
Turner  Theological  Department  of  Morris  Brown  Uni- 
versity,  Atlanta,  Ga.  He  is  a  liberal  contributor  to 
the  cause  of  Christ. 


BISHOP  ALEXANDER  W.  WAYMAN. 

Wayman,  Alexander,  seventh  bishop  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  was  born  in  Caroline  County.  Md.,  Septem- 
ber, 1821.     He  worked  on  his  father's  farm  when  he 


240 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


«& 


was  quite  young.  His  father  taught  him  to  spell  and 
read.  He  taught  himself  to  write.  In  1835  he  was 
converted.  In  1837  he  joined  the  M.  E.  Church.  In 
1839  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  Richard  Wil- 
liams. In  1840  he  united  with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
In  1843  he  joined  the  Philadelphia  annual  conference 
and  was  ordained  deacon  and  elder.  He  served  as 
pastor  in  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington, 
D.  C.  He  was  chief  secretary  of  the  general  confer- 
ences of  1856,  i860  and  1864.  The  degree  of  D.D.  was 
conferred  upon  him  by  Howard  University.  He  was 
elected  bishop  in  1864  while  pastor  in  Baltimore,  and 
ordained  May  23,  1864.  He  served  as  bishop  31  years 
and  six  months.  He  became  senior  bishop  upon  the 
death  of  Bishop  Payne,  November  29,  1893.  Bishop 
Wayman  died  November  30,  1895,  and  was  buried  at 
Baltimore. 

Webb,  Willis  J.,  one  of  14  children  of  Wiley  M. 
and  Charity  Webb,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  May  24,  1875,  in  Dawson,  Ga. ; 
began  school  in  1882,  and  attended  the  public  schools 
and  Normal  School  at  Dawson  for  seven  years;  also 
studied  under  private  teachers ;  was  converted  June, 
1894,  and  served  as  class  leader,  steward,  trustee,  ex- 
horter,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  superintendent; 
was  licensed  to  preach  at  Albany,  Ga.,  August,  1894, 
by  Rev.  D.  W.  Moore ;  ordained  deacon  at  Cuthbert, 
Ga.,  1897,  by  Bishop  Turner;  elder,  1901,  by  Bishop 
Gaines,  at  Opelika,  Ala.,  was  admitted  to  annual  con- 
ference at  Cuthbert,  Ga.,  in  1897,  and  has  held  the 
following  appointments :  St.  James  Mission,  South- 
west Georgia  Conference,  1897-98;  Coal  Ridge  Mis- 
sion, 1899;  Lawrenceville  circuit  in  Alabama  Confer- 
ence, 1900;  Graham  circuit,  1 901-2 ;  Ozark  circuit, 
1903;  Otho  circuit,  1904;  Hartford  circuit,  1904-8; 
Newton  circuit,  1909;  Ohio  circuit,  1910;  Andalusia, 
191 1 ;  Allen  Chapel,  Bekam,  1912;  Bethel,  Elba,  1914. 
Built  St.  James,  at  Graham,  Ala.,  and  Bethel  and 
West  Chapel,  at  Hartford;  paid  mortgages  of  $2,050 
on  Bethel,  Andalusia;  $1,150  on  Allen,  Bekam,  Ala.; 
$2,050  on  Bethel,  Elba,  Ala. ;  has  taken  2,500  people 
into  the  church,  and  baptized  1,800;  was  a  delegate  to 
the  Centennial  General  Conference,  1916;  a  Mason, 
Republican,  home  owner,  author  of  book  of  poems, 
trustee  of  Payne  University,  Selma,  Ala.  His  wife, 
Mrs.  Lizzie  J.  Webb,  was  born,  in  Fort  Michel,  Ala, 
They  were  married  in  1901,  and  have  five  children: 
C.  Beatrice,  J.  Albert,  S.  Lucile,  James  and  J.  David 
Webb.  ; 


Webster,  Frank  T.  M.,  son  of  Andrew  and  Har- 
riett Webster,  both  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church, 
was  born  May  1,  1853,  in  Montgomery  County,  Md. 
He  was  one  of  sixteen  children.  He  entered  school 
in  1865  and  attended  in  all  8  years,  completing  his  edu- 
cation at  the  Theological  Seminary,  Phila.  He  re- 
ceived the  degree  D.D.  from  Morris  Brown  College. 
He  was  converted  January,  1880,  and  joined  Mace- 
donia A.  M.  E.  Church,  Camden,  N.  J.,  the  same  year. 
He  has  been  class  leader  and  Sunday  school  teacher. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  June,  1881,  at  Macedonia, 
Camden,  N.  J.,  by  Rev.  Samuel  B.  Williams.  He 
joined  the  annual  conference  in  April,  1885,  at  Burling- 
ton, N.  J.,  under  Bishop  Cain.  He  was  ordained  dea- 
con in  1887  at  Trenton,  N.  J.,  by  Bishop  A.  Wayman, 
16 


and  ordained  elder  in  1889  at  Mt.  Holly,  N.  J.,  by  Bish- 
op H.  M.  Turner.  He  has  held  the  following  appoint- 
ments;  Heightstown  Circuit,  1885-86;  Rock  Hill,  1887- 
88;  Flemingtdn,  N.  J.,  1889;  Fair  Haven,  N.  J.,  1889- 
90;  Burlington,  1890-91;  P.  E.  New  England  Confer- 
ence 1891-92;  Greenwich,  Conn.,  1893;  Mt.  Pisgah, 
Phila.,  1894-98;  Mt.  Olive,  1898-1904;  Zion  Chapel, 
Phila.,  1905 ;  P.  E.  West  Philadelphia  District,  1905- 
10;  Mt.  Pisgah,  Phila.,  191 1;  York,  1912;  Zion,  1913- 
14;  P.  E.  Harrisburg  District  1914  to  1916;  pastor 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  since  June,  1916. 

He  built  a  church  at  Bound  Brook,  $1000,  in  1888. 
He  lifted  the  mortgage  on  Heightstown  to  the  amount 


REV.  F.  T.  M.  WEBSTER,  D.D. 


of  $300  in  1886;  at  Flemington,  N,  J.,  he  bought  a  lot 
to  the  amount  of  $250  in  1889;  built  parsonage  at  Fair 
Haven  to  the  amount  of  $2000  in  1890;  remodeled  at 
Burlington  to  the  amount  of  $780  in  1891 ;  paid  $2500 
at  Mt.  Pisgah  ;  paid  $5100  on  Mt.  Olive.  He  has  taken 
about  2619  persons  into  the  church,  baptized  350  peo- 
ple and  married  215  persons.  He  has  been  delegate 
to  the  general  conferences  of  1904-08- 12- 16.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Missionary  board,  1904-8.  He  married 
Miss  Ella  E.  Holland,  of  Lewes,  Del.,  September  22, 
1878.  He  has  contributed  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Review. 
He  is  a  member  of  F.  and  A.  M.  He  was  master  of 
the  Subordinate  ten  years,  P.  G.  M.  of  the  State  of 
New  Jersey,  High  Priest,  Most  Eminent  Grand  Com- 
mander, Crown  Prince  of  the  Royal  Secret  of  the  33rd 
degree  and  Grand  Treasurer.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Republican  party.  He  owns  a  home.  He  is  actively 
associated  with  the  prisons  and  charitable  work  in 
general. 

West,  Rev.  George  Hamilton,  was  born  in  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  Sept.  4,  1870,  son  of  Barney  and  Anna  E. 
West.  He  finished  the  grammar  and  high  schools  of 
Richmond,  winning  in  a  school  of  824  pupils  the  "Pea- 
body"  medal,  three  years  in  succession. 

He  was  converted  in  May,  1889,  under  the  preach- 
ing of  Dr.  Geo.  D.  Jimmerson,  of  Virginia,  and  licensed 
to  preach  by  Rev,  R.  Wm-  Fjckland  at  St.  James  A. 


241 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


M.  E.  Church,  Atlantic  City,  N.  J.  He  has  held  every 
office  in  the  Sunday  school  and  church. 

He  entered  Howard  University  at  Washington, 
D.  C-,  in  1895,  graduating  from  the  Theological  De- 
partment in  1898,  having  won  prizes  in  Hebrew  and 
Greek  in  1897  and  1898.  Two  more  years  were  spent 
in  the  college  department  and  one  in  the  medical  de- 
partment of  Howard  University. 

Rev.  West  joined  the  New  Jersey  Conference  at 
Bethel  Church,  South  Camden,  May,  1901,  under  Bish- 
op Derrick.  He  was  transferred  to  the  Philadelphia 
Conference,  which  convened  at  Wilmington,  Dela- 
ware, ordained  deacon  and  appointed  to  Morris  Brown 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia. 

He  spent  two  years  at  Morris  Brown.    The  church 


REV.  GEORGE  HAMILTON  WEST,  B.D. 

was  renovated,  the  interior  painted,  furnace  repaired. 
A  revival  each  winter  resulted  in  a  large  number  of 
conversions  and  accessions  to  the  church. 

At  the  end  of  the  second  year  Rev.  West  was 
transferred  to  the  New  Jersey  Conference,  and  was 
stationed  at  Flemington  for  one  year.  In  1904  he  was 
ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Arnett,  at  Bridge  St.  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

His  next  appointment  was  Millville,  N.  J.,  where 
he  found  the  membership  very  much  discouraged. 
At  the  end  of  two  years  the  church  was  paid  entirely 
out  of  debt  the  first  time  in  forty  years.  A  new  roof 
was  put  on,  and  arrangements  were  made  to  renovate 
the  church.  The  next  charge  was  Mt.  Zion,  Borden- 
town,  N.  J.,  and  chaplain  Bordentown  Industrial 
School.  Here  he  spent  three  years.  Here  he  had  re- 
vivals that  had  not  been  equalled  in  seventeen  years. 
Here  he  renovated  the  parsonage  entirely  and  furnish- 
ed it  at  a  cost  of  $300.  He  paid  off  the  -mortgage  on 
the  church  and  burned  the  same  in  February,  1908, 
and  then  remodeled  the  church  at  a  cost  of  $900,  pay- 
ing $600  on  account,  leaving  in  the  building  and  loan 
only  $300. 

In  1910  he  was  appointed  by  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines 
to  Asbury  Park,  N.  J.,  where  there  was  a  debt  of  $3300. 
In  two  years  he  succeeded  in  cutting  the  debt  in  half. 
Here  also  the  parsonage  was  furnished  and  a  new 
foundation  put  under  it.     New  carpet  in  the  church, 


a  new  choir  loft,  ladies'  toilet,  stained  glass  in  all  the 
windows,  cement  coal  cellers,  re-arrangement  of  the 
vestibule  were  among  some  of  the  important  improve- 
ments made  and  paid  for. 

In  1912  Rev.  West  preached  the  annual  confer- 
ence sermon  and  was  appointed  to  Bethel,  Jersey  City, 
N.  J.,  on  which  there  were  two  mortgages  of  $2300. 
There  were  also  five  judgments  in  the  courts  and 
other  debts  amounting  to  $2250.  The  congregation 
had  also  recently  been  split  and  a  new  M.  E.  Church 
had  been  organized.  In  twenty  months,  however,  the 
debt  was  reduced  to  $1900,  and  the  church  improved. 
He  had  fifty-nine  converts  and  160  accessions.  He 
resigned  the  charge,  an  exchange  being  made  with 
Rev.  W.  H.  Burrell,  of  Greenwich,  Conn.,  where  he 
is  now  serving  his  third  year.  He  has  paid  the  church 
out  of  debt,  put  in  $110  worth  of  furniture,  and  is  now 
preparing  to  remodel  the  church  at  a  cost  of  $2000. 

Rev.  West  has  had  during  his  ministry  540  con- 
versions and  more  than  1000  accessions.  On  March 
20,  1901,  he  was  united  in  holy  wedlock  to  Miss  M.  A. 
Toney,  of  Newport,  R.  I.  Their  union  has  been  bless- 
ed with  5  children. 


West,  Simcn  Peter,  was  born  at  Vienna,  Pa.,  June 
18,  1858;  spent  his  early  life  on  a  farm;  attended  the 
country  school  about  3  months  in  the  year ;  finished 
the  public  school  course:  in  1875-76  attended  the  acad- 
emy   in    West   Alexander ;    attended    California    State 


REV.  S.  P.  WEST,  D.D. 

Normal  College  from  1884  to  1886;  graduating  in  1886, 
the  only  colored  student  in  the  class  of  24;  was  se- 
lected to  write  the  "Class  Ode" ;  was  also  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  Alumni  Association,  presiding  that  year  at 
the  alumni  banquet,  being  the  only  one  of  his  race 
present.  He  taught  school  in  Brownsville,  Pa.,  in 
1888  and  18S9  and  was  principal  of  the  colored  school 
at  Uniontown,  Pa.,  from  1889  to  1890.  In  1892  he 
joined  the  Pittsburgh  conference  at  Oil  City,  Pa. ;  was 
sent  to  Erie,  Pa.,  with  24  members;  remained  3  years 
and  increased  the  membership  and  improved  the  prop- 
erty.   In  1895  he  was  elected  as  delegate-at-large  from 


242 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


9 


Erie  County  to  the  International  Convention  of  Chris- 
tian Endeavorers  in  Boston,  Mass.  He  next  served 
Franklin,  Pa.,  for  three  years ;  then  Monongahela,  Pa. ; 
next  Charleroi  for  three  years.  Here  he  built  a  neat 
parsonage  and  also  organized  the  congregation  in  the 
new  town  of  Donora,  built  the  chapel  there  and  gave 
to  the  connection  a  property  worth  $3000,  and  with 
only  a  debt  of  $1000  in  the  last  two  years  of  his  admin- 
istration at  Charleroi.  From  Charleroi  he  went  to 
Elizabeth  for  2  years,  during  which  time  he  added 
one-third  to  the  congregation,  paid  off  a  long  standing 
debt  and  put  a  basement  under  the  church ;  then  to 
Wilkes-Earre,  where  he  paid  off  a  debt  of  $1600  of 
ten  years'  standing  and  entertained  the  annual  confer- 
ence ;  to  Scranton,  where  again  he  paid  off  some 
chronic  obligations  on  the  church,  added  some  46  to 
the  membership  in  a  single  year.  He  then  was  ap- 
pointed presiding  elder  of  the  West  Virginia  district 
of  the  Pittsburgh  Conference.  In  this  district  he  had 
phenomenal  success  and  in  1908  the  Pittsburgh  Con- 
ference elected  him  a  delegate  to  the  general  confer- 
ence, with  specific  instructions  to  press  the  claims  of 
West  Virginia  as  an  annual  conference,  which  he  suc- 
ceeded in  doing.  In  1909-11  he  was  pastor  at  Clarks- 
burg, W.  Va.  Then  he  was  transferred  to  the  Ohio 
conference  and  stationed  at  Chillicothe.  From  Chilli- 
cothe  he  was  sent  to  Xenia,  where  he  raised  $2876  in 
a  single  rally  effort  for  a  new  church.  From  Xenia 
he  went  to  fronton,  where  he  had  a  successful  year. 
Last  year  he  was  assigned  to  the  Columbus  presiding 
elder's  district,  where  he  is  now  popular  and  success- 
ful. He  took  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Didactics  from 
California  in  1886  and  in  1888  he  took  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Didactics  from  the  same  school.  He  took 
the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Wilberforce  and  Morris 
Brown,  both  in  the  same  year,  from  the  former  for 
conformity  to  theological  requirements  upon  applica- 
tion, and  from  the  latter  as  an  honorary  gratuity  from 
the  faculty. 

Whales,  Lavinia,  was  born  a  slave  and  belonged 
to  a  family  named  Ruffners,  the  same  people  who  held 


Booker  T. 
Civil  War 


MRS.  LAVINIA  WHALES. 

Washington  in  slavery.    At  the  close  of  the 
she  came  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  grew  up 


to  womanhood.  Has  been  a  resident  of  Kentucky  for 
over  30  years.  Converted  over  35  years  ago  and  has 
been  an  ardent  church  worker  ever  since.  Now  con- 
nected with  Quinn  Chapel,  Louisville,  Ky.  Married 
James  Whales,  of  Woodford  County,   Ky. 

White,  Mrs.  Ella,  was  born  in  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
She  joined  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church  when  but  a  child 
in  1878,  and  has  been  actively  engaged  in  all  parts  of 
the  church  work  a  faithful,  true  and  tried  member 
ever  since.  She  has  filled  every  office  in  the  Sunday 
school  from  assistant  secretary  to  superintendent ; 
was  a  member  of  the  stewardesses'  board  for  many 
years.  Was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  W.  M.  M.  S. 
of  St.  John,  and  for  twelve  years  has  been  the  faith- 
ful president,  supported  by  a  band  of  noble  women. 


MRS.  ELLA  WHITE. 

During  these  twelve  years  this  society  has  raised  over 
$2,000  for  the  sacred  cause  of  missions  and  stands  at 
the  head  of  the  Third  Episcopal  District. 

Mrs.  White  is  also  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
North  Ohio  Conference  band  of  the  W.  M.  M.  S.  and 
is  one  of  its  most  active  members  and  has  been  one  of 
its  oganizers,  a  member  of  the  executive  board,  and 
at  present  is  contingent  treasurer.  She  is  also  active- 
ly engaged  in  charity  work,  being  president  of  the 
Women's  Auxiliary  to  the  Juvenile  Court,  chairman 
of  the  Lady  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Phyllis  Wheatly 
Home  for  working  girls  and  vice-president  of  the  Fed- 
eration of  Women's  Missionary  Societies  and  instruc- 
tor of  missions  in  the  Sunday  school,  and  a  member  of 
the  Parent  Body  of  the  W.  M.  M.  S. 

White,  Mrs.  L.  E.,  was  born  in  Amherst  County, 
Virginia,  but  reared  in  Ohio.  She  has  given  her  life 
services  to  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
She  served  as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  at 
Portsmouth,  Ohio,  in  Allen  Chapel  Church  four  years 
without  being  tardy  or  absent  once  in  that  period; 
she  served  as  choir  leader  a  number  of  years  success- 
fully. She  was  consecrated  deaconess  at  Cincinnati 
during  the  last  Ohig  Annual  Conference,  by  Bishop 

243 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


Shaffer.  She  is  class  leader  and  teacher  in  the  Sun- 
day school  and  chorister  of  the  same ;  also  president 
of  the  W.  M.  M.  S. 

She  was  chosen  by  Bishop  Payne,  with  whom  she 
was  not  then  personally  acquainted,  as  chairman  of 
the  executive  board  of  the  W.  P.  M.  M.  Society,  or- 
ganized in  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1892.  It  was  at  this 
meeting  that  she  gave  her  name  and  five  dollars  to 
Mrs.  Fanny  J.  Coppin  to  become  a  life  member  in  the 
Parent  Society. 

For  thirteen  years  she  served  as  secretary  of  the 
local  W.  C.  T.  U.,  which  has  a  membership  of  more 
than  one  hundred,  and  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  state 


Whitfield,  Rev.  Cupid  Aleyus,  was  born  March 
31,  1868,  in  Gadsden  County,  Florida,  seven  miles 
from  Quincy,  the  son  of  Cato  and  Amanda  Whitfield, 
former  slaves  of  General  William  Gilchrist,  whose  son 
was  governor  of  Florida  from  1909  to  1913.  Cupid 
started  to  school  at  five  years  of  age.  He  soon  won 
the  distinction  of  being  the  best  scholar  in  the  entire 
school.  Though  the  school  term  was  about  three 
months,  he  could  not  attend  more  than  half  of  the 
time,  because  he  had  to  help  his  father  on  the  farm. 

He  often  went  to  school  with  no  dinner  but  a 
piece  of  corn  bread,  wrapped  in  a  rag,  or  peanuts. 

When  he  was  about  sixteen  years  old  he  began 
teaching  school  and  because  of  studious  habits  be- 


REV.  C.  A.  WHITFIELD. 


MRS.  L.  E.  WHITE. 

conventions  not  less  than  six  times  during  her  ad- 
ministration as  secretary.  She  represented  the  white 
people,  because  they  elected  her  so  to  do.  She  repre- 
sented colored  people  because  she  is  a  colored  woman. 

She  collected  the  first  religious  census  of  Scioto 
County,  having  been  duly  appointed  secretary  of  the 
county  by  Dr.  Carroll,  of  Plainville,  N.  J.,  of  the  Cen- 
sus Bureau.  She  also  called  the  First  County  Con- 
vention, which  was  held  at  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  at  Portsmouth,  and  gave  the  first  monev  ac- 
credited to  the  county.  She  mothered  the  cradle  roll 
in  Allen  Chapel  for  six  years.  For  years  she  had 
charge  of  the  Band  of  Hope  and  other  juvenile  depart- 
ments of  the  community,  and  was  a  member  of  Dr. 
Elder's  Biblical  Class,  which  numbered  almost  one 
thousand,  and  was  graduated,  having  never  missed  a 
meeting  or  been  late.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Mother 
Chautauqua  at  Lake  Chautauqua,  having  studied  the 
four  year  course,  and  in  1893  journeyed  to  that  beau- 
tiful summer  resort  to  be  recognized  with  her  class. 

Mrs.  White  has  attended  the  Ohio  Sunday  school 
conventions  for  twenty  years.  She  is  faithful  and  ac- 
tive in  a  number  of  societies  with  which  she  is  con- 
nected. 


244 


came  known  as  one  of  the  leading  colored  teachers  of 
Gadsden  County.  He  made  99  per  cent,  in  algebra 
in  the  teachers'  examination,  which  had  not  been  done 
before  by  any  teacher  in  Gadsden  County.  He  now 
holds  a  first  grade  certificate  good  for  life  in  the  state 
of  Florida.  He  learned  Hebrew,  Greek  and  Latin 
without  the  help  of  a  teacher,  and  he  speaks  and  writes 
German  and  French.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  State 
Agricultural  and  Mechanical  College,  Tallahassee. 

In  1889  he  married  Miss  Rebecca  Z.  Goodson. 
Fourteen  children  have  resulted  from  this  union,  all 
of  whom,  but  one,  are  alive.  Two  of  them,  Misses 
Angenia  and  Clementina,  are  promising  school  teach- 
ers of  Gadsden  County. 

One  daughter,  Mrs.  Amanda  J.  Davis,  is  married 
and  lives  at  Climax,  Ga.  One  son,  Mr.  Cato  Whitfield, 
is  married  and  lives  at  Millville,  Florida,  while  an- 
other son,  Mr.  Wm.  F.  Whitfield,  is  at  Perry,  Fla 
The  others  are  at  home. 

He  was  converted  September  17th,  1891,  at  Chat- 
tahoochee at  a  meeting  conducted  by  Rev.  Geo.  H. 
Washington.  He  was  licensed  that  year  to  exhort, 
by  the  Rev.  A.  J.  Kershaw,  and  the  next  year  to 
preach.  In  January,  1893,  ne  joined  the  Florida  An- 
nual Conference,  which  met  in  Quincy. 

In  December,  1899,  he  was  ordained  a  deacon  at 
Apalachicola,  by  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines,  and  December 
17th,  1901,  he  was  ordained  an  elder  at  Marianna,  by 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Bishop  James  A.  Handy.  In  1906  Morris  Brown  Col- 
lege conferred  D.D.  upon  him. 

Dr.  Whitfield  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  con- 
ference at  Norfolk,  Va.,  1908,  and  at  Kansas  City,  Mo., 
1912. 

Dr.  Whitfield  has  pastored  some  of  the  leading 
churches  of  the  Florida  Conference,  among  them  Beth- 
el Church,  Tallahassee,  which  was  built  by  Rev.  (af- 
terwards Bishop)  A.  Grant. 

All  of  Dr.  Whitfield's  ministerial  labors  have 
been  spent  in  Florida  with  the  exception  of  one  year, 
which  was  spent  in  Mississippi.  He  was  professor  of 
English  Literature  and  Ancient  History  in  Edward 
Waters  College,  Jacksonville,  1910-1911,  and  princi- 
pal of  Edward  Waters  College,  1911-1912. 

For  many  years  Dr.  Whitfield  was  editor  of  the 
Golden  Rule,  the  only  colored  newspaper  of  Middle 
Florida  at  that  time.  Dr.  Whitfield  owns  more  than 
one  hundred  acres  of  land  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  Florida. 

He  is  now  conference  missionary  of  the  Florida 
Conference,  and  is  endeavoring  to  establish  a  high 
school  in  Quincy,  Fla.  He  has  a  literary  turn  of  mind 
and  has  written  several  excellent  poems,  among  them 
one  concerning  the  gallant  conduct  of  the  Negro  sol- 
diers in  the  Spanish  War,  entitled  "The  Negro  Sol- 
diers Saved  the  Day."  He  also  published  a  book  of 
"Poems  to  Today,  or  Some  from  the  Everglades." 

Whithurst,  Raymond  Witherspoon,  one  of  three 
children  of  William  and  Jessie  Whithurst,  both  mem- 
bers of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  December  10, 
1881,  near  Marianna,  Fla.,  began  school  at  six  years 
and   attended     public     schools    near    home,     Edward 


REV.  R.  W.  WHITHURST. 

Waters  College  and  Turner  Theological  Seminary,  re- 
ceiving diploma  from  Turner.  He  was  converted  in 
1902,  and  joined  church ;  served  as  steward,  trustee, 
class  leader,  exhorter,  Sunday  school  superintendent 
and  teacher;  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1903,  at 
Marianna,  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Johnson ;  joined  West  Flor- 
ida Conference  in  1906,  under  Bishop  Tanner,  at  Pen- 
sacola,  was  ordained  deacon  in  1907,  at  Marianna, 
by  Bishop  Tanner,  elder  at  Carrabelle,  in   1909,  by 


Bishop  Salter,  and  appointments  as  follows,  all  in 
Florida:  Branch  Mission,  1907;  Sneads  Mission, 
1908;  Antioch  circuit,  1909-10;  conference  student, 
1912;  Springfield  circuit,  Cottondale  station,  1913; 
Campbellton,  1914-16;  built  St.  Paul,  Campbellton, 
$3,000,  in  1914;  paid  mortgages  at  Cottondale  and 
Antioch ;  has  received  340  persons  into  church  and 
baptized  316;  member  of  general  conference,  1916; 
was  married  February  13,  1908 ;  has  one  child,  Katura 
Elizabeth ;  is  a  trustee  of  Edward  Waters  College, 
Mason  and  owns  plantation.  His  wife's  name  is  Mrs. 
Laura  Whithurst,  who  was  born  near  Marianna, 
Fla. 

Wiggins,  S.  T.,  lawyer,  Wagoner,  Okla.,  was  born 
in  Columbus,  O. ;  graduated  from  the  Columbus  High 
School  in  1885 ;  taught  school  at  Appomattox,  Va., 
from  1885  to  1887,  and  attended  two  years  the  sum- 
mer normals  at  Virginia  Normal  and  Collegiate  Insti- 
tute,  Petersburg,  Va.,   under  President  John  Mercer 


S.  T.  WIGGINS,  ESQ. 

Langston.  In  1887  he  went  to  Dangerfield,  Texas, 
and  taught  school  for  four  years,  attended  all  summer 
institutes  and  was  president  of  the  county  organiza- 
tion, by  first  appointment  from  County  Judge  David 
Rhoades.  In  1891  he  entered  the  law  department  of 
the  University  of  Michigan,  supplemented  this  course 
with  literary  work  and  graduated  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Law  in  the  class  of  1893.  He  entered  the 
Ohio   State   University,   Columbus,  O.,  in  the  fall  of 

1893,  for  post-graduate  work  in  law  and  in  philosophy, 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  Master  of  Law,  class  of 

1894,  and  from  his  study  of  philosophy  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Philosophy,  class  of  1897.  While  at  the 
Ohio  State  University  under  the  required  two  years' 
drill  as  military  discipline,  he  was  commissioned  by 
the  then  Governor  Wm.  McKinley  as  adjutant  of  the 
9th  Battalion,  Ohio  National  Guard,  ranking  seventh 
in  the  state  upon  retirement.  He  again  went  to  Texas 
in  the  fall  of  1897 ;  taught  school  in  Red  River  County, 
near  Clarksville,  Texas;  in  1898  he  was  appointed  con- 
ductor of  the  Red  River  County  Summer  Normal,  also 
received  a  lieutenant's  commission  from  President 
McKinley,  and  served  a  few  weeks  with  the  U.  S.  V.  I. 
at  New  Orleans,  La.,  and  from  there  to  the  8th  U.  S. 


245 


€> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


V.  I.,  then  stationed  at  Ft.  Thomas,  Ky.,  to  which 
regiment  he  was  assigned,  Col.  E.  L.  Huggins,  now 
retired  Gen.  Huggins,  commanding;  he  was  mustered 
out  with  the  regiment  with  honorable  discharge  at 
Chickamauga  Park,  Ga.,  in  1899;  located  for  the  prac- 
tice of  law  at  Coffeyville,  Kans.,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  District  and  Supreme  Courts  of  said  state,  already 
having  Supreme  Court  license  from  Michigan.  In 
1900  he  came  to  the  then  Indian  Territory  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  at  McAlester,  Okla.  He  practiced 
for  a  while  at  Wewoka  and  McAlester  and  then  moved 
to  Ardmore,  where  he  practiced  law  for  seven  years 
until  Oklahoma  statehood.  He  was  admitted  to  prac- 
tice in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  1905.  At  the  beginning  of  statehood 
he  came  to  Wagoner,  where  he  has  since  practiced. 
He  traveled  in  Europe  in  the  fall  of  1911.  He  has 
held  the  head  and  leading  positions  in  various  grand 
lodges  and  conventions  of  the  state ;  he  is  past  grand 
master  of  Masons,  being  a  33rd  degree  Mason.  He 
has  remained  within  the  realms  of  literary  research, 
with  his  interest  always  for  racial  advancement.  He 
is  now  also  the  president  of  the  Interstate  Oil,  Gas, 
Mining  and  Refining  Company,  recently  organized 
with  a  capital  stock  of  $50,000. 

Williams,  Cyrus  L.,  was  born  in  Lexington 
County,  S.  C,  August  21,  1876.  He  attended  the  free 
common  school  at  Lexington  C.  H.,  S.  C,  under  Rev. 
W.  D.  Chappelle  and  Prof.  E.  R.  Carter.  He  attended 
Allen  University,  and  was  a  favorite  at  Allen  for  his 
judgment.  He  graduated  from  Normal  Department  in 
1895,  and  was  elected  principal  of  the  Clinton  High 


REV.  CYRUS  L.  WILLIAMS,  B.S.,  D.D. 

School,  Clinton,  S.  C. ;  resigned  after  two  years,  re- 
entered Allen  University  and  finished  the  college 
course  in  1S98;  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1890 
and  was  converted  in  1892 ;  joined  the  Columbia,  S. 
C,  Conference  at  Union,  S.  C,  studied  at  Gammon 
Theological  Seminary,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  graduating  in 
1901.  He  has  served  as  follows:  while  in  Gammon 
Seminary,  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church,  near  Decatur, 
Ga. ;       principal     of     Lawrenceville      City      School, 


Lawrenceville,  Ga.,  and  pastor  of  said  church  two 
years;  Jefferson  Station,  Jefferson,  Ga.,  five 
years  and  principal  of  Winder  City  School ;  St.  John's 
Station,  Athens,  Ga.,  three  years,  and  #  principal  of 
Winder  City  School;  at  St.  Luke's  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Cartersville,  Ga.,  three  years ;  Marietta,  at  present.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  general  conference  in  1908,  1912 
and  in  1916;  recording  secretary  of  North  Georgia 
Conference ;  trustee  and  member  of  the  Executive 
Board  of  Morris  Brown  College.  As  a  financier  he 
ranks  among  the  first.  As  a  pastor  he  is  said  to  be 
one  of  the  best.  He  has  good  financial  standing  in 
the  business  world.  He  was  leader  of  the  North 
Georgia  delegation  to  the  general  conference,  1916. 
He  is  president  of  the  A.  C.  E.  League  of  the  North 
Georgia  Conference.  He  is  General  Manager  of  the 
Cartersville  Undertaking  Co. 

Williams,  Rev.  Charles  Sumnei  was  "  born  at 
Brookhaven,  Miss.,  the  son  of  Elizabeth  Jackson  and 
Patrick  Franklin  Williams,  who  were  the  parents  of 
six  other  children.  He  began  attending  school  in 
1886,  going  about  seventeen  years  in  all.  He  was  grad- 
uated from  the  Brookhaven  public  schools  and  Wil- 
berforce  University.  He  also  attended  Tuskegee  In- 
stitute.    The  degree  of  D.D.  was  conferred  upon  him 


REV.  CHARLES  SUMXER  WILLIAMS,  D.D. 

in  1908  by  Morris  Brown  College,  Atlanta,  Ga.  He 
has  made  a  sort  of  a  special  study  of  history,  Anthro- 
pology and  Sociology. 

In  1896  he  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church.  He  has  served  as  class  leader,  exhorter, 
local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  district 
Sunday  school  superintendent  of  the  Brookhaven  Dis- 
trict. He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1898  by  Rev.  I.  N. 
Fitzpatrick  at  Tuskegee,  Ala.  In  1903  Bishop  Arnett 
ordained  him  deacon  at  Xenia,  O.  In  1904,  at  Ellis- 
ville,  Miss.,  he  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  M.  "B. 
Salter.  He  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1899  at 
Natchez,  Miss.,  under  Bishop  Derrick. 

Rev.  Williams  has  pastored  the  following  charges, 
a  number  of  them  while  in  school:  Tolsons  Mission, 
1899;  South  Charleston,  Ohio,  1903;  Shubuta  Mission, 


246 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


1904;  Hillston,  Ohio,  1905;  Washington  C.  H.,  Ohio, 
1906;  Ironton,  Ohio,  1907-1909;  Brown  Chapel,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  1909-10;  Zanesville,  Ohio,  1910-11;  Al- 
len Temple  Circuit,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  1911-16.  He 
built  Quinn  Chapel  at  Ironton,  Ohio,  at  a  cost  of 
$8000.  He  has  taken  1000  persons  into  the  church 
and  baptized  420. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Missionary  Board,  1912- 
1916;  was  a  delegate  to  the  general  conference  at  Kan- 
sas City,  1912,  and  is  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  Gen- 
eral Conference  in  Philadelphia.  In  1899  he  was  elect- 
ed as  the  conference  student  to  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity from  the  Mississippi  Conference.  He  was  en- 
dorsed by  the  Ohio  Conference  and  the  W.  Virginia 
Conference  in  191 1  for  secretary  of  the  Allen  C.  E. 
League;  also  received  votes  for  missionary  secretary 
in  1912. 

Rev.  Williams  married  Miss  Jessie  May  Rem- 
bert,  of  Brookhaven,  Miss.,  in  September,   1904. 

Politically  he  is  a  Republican.  He  is  president  of 
the  Cincinnati  branch  of  "The  National  Association 
for  the  Advancement  of  Colored  People." 

Williams,  Ebenezer,  of  Westbury,  N.  Y.,  a  far- 
mer and  gardener  and  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  church, 
was  born  about  seventy  years  ago.  He  enlisted  for 
service  in  the  Civil  War,  September,   1863,  and  was 


MR.  EBENEZER  WILLIAMS. 

assigned  to  the  14th  Rhode  Island  Heavy  Artillery. 
He  served  until  October,  1865,  when  he  was  honorably 
discharged.  He  then  returned  to  Westbury,  having 
about  $90,  and  started  to  gardening.  He  also  connect- 
ed with  the  church,  being  then  a  Baptist.  By  atten- 
tion to  business,  by  honesty,  courtesy  and  reliability, 
he  has  made  himself  an  important  factor  in  his  com- 
munity. He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Bethel  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  Westbury.  He  has  been  steward  trus- 
tee in  this  church  for  many  years. 

He  has  been  a  lay  delegate  from  district  confer- 
ence to  the  annual  conference  ever  since  the  law  pass- 
ed the  general  conference.  He  has  been  chairman  of 
electoral  college  for  24  years  and  delegate  to  general 
conferences  of  1900,  1908,  1912,  1916.    Property  holder 


in  We_stbury,  N.  Y.  He  is  married  and  has  a  son. 
His  daughter,  now  deceased,  graduated  from  the  State 
Normal  School  at  Albany,  N.  Y.  Many  years  ago  he 
purchased  on  Long  Island  50  acres  of  land  and  sold 
it  for  $50,000.  He  is  now  comfortably  fixed  on  earth 
and  has  a  home  in  heaven.  He  is  one  of  the  most  loyal 
members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  the  country. 

Williams,  G.  W.,  was  born  in  Marietta,  Ga.,  Cobb 
County,  September  10,  1863 ;  he  was  converted  at  the 
age  of  11  years,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the 
same  year.  September  8,  1888,  he  was  admitted,  upon 
recommendation  of  the  quarterly  conference  of  Ouinn 
Chapel,  Chicago,  to  the  Iowa  Conference,  at  Oska- 
loosa,  Iowa,  Bishop  John  M.  Brown  presiding.  He 
has  served  as  follows :     Allen   Chapel,   Chicago,  two 


REV.  G.  W.  WILLIAMS,  D.D. 

years,  during  which  time  he  started  the  Englewood 
and  North  Side  missions;  Osceola,  Iowa,  and  while 
there  bought  the  church  at  Creston,  la. ;  Jerseyville, 
111.,  where  he  built  a  church  ;  Danville,  Ky. ;  Versailles, 
Ky. ;  Richmond,  Ky.,  where  he  bought  the  lot  on 
which  the  church  now  stands ;  Lexington,  Ky. ;  Dela- 
ware, Ohio;  Middleport,  Ohio;  Lancaster,  Ohio,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  built  a  beautiful  church  in  Nelson- 
ville,  Ohio ;  Wilmington,  Ohio,  where  he  bought  a 
parsonage ;  Homestead,  Pa.,  where  he  repaired  and 
beautified  the  lecture  room  of  the  church :  Oil  City, 
Pa.,  where  he  remodeled  the  church ;  South  Side 
Church,  Pittsburgh;  Williamsport ;  Brown  Chapel, 
Pittsburgh,  where  the  mortgage  debt  was  reduced 
$1,700  and  over  $1,200  paid  on  back  current  expenses, 
the  membership  increased  250  and  the  largest  report 
made  for  conference  claims  ever  reported  before  from 
Brown  Chapel,  and  Bethel  Church,  Scranton,  Pa., 
his  present  charge,  where  he  found  an  indebtedness  of 
$14,500,  which  during  his  first  year  was  reduced  $5,- 
600,  aside  from  paying  all  current  expenses,  his  re- 
port to  conference  from  all  sources  being  $8,697.53. 
During  his  28  years'  service  in  the  ministry  many 
souls  have  been  brought  to  Christ,  waste  places  have 
been  built  up  and  success  has  attended  his  work.    No 


250 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


charge  to  which  he  has  been  sent  has  ever  closed  its 
door  against  him,  and  up  until  1916  no  mark  has  ever 
been  placed  in  conference  against  his  character. 

Williams,  George  Washington,  son  of  Joseph  and 
Margaret  Williams,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  in  1871,  at  Live  Oak,  Suwanee 
County,  Fla.  His  parents  had  seven  children.  Begin- 
ning at  the  age  of  seven,  he  attended  principally  the 
public  schools,  Cookman  Institute,  Baptist  College, 
Live  Oak,  Fla.,  and  Morris  Brown  University,  receiv- 
ing B.D.  and  D.D.  from  Morris  Brown.  He  was  con- 
verted and  joined  the  church  in  1887;  served  as  stew- 
ard, Class  leader,  trustee,  Sunday  school  teacher  and 
superintendent,  exhorter,  local  preacher;  was  licensed 
to  preach  at  Live  Oak,  Fla.,  in  1887,  by  Rev.  S.  H. 
Coleman;  admitted  to  conference  at  Gainesville,  Fla., 
under  Bishop  Arnett,  in  1888;  ordained  deacon,  1894, 
by  Bishop  Arnett,  at  Orlando ;  elder,  1896,  at  Colum- 
bus, Ala.,  by  Bishop  Grant.  Held  the  following  ap- 
pointments:  South  Ocala  (Fla.)  Mission,  1888;  Fort 
Payne,  Ala.;  Redding  station,  Ala.,  1892;  Centreville 
circuit,  Ala.,  1894;  Columbiana,  Ala.,  1895;  Lythonia 
station,  Ala.,  1899;  Okmulgee  Circuit,  Ga.,  1900;  Camp 
Hope,  1901;  Bethel,  Albany,  Ga.,  1903;  St.  James,  At- 
lanta, 1904;  Gaines  Chapel,  Waycross,  1908;  St.  John, 
Columbus,  1909;  Nelson  Chapel,  Bainbridge,  1912; 
built  churches  at  Newberry,  Fla.,  $700,  1895 ;  Shelby, 
Ala.,  $700,  1894;  Duersville,  Ga.,  $500,  1902;  parson- 
ages at  Bainbridge,  Ga.,  $1800,  1914;  Albany,  Ga., 
$1904;  paid  S3600  mortgage  on  St.  John,  Columbus, 
and  $700  on  Bethel,  Albany ;  received  about  1250  into 
the  Church  and  baptized  813;  delegate  to  general  con- 
ferences 1904,  1908,  1912,  1916;  member  of  "Southern 
Recorder"  Board,  1912-16;  secretary  Georgia  delega- 
tion, 1916;  was  married  in  1893;  has  one  son,  G.  W., 
Jr.,  age  21,  now  in  Morris  Brown  College ;  is  a  Mason, 
Odd  Fellow,  K.  of  P. ;  has  delivered  many  addresses 
on  Emancipation  Day,  and  to  colleges;  interested,  but 
not  active  in  politics ;  owns  a  home. 


ed  him  presiding  elder.  Under  his  management  the 
Ontario  Conference  took  on  new  life.  He  was  elected 
leader  of  his  delegation  to  the  general  conference  in 
Norfolk,  Virginia,  in  1908.  The  same  year  Bishop 
Shaffer  transferred  him  back  to  the  Michigan  Confer- 
ence and  stationed  him  at  Battle  Creek,  Michigan, 
where  he  served  two  years  paying  off  all  the  floating 


REV.  ISAAC  FREMONT  WILLIAMS. 

debt  of  the  church  and  reducing  the  mortgage.  He 
was  then  sent  to  Flint,  Michigan,  where  he  served 
three  years,  built  a  new  church  at  the  cost  of  $9000 
and  entertained  the  annual  conference.  He  was  then 
stationed  at  Ypsilanti,  Michigan,  the  second  oldest 
church  in  the  conference,  where  at  present  he  enjoys 
the  confidence  of  a  large  congregation.  As  a  preacher 
he  is  both  persuasive  and  impressive,  being  blessed 
with  both  natural  and  acquired  ability. 


Williams,  Rev.  Isaac  Fremont,  was  born  in  Rich- 
mond, Ind.,  in  1864;  studied  in  Wilberforce  University 
from  1888  to  1891.  He  was  a  law  student  at  Fort 
Wayne,  Ind.,  in  1892  and  1893,  and  in  the  firm  of  Ran- 
dal &  Doughman  in  1903.  He  completed  the  corre- 
spondence theological  course  in  Morris  Brown  Col- 
lege, Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  received  the  diploma  in  1905 ; 
completed  a  course  in  the  Bible  Training  School,  Tor- 
onto, Canada,  in  1906.  The  Iowa  Christian  College 
conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Sacred 
Literature.  He  studied  Latin,  Greek  and  Hebrew  un- 
der tutors.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  1886,  at  Dayton,  Ohio.  In  1887  he  was 
licensed  as  a  local  preacher.  He  built  up  an  elaborate 
library,  containing  many  books  concerning  the  race  and 
church.  He  was  received  into  the  Michigan  Annual 
Conference  in  1897  and  stationed  at  Pontiac,  Mich., 
where  he  served  three  years,  clearing  the  church  of  a 
long  standing  debt.  In  1900  Bishop  Grant  sent  him 
to  Wabash,  Ind.,  where  he  met  another  large  and  stub- 
born debt,  and  in  two  years  he  paid  the  last  cent  of 
indebtedness  on  this  church.  From  Wabash,  Ind., 
Bishop  Grant  sent  him  to  Toronto,  Canada,  where  he 
served  three  years  and  did  a  good  work  in  the  way  of 
disciplining  the  church.    Then  Bishop  Handy  appoint- 


Williams,  Rev.  Noah  Wellington,  was  born  in 
Springfield  Township,  Springfield,  111.,  December  25, 
1876.  He  was  the  sixth  of  the  seven  sons  of  Charles 
Henry  and  Harriett  Williams.  His  early  training  was 
in  the  public  grammar  and  high  schools  of  Springfield. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  Noah  was  converted,  and  joined 
St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Springfield,  during  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  T.  W.  Henderson,  D.D.,  and  was  li- 
censed a  local  preacher  four  years  later.  He  always 
claimed  that  he  was  born  to  preach,  since  from  the 
earliest  of  his  remembrance  he  felt  the  impression. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  an  ante-bellum  preacher 
in  Missouri,  where  he  had  been  taken  by  his  master 
from  Tennessee.  In  1898,  during  the  Spanish-Ameri- 
can War,  Noah  W.  Williams,  with  his  brother  John, 
enlisted  as  a  member  of  the  Eighth  Illinois  Volun- 
teers, Company  B.  With  this  regiment  he  went  to 
Cuba,  where  he  spent  seven  months  on  detached  duty, 
assisting  the  chaplain.  He  conducted  a  revival  while 
there,  and  twenty-two  of  his  comrades  were  con- 
verted, twelve  of  whom  he  assisted  the  chaplain  to 
baptize  in  a  river  on  the  island.  With  the  help  of 
some  of  the  natives  he  built  a  church,  in  which  to  hold 
services,  paying  for  it  with  subscriptions  he  collected 
from  the  soldiers.    Returning  to  America   in   March, 


248 


B- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3> 


1899,  he  was  honorably  discharged  in  Chicago,  and  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  Springfield.  In  July  following, 
Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett  sent  him  to  Tuscola,  111.,  to  or- 
ganize and  build  a  church,  which  he  did  by  the  time 
the  Illinois  Conference  convened  the  following  Sep- 
tember, at  which  time  Bishop  Arnett  ordained  him 
deacon,  and  returned  him  to  the  pastoral  charge  of 
Tuscola.  In  the  fall  of  1900  the  Illinois  Conference 
sent  the  Rev.  Williams  to  Wilberforce  University  on 
the  Bishop  C.  S.  Smith  scholarship,  to  study  theology, 
Bishop  Grant  voluntarily  paying  for  all  his  books 
while  a  student  at  Payne  Seminary.  Bishop  Abram 
Grant  ordained  him  elder  in  September,  1901.  Other 
schools  in  which  Noah    W.    Williams  studied  are  De 


REV.  NOAH  W.  WILLIAMS,  D.D. 

Pauw  University,  of  Greencastle,  Ind. ;  State  Normal, 
Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  and  Earlham  College,  of  Rich- 
mond, Ind.,  while  he  was  pastor  at  these  respective 
places. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Hallie  C.  Johnson, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Benjamin  and  Sallie  Johnson,  of 
Springfield,  111.,  October  15,  1903. 

Other  churches  pastored  by  Noah  W.  Williams 
are  Hannibal,  Mo.;  Knoxville,  Tenn. ;  Shelbyville, 
Tennr,  and  at  the  time  of  this  writing,  1916,  he  is  pas- 
tor of  St.  Peter's  Chapel,  Clarksville,  Tenn.  He  was 
elected  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference  from  the 
Tennessee  Annual  Conference. 


Williams,  John  K.,  one  of  seven  children  of  John 
and  Eliza  Williams,  was  born  March  25,  1863,  at 
Waxahachie,  Texas.  His  father  was  a  member  of 'the 
Methodist  Church  and  his  mother  a  member  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church.  He  began  attending  school  in  1875, 
and  spent  about  twelve  years  in  school,  receiving  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  and  Paul  Quinn  Col- 
lege, graduating  and  receiving  the  degrees  B.S.  and 
M.S.  He  studied  medicine  for  one  year  and  business 
for  two  years ;  was  converted  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  1888;  served  his  church  as  steward,  trustee 
and  in  the  Sunday  school.     He  was  delegate  to  the 


general  conference  of  1892  in  Philadelphia.  He  mar- 
ried in  18S7.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Alice  Beatrice  Williams, 
was  born  in  Honey  Grove,  Texas.  They  have  six  chil- 
dren— Jessie  M.,  Bessie,  Carlton,  Payne  M.,  John  Le- 


PRES.  J.  K.  WILLIAMS,  M.S. 

roy  and  Dale  M.  Professor  Williams  has  been  for 
many  years  connected  with  Paul  Quinn  College, 
Waco,  Texas,  and  has  for  the  past  three  years  been  its 
president. 

Williams,  Rev.  Robert  J.,  was  born  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  May  3,  1871.  Was  taken  to  Berlin,  Md.,  the 
home  of  his  parents,  Charles  and  Caroline  Williams. 
Being  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  eighteen  children  he 
was  compelled  to  assist  his  father  in  caring  for  the 
family.  He  worked  on  the  farm  until  he  was  four- 
teen, attending  the  public  school  two  months  during 
the  winter.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  twelve,  in 
the  M.  E.  Church,  Berlin,  Md.  Because  of  the  poor 
school  facilities  his  father  thought  it  best  to  bring  his 
children  back  to  Philadelphia.  He  attended  the  In- 
stitute for  (Colored)  Youths,  and  graduated  under 
Mrs.  Fannie  J.  Coppin.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
Philadelphia,  June  20,  1897,  by  Rev.  A.  F.  Ennels,  of 
the  M.  E.  Church,  was  taken  up  as  a  supply  by  Rev. 

A.  R.  Shockley,  presiding  elder,  and  sent  to  Harring- 
ton, Del.  While  on  a  trip  to  Philadelphia,  he  heard 
the  Rt.  Rev.  Abram  Grant  preach  at  Bethel,  and  he 
decided  to  cast  his  lot  with  the  Church  of  Allen.  In 
the  year  1902  he  joined  St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Harrington,  Del.,  Rev.  C.  E.  Wilson,  pastor;  Rev.  J. 

B.  Stansberry,  presiding  elder.  He  was  recommended 
by  the  quarterly  conference  of  Lewes,  Del.,  and  joined 
the  Philadelphia  Annual  Conference,  at  Wilmington, 
Del.,  in  1902,  under  Bishop  Derrick.  He  served  as  fol- 
lows in  this  conference:  Grant  Chapel,  South  Wil- 
mington, where  he  saved  the  church  from  the  sheriff's 
hammer,  and  added  fifty  members  to  the  Church ; 
Payne,  Philadelphia,  one  year,  where  he  met  the  sheriff 
again,  but  saved  the  church;  Kennett  Square,  Pa.,  3 
years,  where  he  remodeled  the  church,  added  seventy 
members,  paid  off  the  debt  and  left  $60  in  the  treas- 
ury;  York,   Pa.,  two  years,   where  he  remodeled  the 


249 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


church,  erected  a  hall,  at  a  cost  of  $600,  paying  $400, 
added  120  members  to  the  Church,  and  reduced  the 
mortgage  debt  by  $400;  Murphy,  Chester,  Pa.,  five 
rears,  where  he  found  the  people  divided,  with  a  debt 
of  $2750,  reduced  t'le  debt  to  $1000,  added  203  members 
to  the  Church,  made  $1200,  and  paid  all  but  $400;  he 


REV.  R.J.  WILLIAMS. 

was  appointed  presiding  e'.der  over  the  West  Phila- 
delphia District,  by  Bishop  Tyree,  1913;  he  has  or- 
ganized Tyree  Mission,  Berlin,  Md.,  128  members; 
Tyree  Mission,  Philadelphia,  28  members;  Asbury 
Mission,  Lipperville,  Delaware  County,  Pa.     Conver- 


MRS.  R.  J.  WILLIAMS. 

sions  under  his  ministry,  2100;  accessions,  1100.  He 
is  a  leader  not  only  of  the  Philadelphia  delegation  to 
the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916,  but  also 
the  chairman  of  the  First  Episcopal  District  delega- 
tion and  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  Centennial 
Banquet  Committee.    He   is   a   popular   and   forceful 


preacher.  He  is  a  member  of  Eastern  Light  Lodge, 
No.  48,  F.  and  A.  M.;  Cooper  Chapter,  No.  6,  R.  A 
M. ;  Master  of  Works,  J.  D.  Webster,  No.  11,  K.  of  P. ; 
Grand  Senior  Warden,  State  of  Pennsylvania,  F.  and 
A.  M.,  and  District  Deputy  Grand  Master,  Second  Dis- 
trict, F.  and  A.  M.  He  succeded  Dr.  C.  C.  Dunlap  as 
pastor  of  Mother  Bethel  Church,  Philadelphia,  in 
June,  1916. 

Williams,  M.D.,  Reden  Reche,  was  born  on 
a  farm  near  Williston,  Marion  County,  Fla.,  February 
25,  1881.  His  father,  John  E.  Williams,  and  mother, 
Mary  E.  Williams,  were  slaves,  but  his  father  received 
a  meagre  education  after  freedom,  and  served  as  a 
member  of  County  School  Board  and  Board  of  County 
Commissioners  during  the  reconstruction  period,  and 
was  the  founder  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  his  section 
of  Florida. 

Reden  Reche  Williams,  the  youngest  of  ten  chil- 
dren, received  his  primary  training  in  the  log  school 
houses  of  his  native  county.  He  availed  himself  of  the 
opportunity  to  attend  the  County  Normals,  and  on  ac- 


DR.  R.  RECHE  WILLIAMS. 

count  of  his  natural  ability,  was  able  to  pass  the  re- 
quired examination  to  teach  in  the  public  schools,  and 
began  teaching  at  the  age  of  fifteen. 

His  father  having  died  when  he  was  but  a  year 
old,  leaving  his  widowed  mother  with  five  other  small 
children,  it  made  it  necessary  for  young  Reden  to  earn 
his  own  livelihood.  He  went  to  Jacksonville  and  en- 
tered Cookman  Institute,  an  M.  E.  Church  institution, 
and  earned  money  to  pay  his  schooling  by  delivering 
newspapers  after  school  hours.  At  Cookman  he  ex- 
hibited qualities  of  leadership  and  intellectual  power,  at 
the  age  of  twenty  he  graduating  as  valedictorian  of 
his  class.  After  graduation  he  became  agent  for  an 
insurance  company ;  then  entered  the  grocery  busi- 
ness, but  not  being  very  successful,  he  was  soon 
forced  out  of  business  and  was  compelled  to  connect 
himself  with  a  newspaper  firm. 

He  then  began  private  study  in  college  work,  and 
in  1903  entered  Meharry  Medical  College,  at  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  He  was  president  of  his  class  of  115 
members,  graduating   in   medicine  in  1907.    He   then 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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returned  to  Florida,  and  passed  the  Medical  Board 
with  the  highest  mark  of  any  taking  the  examination 
at  that  time. 

As  a  physician  he  has  been  successful,  having  per- 
formed several  difficult  major  operations.  He  has 
served  as  secretary,  vice-president  and  president  of 
the  State  Medical  Association  of  Florida,  and  is  now  a 
life-member  of  the  Tristate  Medical  Association,  and 
examiner  of  several  insurance  companies. 

As  a  churchman  he  is  an  active  and  staunch  Af- 
rican Methodist,  having  served  for  a  number  of  years 
as  both  trustee  and  steward  in  his  church.  Was  a  lay 
delegate  to  the  general  conference  in  1912,  at  Kansas 
City,  and  has  been  reelected  to  the  Centennial  Gen- 
eral Conference,  1916,  at  Philadelphia. 

He  is  now  a  director  in  the  Metropolitan  Bank  of 
Ocala,  and  is  a  large  stockholder  in  several  real  estate 
companies.  He  is  also  very  prominent  in  secret 
orders,  having  served  as  First  Grand  Medical  Director 
of  the  Odd  Fellows  of  the  State  of  Florida,  and  is  now 
Grand  director  of  that  Order.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Uniform  Rank  of  the  Knights  of  Pythians,  and  sur- 
geon of  the  First  Regiment,  with  rank  of  major;  a 
member  of  the  Building  Fund  Board  of  that  Order, 
and  a  trustee  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  Sons  and 
Daughters  of  Jacob.  He  is  a  man  of  pronounced  indi- 
viduality, decided  opinions,  and  has  the  courage  to 
state  and  defend  his  opinions  at  any  and  all  times.  In 
January,  1914,  he  married  Miss  Clotelle  Chappelle,  the 
youngest  daughter  of  Bishop  W.  D.  Chappelle,  of  Co- 
lumbia, S.  C. 

Williams,  Rev.  Thomas  James,  son  of  Muck  Oli- 
ver and  Malinda  Williams,  was  born  April  28,  1869, 
near  Williston,  Fla.  His  mother  was  a  member  of  the 
Missionary  Baptist  Church.     He  was  one  of  fourteen 


REV.  THOMAS  JAMES  WILLIAMS,  D.D. 

children.  He  entered  school  in  1875  and  spent  about 
eleven  years  in  school.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  schools 
of  his  native  city,  and  received  the  degree  of  D.D. 
from  Edward  Waters  College.  He  is  a  close  student 
and  taught  school  for  twenty  years.  He  was  converted 
June  6,  1883,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same 


year.  He  has  held  many  offices  in  the  Church.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  July  28,  1888,  at  Ocala,  Fla., 
by  Rev.  (later  bishop)  M.  M.  Moore.  He  was  or- 
dained deacon  March  3,  1895,  at  Ocala,  Fla.,  by  Bishop 
Grant,  and  ordained  elder,  March  2,  1896,  at  Tampa, 
Fla.,  by  Bishop  Grant.  He  joined  the  annual  confer- 
ence February  21,  1891,  at  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  under 
Bishop  Arnett.  He  held  the  following  appoint- 
ments: Gordontown,  1893;  Williston,  1894;  Orange 
Lake,  1895;  Bronson,  1896;  Sanford,  1897;  Leland, 
1898;  Eatonville,  1899-1901 ;  Punta  Gorda,  1902-1903; 
Winter  Park,  1904-1905;  Crescent  City,  1906;  Allen 
Temple,  1 907-191 1;  St.  James  Station,  1912;  Bethel, 
Miami,  1913-1914,  and  presiding  elder,  Sanford,  Fla., 
1915  to  date.  He  built  Allen  Temple,  at  Tampa,  Fla., 
1909-1910,  at  a  cost  of  $15,000,  and  started  St.  James,  at 
Sanford,  1912,  at  a  cost  of  $8000.  He  lifted  mort- 
gages on  Bethel,  at  Punta  Gorda,  in  1903,  to  the 
amount  of  $200;  on  Ward  Chapel,  at  Winter  Park,  to 
the  amount  of  $300,  in  1904;  on  Bethel,  at  Miami,  in 
1914,  to  the  amount  of  $1200.  He  has  taken  830  peo- 
ple into  the  Church,  baptized  475  people  and  married 
152  couples.  In  1897  he  married  Mrs.  Sarah  Beulah 
Williams,  of  Abbeville,  S.  C.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren, Beatrice  and  Homer  T.  Williams.  He  has  con- 
tributed to  the  following  magazines :  Florida  Times- 
Union,  Metropolis,  Recorder,  Ledger,  Southern  and 
Christian  Recorder.  He  wrote  a  booklet  entitled  "The 
Kingdom  of  Judah  and  Israel."  He  made  addresses  at 
Crescent  City,  Fla.,  on  the  "Aftermath  of  Slavery," 
and  at  Edward  Waters  College,  1914,  on  "The  Service 
of  Mankind  in  Religious  and  Literary  Movements." 
He  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.,  a  member  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  attended  the  county  conventions. 
He  is  a  property  owner.  He  organized  the  Allen  Tem- 
ple Primary  and  Kindergarten  School.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  general  conference  of  1912,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Centennial  General  Conference  of  1916. 

Wilson,  Rev.  Charles  Emory,  was  born  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  March  2,  1878,  the  elder  of  two  children 
of  Jacob  Henry  and  Catharine  Arity  Wilson,  both 
members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  His  brother  and 
mother  dying  before  he  was  three  years  old,  he  was 
taken  to  Seaford,  Del.,  and  reared  by  his  grandparents, 
Rev.  E.  C.  Gaines,  and  Charlotte,  his  wife.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  in  Seaford  until  he  was  fif- 
teen years  old.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  went  to 
Philadelphia  in  pursuit  of  an  education,  and  supported 
himself  in  the  Institute  for  Colored  Children  for 
nearly  three  years. 

He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  February 
28,  1894,  and  was  made  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school  the  same  year,  and  licensed  to  exhort  by  Rev. 
W.  H.  Davis.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1895.  His 
first  appointment  was  a  supply  to  Shorter  Chapel, 
Wilmington,  Del.,  from  which  he  joined  the  Philadel- 
phia Conference  in  1899,  and  was  ordained  deacon  in 
1900,  and  elder  in  1902,  by  Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick.  He 
has  served  the  following  charges :  Harrington,  Del., 
five  years ;  Oxford,  Pa. ;  organized  Cannon  Mission, 
Delaware,  1904 ;  Frankford,  Del. ;  Moore's  Chapel, 
Wilmington,  Del.,  four  years ;  Albany,  N.  Y.,  two 
years;  Jamaica,  N.  Y.,  where  he  is  serving  his  fifth 
year.  At  every  point  he  has  had  success.  The  church 
at  Harrington  was  renovated,  Moore's  Chapel  reno- 
vated, church  at  Albany  renovated,  and  at  the  present 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


charge  he  is  installing  a  new  basement,  with 
other  improvements  during  the  five  years,  at  a  cost  of 
over  $2300,  and  paid  the  first  hundred  dollars  on  an  old 
mortgage.  At  nearly  every  point  he  has  doubled  the 
Church  membership.     He  married  the  widow  of  Rev. 


REV.  CHARLES  E.  WILSON. 

Philip  Hunter,  in  1509,  and  the  same  year  graduated 
from  the  Reformed  Episcopal  Seminary,  Philadelphia 
He  is  a  Mason  and  P.  N.  F.  in  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F. 
Rev.  Wilson  was  secretary  of  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
ference in  1908,  and  was  elected  alternate  of  the  New 
York  Conference  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference 
in  1916. 


tion  to  the  Negro,"  which  was  well  received  by 
faculty,  students  and  the  general  public.  He  was  an 
alternate  to  the  general  conferences  of  1912  and  1916. 
Dr.  Wilson  takes  an  active  part  in  politics,  and  is  a 
forceful  and  vigilant  defender  of  his  race.    He  married 


REV.  R.  E.  WILSON,  M.A.,  D.D. 

Miss  Fannye  A.  Watson,  of  Henderson,  Ky.,  in  1901, 
and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with  five  bright  and 
interesting  children — one  boy  and  four  girls.  He  re- 
ceived the  M.A.  degree  from  his  Alma  Mater  in  1892, 
and  in  1895  ne  was  honored  with  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  by  Livingstone  College,  Salisbury,  N.  C. 


Wilson,  Robert  Edmund,  was  born  July  8,  1865, 
in  Charleston,  S.  C.  His  education  was  received  in 
the  public  schools  and  Avery  Normal  Institute, 
Charleston;  Claflin  University,  Clark  University  and 
Gammon  Theological  Seminary.  At  an  early  age  he 
became  a  student  in  the  law  offices  of  Lee  and  Bowen, 
leading  attorneys  at  the  Charleston  bar.  Completing 
his  law  course  he  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  public 
schools  of  Georgia  and  South  Carolina,  and  became 
principal  of  schools  in  Florence,  S.  C,  and  Rock  Hill, 
S.  C.  He  was  converted  in  1883  and  joined  Mt.  Zion 
A.  M.  E.  Church  ;  licensed  to  preach  in  1884,  and  was 
admitted  on  trial  in  February,  1885,  in  the  South  Caro- 
lina Conference,  by  Bishop  Shorter;  ordained  deacon 
in  1886  and  elder  in  1889.  He  pastored  with  success  in 
the  North  Georgia  and  South  Carolina  Conferences, 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Iowa  (now  the  Chicago) 
Conference,  in  1901,  and  at  once  took  his  place  among 
the  leaders  of  the  conference  in  which  he  has  served  as 
follows:  Batavia,  111. ;  Mt.  Pleasant,  la.;  St.  Peter, 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  three  years;  St.  Stephen,  Chica- 
go, 111.,  five  years ;  St.  John,  Chicago,  three  years,  and 
is  now  serving  his  first  year  as  presiding  elder  of  the 
Chicago  district.  During  his  pastorate  in  Mt.  Pleas- 
ant, la.,  his  sermons  and  addresses  attracted  such  wide 
attention  that  an  invitation  was  extended  to  him  by 
the  faculty  of  the  Iowa '  Wesleyan  University  to  de- 
liver a  lecture  to  the  faculty  and  students  on  "Socio- 
logical and  Economic  Conditions  in  the  South  in  Rela- 


Wilson,  Miss  Sarah  Ella,  was  born  in  Worcester, 
Mass.,  forty-two  years  ago,  of  George  M.  and  Eliza- 
beth (Allen)  Wilson.  Both  of  her  parents  were  mem- 
bers of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  While  her  father  was  ac- 
tive at  his  trade  in  support  of  the  family,  her  mother 
was  very  conscientious  and  faithful  in  her  home  life, 
where  she  gave  attention  to  Sarah  Ella's  early  train- 
ing in  prayer,  letters,  art,  music  and  domestic  science. 
After  completing  the  grammar  school  course  she  en- 
tered and  was  graduated  from  the  Classical  High 
School;  thence  to  the  State  Normal  School  of  Wor- 
cester, from  where  she  took  her  diploma  with  honors 
in  delivering  her  thesis,  "The  Child's  Disappoint- 
ment in  Science."  She  has  been  employed  as  teacher 
in  the  public  schools  of  Worcester  ever  since. 

Miss  Wilson  in  addition  to  being  well  informed 
in  polite  literature,  has  attended  several  courses  of  lec- 
tures at  Clark  University,  in  pedagogy  and  sociology. 
She  is  not  only  well  read  in  science,  history  and  art, 
but  reads,  writes  and  speaks  English  and  French 
fluently.  As  a  musician,  Miss  Wilson  is  a  teacher 
(popular  and  busy)  after  the  regular  public  school 
hours.  She  is  an  adept  at  the  piano,  as  well  as  being 
efficient  in  vocal  music,  having  studied  technique,  ex- 
pression and  harmony  with  a  celebrated  teacher  and 
composer,  Prof.  C.  P.  Morrison. 

Her  popularity  is  marked,  and  as  such,  it  becomes 
interesting  for  one  in  Worcester  to  observe  the  re- 
spect and  esteem  she  sustains  with  the  masses,  and  to 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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see  her  greeted  by  hundreds  of  young  men  and 
women  of  the  Caucasian  race,  in  whom  Miss  Wilson 
has  inspired  the  rudiments  of  learning.  Miss  Wil- 
son's pupils  are  almost  exclusively  Caucasians. 

As  a  business  woman  she  demonstrates  great 
ability  in  the  management  of  real  estate,  including 
that  of  her  own  fine  home,  situated  in  an  exclusive  sec- 
tion of  the  city.  In  her  life  of  devotion  to  the  home, 
to  the  Church,  and  to  the  cause  of  education,  the  ob- 
server sees  reflections  of  consecrated  parents  beaming 
forth  in  the  daughter. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  shows  much  evidence 
of  her  early  Christian  training  in  her  every  day  life 
of  fidelity  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  of  which  she  is  a 
member.    Miss  Wilson   is   a   study   in   respect  to  her 


MISS  SARAH  ELLA  WILSON. 

versatility  as  teacher  in  letters,  music  and  art  and  the 
Sunday  school.  She  is  a  Bible  student  of  close  appli- 
cation, having  pursued  a  three  years'  course  in  syn- 
thetic study  under  Rev.  James  M.  Gray,  D.D.,  and 
later  completing  her  normal  training  course  for 
efficient  Bible  teaching.  Therefore,  as  Sunday  school 
superintendent,  as  she  is  at  Worcester,  her  genius  as 
an  exponent  of  the  Bible  is  manifest. 

Other  evidences  of  her  leadership  are  shown  not 
only  in  the  many  local  positions  of  honor  and  trust, 
but  from  the  fact  of  her  being  superintendent  of  the 
department  of  education  in  the  Northeastern  Federa- 
tion of  Women's  Clubs.  She  also  has  the  honor  of  be- 
ing vice-president  of  the  New  England  Conference 
Branch  of  the  Woman's  Mite  Missionary  Society  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Not  only  do  her  efforts  prove 
inspiration  and  encouragement  to  scores  of  followers, 
but  also  from  the  pen  and  from  the  platform  does  she 
radiate  much  enthusiasm  to  practical  service  for  God 
and  for  humanity. 

Wingfield,  C.  A.,  son  of  Jack  and  Louisa  Wing- 
field,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born 
June  ii,  1874,  at  Washington,  Wilkes  County,  Ga.  He 
was  one  of  nine  children.  He  entered  school  at  the  age 
of  ten  and  spent  part  of  twenty-three  years  in  school. 
He  received   A.B.,  B.D.  and    D.D.,   all    from    Morris 


Brown  College.  He  was  converted  in  1883  and  joined 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  has  held  nearly  every  lay 
office  in  the  local  church.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
September,  1892,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  by  Rev.  D.  T. 
Greene.  He  was  ordained  a  deacon  in  1894,  by  Bishop 
Turner,  at  Thomaston,  Ga.,  and  ordained  elder  in 
1895,  by  Bishop  Turner ;  joined  the  annual  conference 
at  Athens,  Ga.,  under  Bishop  Grant.  Has  held  the  fol- 
lowing appointments :      East    Atlanta    Mission,  1893- 


REV.  C.  A.  WINGFIELD. 

96;  St.  Phillips,  Reynoldstown,  1897-1900;  Mt.  Zion, 
Newman,  1901-2;  Barnesville,  1902-3;  in  1903-4  he  was 
superintendent  and  organizer  of  industries  at  Morris 
Brown;  Eatonton,  1905-7;  Athens,  1907-9;  presiding 
elder,  Gainesville  district ;  pastor  at  Forsyth  four 
years,  and  Milledgeville,  one  and  a  half  years;  at  pres- 
ent presiding  elder  Milledgeville  district;  he  built  St. 
Phillip's  Church  at  East  Atlanta,  in  1909,  at  a  cost  of 
$1200;  church  at  Xewman,  Ga.,  at  a  cost  of  $4000  and 
another  at  Forsyth,  Ga.  He  lifted  a  mortgage  on 
Pierce  Chapel,  Athens,  Ga.,  in  1906,  to  the  amount  of 
$705,  and  on  St.  Luke's,  at  Forsyth,  in  1909,  to  the 
amount  of  $202.  He  has  taken  about  700  people  into 
the  Church  and  baptized  about  500  people.  He  was 
delegate  to  the  general  conferences  of  1904,  1908,  1912 
and  1916,  and  was  voted  for  for  manager  of  the  Book 
Concern  in  1912.  December,  1903,  he  married  Mrs. 
Bessie  L.  Williams,  of  Warrenton,  Ga.  They  have 
two  children,  Charles  and  Rubilue  Wingfield.  He  is 
author  of  a  "Modern  Class  Book"  for'  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  and  "Morris  Brown  Budget."  He  has  con- 
tributed to  the  "Recorders,"  delivered  baccalaureate 
sermons  at  Knox  Institute,  Athens,  Ga.,  and  Eddy 
High  School,  of  Milledgeville,  Ga.  He  is  a  member 
of  F.  and  A.  M.,  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F.  and  K.  of  P.,  and  is 
a  property  owner. 

Winn,  Rev.  A.  Granville  was  born  at  Hem- 
stead,  Waller  County,  Texas,  in  1882;  was  reared  by 
Christian  parents,  and  early  imbibed  the  traits  neces- 
sary for  substantial  manhood.  He  received  a  common 
school  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Waller  Coun- 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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ty,  after  which  he  entered  Prairie  View  Normal  School. 
Rev.  J.  H.  L.  Rhone  was  at  one  time  his  teacher. 
When  quite  a  youth  he  was  deprived  of  the  strong 
arm  of  a  father,  which  placed  upon  him  the  responsi- 
bility of  caring  for  a  widowed  mother.  He  spent  sev- 
eral years  in  the  schoolroom,  during  which  time 
he  was  happily  converted,  and  shortly  after  he 
entered  the  ministry.  He  was  ordained  deacon 
under  Bishop  Salter,  in  1902;  was  ordained  elder  in 
1908  by  Bishop  Tyree.  He  did  mission  work  in  East 
Texas.  Next  he  served  three  years  at  N.avasota,  im- 
proving  the   church ;   he   also    served   three   years    at 


REV.  A.  GRANVILLE  WINN,  D.D. 

Hearne,  Texas.  He  was  transferred  to  the  Northeast 
Texas  Conference,  and  stationed  at  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  at  Terrell,  Texas,  where  he  remained  four 
years,  raising  more  than  $2000  for  church  building 
purposes  while  there. 

In  1913,  at  Corsicana,  Bishop  Smith  appointed 
him  presiding  elder  of  the  Bonham  District.  The  re- 
ports from  the  last  conference,  which  was  held  at  Dal- 
las, are  sufficient  evidence  of  the  fact  that  he  is  mak- 
ing good.  In  1907  he  was  elected  alternate  to  the  gen- 
eral conference;  in  191 5  he  was  elected  leader  of  the 
delegation  of  the  Northeast  Texas  Conference,  which 
shows  how  highly  he  is  esteemed  by  the  brethren.  As 
the  result  of  a  creditable  thesis,  Paul  Quinn  College 
conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  D.D.  He  was 
elected  as  an  alternate  to  the  general  conference  at 
Kansas  City,  Mo.,  1912. 

Wise,  John  Milton,  one  of  six  children  of  Albert 
and  Arby  Reed  Wise,  both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  May  28,  1866,  in  Gadsden  County, 
Fla.  He  attended  school  for  eight  terms  at  Quincy 
and  Tallahassee,  Fla. ;  later  at  Morris  Brown  College. 
He  also  studied  under  private  teachers,  and  received 
the  degree  of  D.D.  from  Edward  Waters  College.  He 
was  converted  July  4,  1889,  and  joined  the  church  at 
Carabelle,  Fla. ;  served  as  steward,  trustee,  class 
leader,  chorister,  sexton,  exhorter,  Sunday  school 
teacher  and  superintendent ;    was    licensed    to    preach 


August,  1892,  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Wood,  at  Steam  Mill,  Ga. ; 
ordained  deacon  December,  1896,  at  Monticello,  Ga., 
by  Bishop  Grant;  elder,  December,  1898,  at  Pensacola, 
Fla.,  by  Bishop  Gaines.  He  joined  the  annual  confer- 
ence at  Apalachicola,  Fla.,  in  1894,  under  Bishop 
Grant.  Has  served  the  following  charges :  St.  Thomas 
Mission,  1894;  Antioch  Mission,  1895;  Union  Hill  Cir- 
cuit, 1896-8;  Sinai  Circuit,  1899-1900;  Fountain  Head 
circuit,  1901-2 ;  Tallahassee  circuit,  1903 ;  Concord  cir- 
cuit, 1904 ;  Marianna  circuit,  1905-8 ;  Campbellton, 
1909-10;  Apalachicola,  1911-14;  presiding  elder, 
Campbellton     district,     1915-16;    built    the    following 


REV.  J.  M.  WISE,  D.D. 

churches  in  Jefferson  County,  Fla. :  St.  Thomas,  Anti- 
och and  Union  Hill ;  also  parsonages  at  Fountain 
Head ;  remodeled  church  at  Apalachicola  and  Camp- 
bellton, and  paid  mortgages  on  St.  James,  Marianna. 
He  has  taken  11 57  persons  into  the  Church,  and  bap- 
tized 842.  He  was  delegate  to  four  general  confer- 
ences, 1904  to  1916;  member  of  "Western  Recorder" 
Board,  1912-16;  contributor  to  "Recorders;"  Mason, 
Odd  Fellow,  K.  of  P.  and  American  Woodman ;  treas- 
urer of  West  Florida  Conference  four  years ;  trustee 
and  member  of  executive  board  of  Edward  Waters 
College ;  member  and  director  Co-operative  Business 
League.  Married  to  Mrs.  Josephine  Wise,  who  was 
born  in  Decatur  County,  Ga.  They  have  one  child, 
Miss  Eureka  Wise,  B.S.,  and  own  a  comfortable  home. 


Wittenberg,  Edward,  one  of  the  nine  children  of 
Henry  and  Elizabeth  Wittenberg,  both  members  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  April  27,  1873,  at  New 
Orleans,  La.  He  entered  school  at  the  age  of  eight 
years  and  spent  ten  years  in  school,  attending  Fisk 
Public  School,  New  Orleans,  and  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity, graduating  from  the  latter  with  the  degree 
B.D.  He  also  received  the  degree  D.D.  from  Camp- 
bell College,  Jackson,  Miss.  He  was  converted  in 
June,  1892,  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same 
year.  He  has  held  almost  every  office  in  the  church. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  in  189s  at  New  Orleans, 
La.,  by  Rev.  A.  M.  Green.  He  joined  the  Annual 
Conference  in  1898,  at  Lima,  Ohio,  under  Bishop  Lee; 


254 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


was  ordained  deacon,  October  7.  1900.  at  Oxford, 
Ohio,  by  Bishop  Arnett,  ordained  elder,  1902,  at  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  by  Bishop  C.  b.  bmith. 

He  has  held  the  following  appointments:  Har- 
veysburg,  Ohio,  1898  to  1900;  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio, 
1901-03;  Plaquemine,  La.,  1903;  Patterson,  La.,  1904- 
05;  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  1906-08;  Greenville,  Miss.,  1909- 
12;  Bethel,  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  1913-16.    He  built  a  par- 


REV.  EDWARD  WITTENBERG,  D.D. 

sonage  at  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000,  in 
1906.  He  paid  a  $600  mortgage  on  the  church  at  Yel- 
low Springs,  Ohio,  in  1902.  He  installed  new  pipe 
organ  in  St.  Matthew's  Church,  at  Greenville,  Miss., 
and  new  pews  at  a  cost  of  $500,  in  1909. 

He  has  taken  at  least  600  people  into  the  church, 
baptized  175  and  married  42. 

He  was  delegate  to  General  Conference  in  1912 
and  1916.  He  was  elected  President  of  Lampton  In- 
stitute, Alexandria,  La.,  in  1908. 

He  married  Mrs.  Lillie  Wittenberg,  of  New  Or- 
leans, February  25,  1896.  His  children  are  William, 
aged  thirteen,  Flora,  aged  twelve,  Mary,  aged  eight, 
Edward,  aged  six,  Juanita,  aged  four,  Marguerite,  aged 
two,  Carl,  aged  one.  He  wrote  a  pamphlet  called 
"Principal  Factor  in  the  Building  of  a  Race."  He  de- 
livered the  Commencement  Addresses  at  Campbell 
College  in  1906  and  Shorter  College  in  1914.  He  is 
connected  with  Odd  Fellows  and  Masons.  He  held 
the  office  of  Assistant  District  Grand  Secretary  of 
Odd  Fellows  in  Ohio.  He  is  a  Republican  and  a  prop- 
erty owner. 

Woods,  Rev.  A.  K.,  was  born  on  the  island  of  St. 
Kitts,  British  West  Indies,  April  29,  1862.  He  was 
converted  and  joined  the  Wesleyan  Church,  at  the  age 
of  7  years.  He  attended  one  of  the  high  schools  of 
the  island,  where  he  received  his  diploma  in  1876.  He 
came  to  America  in  1883,  and  connected  himself  with 
St.  Andrew's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Darien,  Ga.,  and  in 
1894  joined  the  Georgia  Annual  Conference.  He  has 
•been  an  active  minister  ever  since,  and  has  filled  the 
following  appointments:  Fleming,  1894-1896;  Ditt- 
mersville  (Savannah),  1896-1898;  Jesup,  1898-1859; 
Summertown,    1899-1903 ;    Gaines    Chapel,    Savannah, 


1903;  Sylvester,  1901-1907;  Helena,  1907-1908;  Haw- 
kinsville,  1908-1912;  Valdosta,  1912  to  date.  He  took 
a  correspondence  course  in  theology  from  Turner 
Theological  Seminary  (Morris  Brown  University) 
and  graduated  in  1907,  and  the  same  year  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was  conferred  on  him.  He  is  one 
of  the  trustees  of  Morris  Brown  University,  and  has 


REV.  A.  K.  WOODS,  D.D. 

been  for  fourteen  years.  He  has  been  very  successful 
on  his  charges.  He  is  known  to  improve  charges 
wherever  he  goes,  remodeling  the  churches  and  par- 
sonages and  paying  off  detbs.  He  has  recently  reno- 
vated and  remodeled  the  church  at  Valdosta,  install- 
ing a  beautiful  pipe  organ,  at  a  cost  of  $2500.  He  is 
now  the  secretary  of  the  South  Georgia  Annual  Con- 
ference. He  is  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General 
Conference  of  1916. 

Woods,  Rev.  C.  A.,  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
1883.  Joined  the  Kansas  Conference  in  1898,  under 
Bishop  B.  F.  Tanner.  He  served  the  following  places: 
Beatrice,  Neb.,  one  year,  and  received  $8.75  for  salary; 
Garden  City  Circuit,  Kan.,  paid  off  debt  of  $122;  Ells- 
worth Circuit,  Council  Grove  Circuit,  Osage  City, 
Olathe  and  Hillsdale ;  put  new  roof  on  church  at 
Olathe,  and  sidewalk  in  front  of  church  at  Hillsdale ; 
Ward's  Chapel,  Iola,  Kan. ;  South  Omaha,  Bethel, 
Pratt  City ;  St.  Mark's,  Topeka ;  Emporia,  Mt.  Olive 
Chapel,  St.  James,  Lawrence,  Kan.  He  has  been  the 
cause  of  many  souls  being  saved,  and  added  many  to 
the  several  churches  he  pastored.  He  had  paid  many 
debts  on  the  churches  he  served.    He  is  a  hard  worker. 

Woodson,  Rev.  Thomas  Wesley,  is  the  son  of 
James  and  Elizabeth  Woodson  and  grandson  of 
Thomas  Woodson,  originally  of  Shadwell,  Va.,  a  di- 
rect descendant  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  author  ot  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  His  grandfather,  grand- 
mother and  seven  children  came  to  Chillicothe,  O.,  in 
the  year  of  1813  or  1814.  He  and  his  wife  were  char- 
ter members  of  the  first  A.  M.  E.  Church  organized 
west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains — Quinn  Chapel, 
Chillicothe,     O.,     organized     1821,     by     Paul     Quinn. 


255 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


Thomas  Wesley  was  born  on  his  father's  farm,  near 
Berlin  Cross  Roads,  Jackson  County,  O.,  February  15, 
1853.  He  attended  the  district  school  of  his  neighbor- 
hood, which  was  famous  for  turning  out  school 
teachers,  also  the  high  school,  in  Jackson,  O.,  and  Wil- 
berforce  University.  Was  converted  during  the  admin- 
istration of  Rev.  W.  T.  Artis,  1877-1878,  and  united 
with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  Berlin,  filling  the  offices 
of  trustee,  steward,  class  leader  and  Sunday  school 
superintendent. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Worthington,  at 
Middleport,  O.,  October  26,  1881.  To  this  union  were 
born  six  children — Carrie  L.,  Jessie  M.,  Thomas  E., 
Bertha  E.,  Mamie  A.   and   Mabel  A.,  all  of  whom  are 


REV.  THOMAS  WESLEY  WOODSON. 

living.  He  was  licensed  a  local  preacher  by  the  quar- 
terly conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  at  Nelson- 
ville,  O.,  September  1,  1885,  Rev.  William  J.  Johnson, 
D.D.,  presiding  elder.  He  moved  to  Findlay,  O.,  July, 
1886,  and  the  same  year  organized  and  built  an  A.  M. 
E.  Church.  This  he  pastored  until  he  joined  the  North 
Ohio  Annual  Conference,  September,  1887.  at  Dela- 
ware, O.,  under  Bishop  J.  P.  Campbell.  He  was  or- 
dained deacon  by  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne,  at  Eaker 
Street  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Dayton,  O.,  September  20, 
1891  ;  elder  by  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett,  at  Steubenville, 
O.,  September,  1894.  He  received  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  from  Morris  Brown  College,  1913.  He  has 
filled  the  following  appointments :  Carthagena  and 
Shelby  Circuit,  Lebanon,  Yellow  Springs,  Mechanics- 
burg  and  Marysville  Circuit,  Troy,  Lockland,  Piqua, 
Urbana,  Newark,  North  Street,  Springfield ;  Wayman, 
Eaker  Street,  Dayton  (North  Ohio  Conference).  The 
following  in  the  Ohio  Annual  Conference:  Ports- 
mouth, Wilmington,  St.  John,  Xenia;  Washington  C. 
H.,  Mt.  Vernon,  Columbus,  Quinn  Chapel,  Chilli- 
cothe,  and  Wayne  Chapel,  Mt.  Vernon,  North  Ohio 
Conference.  He  built  the  second  church  at  Dayton 
while  pastoring  Eaker  Street,  1907.  He  has  received 
512  persons  into  the  Church  and  baptized  207. 

He  was  a  delegate,  representing  the  North  Ohio 
Annual  Conference,  at  the  general  conference  at 
Chicago,  111.,  1904,  and  a  member  of  the  General  Board 


of  the  Allen  C.  E.  League.  He  was  president  of  the 
North  Ohio  Sunday  school  Institute,  from  July,  1903, 
to  1910,  and  president  of  the  Ohio  Conference  Sun- 
day school  Institute  for  three  years.  He  was  the  first 
state  superintendent  of  the  Allen  C.  E.  League  in 
Ohio,  and  organized  the  work  in  the  state,  holding  the 
first  state  convention  in  St.  John's  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Cleveland,  O.,  July,  1908  (I.  A.  Collins,  pastor).  He 
served  as  statistical  secretary  of  the  North  Ohio  Con- 
ference eight  consecutive  years,  and  is  now  filling  the 
same  office  in  the  Ohio  Conference.  A  trustee  of  Wil- 
berforce  University,  and  also  a  member  of  the  Execu- 
tive Board.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Ohio  Anti-Saloon 
League. 

He  has  been  a  member  of  the  G.  U.  O.  of  O.  F. 
for  thirty  years,  and  is  a  most  venerable  patriarch,  and 
served  as  District  Grand  Chaplain  of  the  District 
Grand  Lodge  of  Ohio  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  a 
Republican. 

Work,  Prof.  Monroe  N.,  was  born  in  Iredell 
County,  N.  C.  He  was  reared  in  Illinois  and  Kansas. 
His  education  has  been  as  follows :  Graduated  from 
the  high  school,  Arkansas  City,  Kan.,  1892;  in  1895, 
entered  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary,  graduat- 
ing in  1898.  While  here  he  became  interested  in  the 
subject  of  sociology,  and  decided  to  enter  the  Univer- 


PROF.  MONROE  N.  WORK. 

sity  of  Chicago  and  prepare  himself  for  work  in  this 
field.  He  remained  in  that  institution  five  years.  In 
1902  he  received  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  philosophy, 
and  in  1903  the  degree  of  master  of  arts,  with  sociol- 
ogy as  a  major  subject  and  experimental  psychology 
as  a  minor.  His  theses  for  the  master's  degree  was 
"Negro  Real  Estate  Holding  in  Chicago."  This  at- 
tracted widespread  attention  and  brought  forth  many 
comments  from  the  press  throughout  the  country.  He 
showed  that  the  first  owner  of  property  on  the  site  of 
what  is  now  Chicago  was  a  San  Domingan  Negro, 
Baptiste  Point  Du  Sable,  who  settled  here  as  an  In- 
dian trader  in  1790. 

His  first  position  after  graduation  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago  was  with  the  Georgia  State  Indus- 


256 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3> 


trial  College  as  professor  of  history  and  education. 
This  position  he  held  for  five  years.  In  1908  he  went 
to  Tuskegee  Institute  and  established  the  Department 
of  Records  and  Research.  The  results  of  the  work  of 
this  department  are  embodied  in  the  Negro  Year 
Book,  the  first  edition  of  which  appeared  in  1912.  This 
publication  has  become  a  standard  authority  on  mat- 
ters pertaining  to  the  race.  It  circulates  widely,  not 
only  in  this  country,  but  throughout  the  world. 
Wherever  there  are  persons  interested  in  the  Negro 
and  wishing  to  secure  reliable,  comprehensive  facts 
concerning  him  they  consult  the  Negro  Year  Book. 

The  subjects  of  the  important  articles  which  he 
has  published  in  magazines  and  periodicals  are:  "Some 
Parallelisms  in  the  Development  of  Africans  and 
Other  Races,"  "The  African  Family  as  an  Institu- 
tion," "The  African  Medicine  Man,"  "African  Agricul- 
ture," "An  African  System  of  Writing,"  "The  Negro 
and  Crime  in  Chicago,"  "Negro  Crime  in  Cities,"  "Ne- 
gro Criminality  in  the  South,"  "The  Negro  Church  and 
the  Community,"  "How  to  Fit  the  School  to  the  Needs 
of  the  Community,"  "The  Negroes  of  Warsaw,  Geor- 
gia," "The  Negroes'  Industrial  Problem,"  "Self  Help 
Among  Negroes,"  "Educational  Problems,"  "Fifty 
Years  of  Negro  Progress,"  "The  Spirit  of  Negro  Po- 
etry," "The  South  and  Negro  Health,"  "Geechee  Folk- 
lore," "Negro  Occupations." 

Wortham,  Rev.  P.  W.,  was  born  of  slave  parents, 
in  Warrenton,  N.  C,  April  4,  1862.  He  received  his 
early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Warrenton. 
Later  he  entered  the  Hampton  Normal  School,  of 
Hampton,  Va.  After  completing  the  course  at  Hamp- 
ton, he  began  the  study  of  law,  but  later  gave  it  up 
and  took  a  course  in  theology.  In  1887  he  was  licensed 
to  preach,  and  was  appointed  by  the  annual  conference 


REV.  P.  W.  WORTHAM. 

pastor  of  Oak  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  church  in 
which  he  was  reared.  He  served  this  charge  for  four 
years,  and  was  sent  to  Pittsboro,  where  he  remained 
three  years,  adding  more  than  a  hundred  to  the  mem- 
bership. His  next  appointment  was  Roxboro,  N.  C. 
After  serving  this  charge  three  months  he  was  sent  to 
17 


Burlington,  N.  C,  a  church  greatly  disturbed  by  in- 
ternal dissension.  To  Annapolis,  Md.,  he  was  next 
sent  and  immediately  set  himself  to  the  task  of  reliev- 
ing the  church  of  its  very  heavy  financial  burden.  A 
very  much  needed  parsonage  was  built  during  the  last 
year  of  his  administration.  From  here  he  was  sent  to 
Payne  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  while 
here  increased  the  church  membership  and  brought 
into  the  connection  the  A.  U.  M.  P.,  at  Towson,  Md. 
He  has  also  served  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Baltimore 
District  of  the  Baltimore  Conference.  From  here  he 
went  to  Morgantown,  N.  C,  where  the  people  were 
struggling  to  build  a  new  church.  He  remained  here 
two  years,  during  which  time  he  built  a  new  church 
and  made  many  improvements,  besides  adding  to  the 
church  membership.  When  he  had  completed  his  pas- 
torate at  this  church  he  was  transferred  to  the  Balti- 
more Conference,  and  stationed  at  St.  Paul's  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Washington,  D.  C.  He  remained  here  four 
years,  and  terminated  a  very  successful  pastorate,  to 
be  sent  to  Cumberland,  Aid.,  which  he  also  served  four 
years.  While  here  he  enlivened  every  department  of 
the  church  and  became  an  active  worker  in  every 
movement  looking  to  the  best  interests  of  the  colored 
citizens  of  the  city. 

Wright,    Rev.    Major    Charles,      is    the    son    of 

Major  Anthony  and  Lottie  Wright.  His  mother  was 
a  member  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church.  He  was 
born  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  November  25,  1873.  His 
parents  had  nine  children.  He  began  attending  school 
when  quite  young,  and  spent  at  least  twelve  years  in 
school.  He  spent  over  two  years  in  the  Eureka  High 
School,  Campbell  College  and  Morris  Brown  Univer- 
sity. 'He  received  the  degree  of  B.D.  from  Turner 
Theological  Seminary,  and  D.D.  from  Campbell  Col- 
lege. He  was  converted  in  1895,  and  joined  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  many  offices  in 
the  Church,  such  as  steward,  trustee,  class  leader,  ex- 
horter,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher,  superin- 
tendent and  district  superintendent.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  in  1897,  at  Anquilla,  by  Rev.  W.  F.  Danger- 
field  ;  was  ordained  deacon,  1899,  at  Durant,  Miss.,  by 
Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick,  and  ordained  elder  December 
20,  1902,  at  Rosedale,  Miss.,  by  Bishop  Tyree.  He  en- 
tered the  annual  conference  in  1899,  at  Durant,  Miss., 
under  Bishop  Derrick.  He  has  held  the  following  ap- 
pointments:  Jackson  Mission,  1S99;  Rolling  Fork  Cir- 
cuit, 1900;  Duncan  Circuit,  1902;  Stoneville  Circuit, 
1903-4;  Woodville  Station,  1907;  Summit  Station, 
1908;  Hattiesburg  Station,  1909-10;  Port  Gibson,  1911, 
and  Greenville  Station,  1913-14-  He  was  presiding 
elder  of  the  Greenville  District  in  191 5,  and  has  been 
pastor  at  Natchez,  Miss.,  since  191 5.  He  built  a  par- 
sonage at  Hattiesburg,  in  1909,  at  a  cost  of  $800.  He 
lifted  a  mortgage  on  St.  Peter's  Church,  at  Port  Gib- 
son. He  has  taken  about  500  people  into  the  Church 
and  baptized  about  200  people.  In  1895  he  married 
Mrs.  Amanda  E.  Wright,  of  Benoit,  Miss.  They  have 
four  children— Lenora,  age  21 ;  M.  C.  Wright,  Jr.,  age 
18;  Edmonia,  age  16,  and  Luther,  age  14.  His  daugh- 
ter, Miss  Lenora,  is  a  graduate  from  Campbell  College, 
and  is  a  teacher  in  Clarksdale,  Miss.  Miss  Edmonia 
from  Natchez  High  School.  He  has  contributed  to 
newspapers  and  magazines.  He  delivered  the  bacca- 
laureate sermon  at  Alcorn  A.  and  M.  College,  at 
Natchez   College,  and  addressed   the   Vicksburg   city 


25Z 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


school.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star,  Masons, 
and  Sons  and  Daughters  of  Gideon.  He  owns  a  home. 
He  is  chairman  of  the  Executive  Board  of  Ward  Acad- 


REV.  M.  C.  WRIGHT. 

emy,  and  a  delegate  to  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence. 

Wright,  Mrs.  Amanda,  is  the  wife  of  Rev.  M.  C. 
Wright,  of  Natchez,  Miss.  She  is  a  native  of  Missis- 
sippi, and  was  married  in  1895.  She  is  the  state  or- 
ganizer of  the  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League  of 
Mississippi,  and  an  earnest  Christian  worker. 

Wright,  Perry  Alexander,  was  born  in  Cecil 
County,  Md.,  on  January  30,  1832.  His  parents, 
Emory  and  Matilda  Wright,  were  free  people,  as  were 


MR.  PERRY  A.  WRIGHT. 

all  of  their  people,  and  well  to  do.  From  a  child  Mr. 
Wright  was  a  strong,  reliable  character.  His  parents 
and  neighbors  recognized  him  as  such.    At  the  age  of 


sixteen  years  he  embraced  religion  and  joined  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church.  He  was  married  to  Eliza  Douglass 
January  6,  1858,  who  bore  him  nine  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living.  Mrs.  Wright  died  in  191 1.  In  1865 
Mr.  Wright  enlisted  in  the  army.  There  his  strong 
Christian  character  shone  forth  brightly.  It  has  often 
been  told  how  he  would  assemble  the  men  and  have 
prayer-meeting,  and  many  a  sick  and  wounded  man 
was  the  better  for  having  come  in  contact  with  him. 
In  1869  he  moved  to  Chester,  Pa.,  where  he  at  once  in- 
terested himself  in  the  church.  He  has  always  been  a 
strong  pillar  in  Murphy's  A.  M.  E.  Church.  In  1509, 
when  the  church  went  under  the  sheriff's  hammer, 
Mr.  Wright  put  up  his  own  valuable  property  to  save 
the  church.  He  is  one  of  our  best-known  colored  busi- 
ness men,  and  is  especially  popular  among  the  voung 
people,  who  lovingly  call  him  Uncle  Perry.  He  is  of  a 
genial  disposition.  One  son  is  Dr.  Wright,  of  Chica- 
go, while  a  daughter,  Mrs.  Baker,  is  one  of  the  most 
useful  members  of  Bethel  Church,  New  York. 

Wright,  Richard  Robert,  Jr.,  is  the  son  of  Major 
R.  R.  and  Mrs.  Lydia  Elizabeth  (Howard)  Wright. 
His  father  has  been  for  twenty-five  years  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Georgia  State  Industrial  College,  Savan- 
nah, Ga.,  and  was  major  and  paymaster  of  the  United 
States  Volunteers  in  the  Spanish-American  war.  He 
was  born  April  16,  1878,  at  Cuthbert,  Ga.  He  is  a 
member  of  a  family  of  nine  children.  Entered  school 
at  the  age  of  six  years,  and  attended  school  about 
eighteen  years  in  all,  attending  the  graded  schools  of 
Augusta,  Ga. ;  Haines  Institute,  Augusta,  Ga. ; 
Georgia  State  College,  University  of  Chicago  and  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania.  Graduated  from  the  normal 
department  of  the  Georgia  State  College  in  1895,  re- 
ceiving gold  medal  for  scholarship.  He  received  A.B. 
degree  from  Georgia  State  College,  1898;  A.M., 
Georgia  State  College,  1901  ;  B.D.,  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Chicago,  W.  Rainey  Harper,  president,  1901 ; 
A.M.,  from  the  University  of  Chicago,  in  1904;  Ph.D., 
from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  in  191 1.  He  was 
Research  Fellow  in  Sociology  in  1905-6,  and  Special 
University  Fellow  in  Sociology  at  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, 1906-8.  During  1903  and  1904  he  studied  in 
the  University  of  Berlin,  Germany ;  in  1904  he  was  a 
student  at  the  University  of  Leipsig,  Germany. 
He  refused  to  accept  the  honorary  degree  of  D.D. 
from  Wilberforce  University,  in  1914,  because  of  the 
conviction  that  no  man  under  forty  years  of  age 
should  receive  an  honorary  degree.  He  was  con- 
verted February,  1891,  and  joined  Bethel  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Augusta,  Ga.  He  has  been  an  exhorter,  lo- 
cal preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher,  secretary  and  as- 
sistant superintendent  of  Sunday  schools,  and  presi- 
dent of  Allen  Christian  Endeavor.  Licensed  to  ex- 
hort by  Rev.  S.  D.  Roseborough,  in  1898,  and  li- 
censed to  preach  in  1899  at  St.  Philip's,  Savannah,  Ga., 
by  Rev.  T.  N.  M.  Smith ;  joined  the  Iowa  Annual  Con- 
ference under  Bishop  Arnett,  September,  1899,  at 
Bethel  Church,  Chicago,  Rev.  R.  C.  Ransom,  pastor; 
ordained  deacon,  September,  1900,  at  Minneapolis, 
Minn.,  by  Bishop  Grant ;  ordained  elder  September, 
iqoi,  at  St.  Stephen's,  Chicago,  by  Bishop  Grant.  Dr. 
Wright  has  held  the  following  appointments:  Assist- 
ant pastor  of  the  Institutional  Church,  Chicago,  1900- 
01  ;  instructor  of  Hebrew  and  New  Testament  Greek  in 
Payne  Theological  Seminary,  1901-1903;  on  leave  of 


258 


e- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


•3 


absence  to  study  in  Germany,  1903-1904;  Elgin,  111., 
1904;  Trinity,  Chicago,  1904-1905;  in  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  1905-1908;  Conshohockon,  Penna., 
1908;  editor  Christian  Recorder  since  1909.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  general  conference  of  1912,  and  busi- 
ness manager  of  the  Book  Concern,  as  well  as  editor 
from  February,  1909  to  1912,  succeeding  Dr.  H.  T. 
Johnson  editor  and  Dr.  J.  H.  Collett,  manager,  both 
deceased.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Ecumenical  Con- 
ference, Toronto,  Canada,  191 1;  was  elected  editor  of 
Christian  Recorder  in  1912  and  re-elected  without  op- 
position in  1916.  Married  Miss  Charlotte  Crogman, 
daughter  of  Dr.   W.   H.   Crogman,   then   president   of 


Settlement  Building  and  Loan  Association,  member  of 
board  of  managers  of  Association  for  Protection  of 
Colored  Women,  Spring  Street  Social  Settlement, 
member  board  of  direction  of  Work  for  Colored 
churches,  of  Federal  Council  of  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America,  Abolition  Society,  Mercy  Hospital,  member 
American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science, 
Sigma  Pi  Phi,  Alpha  Boule,  American  Negro  Acad- 
emy, etc.,  etc.  Author  of  "Negro  in  Pennsylvania," 
"Teaching  of  Jesus,"  "The  Negro  Problem,"  numerous 
pamphlets,  magazine  articles.  His  sociological  studies 
have  been  published  by  United  States  Bureau  of  Labor, 
Pennsylvania   Bureau   of   Industrial    Statistics,    Pitts- 


REV.  RICHARD  R.  WRIGHT,  JR. 


MRS.  R.  R.  WRIGHT,  JR. 


Clark  University,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  in  1909.  They  have 
three  children — Ruth,  5  years;  Richard  R.,  Ill,  3  years; 
Alberta,  1  year.  In  July,  191 1,  when  the  Book  Concern 
was  to  be  sold  by  the  sheriff  for  a  $5000  judgment,  Dr. 
Wright  prevented  the  sale  by  purchasing  the  judg- 
ment for  $1900  of  his  own  funds.  In  1916  he  purchas- 
ed a  permanent  church  home  for  St.  John's  Mission, 
Philadelphia,  for  more  than  $2000  cash. 

Dr.  Wright  was  elected  instructor  of  sociology  in 
Howard  University,  at  $1500  per  year,  but  declined. 
He    is    the    founder   and    president    of    Eighth    Ward 


burgh  Survey,  Annals  of  American  Academy  of  Politi- 
cal and  Social  Science,  Southern  Workmen,  Star  Cen- 
ter, Inter-Municipal  Review,  publications  of  the  South- 
ern Sociological  Society,  etc.,  etc.  He  has  lec- 
tured at  Howard  University,  Wilberforce,  Georgia 
State  College,  Morris  Brown  University,  Allen  Uni- 
versity, Campbell  College,  A.  and  M.  College  (Missis- 
sippi), Lincoln  Institute  (Missouri),  A.  and  T.  College 
(Greensboro,  N.  C),  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
Institute  for  Colored  Youths,  and  numerous  educa- 
tional institutions. 


|OUNG,    REV.    JOHN    HENRY,    the 

son  of  Solomon  and  Sarah  Young, 
both  members  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  was  born  September  2,  1855, 
at  Sussex  County,  Delaware.  He 
was  one  of  seven  children.  He  en- 
tered school  in  1870,  and  attended 
about  five  years  in  all,  but  did 
much  private  study.  Later  he  attended  the  Re- 
formed Episcopal  Divinity  School,  at  Philadelphia, 
Pa.  He  received  the  degree  B.D.  at  Bible  College, 
Philadelphia.  He  was  converted  in  1871,  and  joined 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  the  same  year.  He  has  held  al- 
most every  office  in  the  Church.  He  was  licensed  to 
preach  June  29,    1889,   at   Bristol,  Pa.,  by  Rev.  B.  F. 


Lee,  presiding  elder.  He  was  ordained  deacon  May 
27,  1895,  at  Mt.  Pisgah,  Philadelphia,  by  Bishop  Tan- 
ner, and  ordained  elder  May  22,  1898,  at  Columbia, 
Pa.,  by  Bishop  Grant.  He  joined  the  annual  confer- 
ence in  May,  1894,  at  Dover,  Del.,  under  Bishop  Tan- 
ner. He  has  held  the  following  appointments :  Wil- 
mington, Del.,  1894-95;  Marietta,  Pa.,  1896-98;  Ward, 
Philadelphia,  1899-1900;  Middletown,  Pa.,  1901  ;  New 
Hope,  Pa.,  1902 ;  Unionville,  Pa.,  1902-03 ;  Norwood, 
Pa.,  1904-07;  Kennett  Square,  Pa.,  1908-11;  Concord- 
ville,  Pa.,  1912-14,  and  Phoenixville,  Pa.,  1915.  He  lift- 
ed a  mortgage  on  Bethel  Church,  Middletown,  Pa.,  to 
the  amount  of  $500,  in  1901,  and  on  Bethel,  Kennett 
Square,  Pa.,  to  the  amount  of  $400,  in  1901.  He  has 
taken  300  people  into  the  Church,  baptized  75  and 


259 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


married  45  couples.  In  1885  he  married  Carrie  E. 
Young,  and  they  had  two  children,  Catherine  R.  C, 
age  21,  and  Tanner  S.,  age  13.  His  daughter,  Cather- 
ine, is  a  graduate  of  the  High  School.  Rev.  Young 
has  been  a  contributor  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Review.     He 


REV.  JOHN  HENRY  YOUNG. 

has  made  addresses  in  the  Lutheran  and  Baptist 
churches.  He  is  connected  with  the  F.  and  A.  M.,  A. 
P.  A.,  and  National  Benefit  Association,  and  has  held 
prominent  offices.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  the  owner 
of  a  home. 

Young,  George  Benjamin,  was  born  in  Texas,  in 
the  year  1865 ;  reared  on  a  farm ;  converted  when  quite 
a  boy  ;  attended  the  rural  schools.  His  father  sent  him 
to  Paul  Quinn    College,    Waco,    Texas,    which  he  at- 


tended for  five  or  six  years,  during  which  time  he  en- 
tered the  ministry.  Since  there  was  no  theological  de- 
partment connected  with  Paul  Quinn,  Bishop  Lee  and 
others  advised  him  to  go  to  Wilberforce.  On  motion 
of  Dr.  J.  R.  Bryan,  D.D.,  he  matriculated  as  a  confer- 
ence student  at  AYilberforce  University,    from    which 


REV.  G.  B.  YOUNG,  B.D.,  D.D. 

he  finished  the  regular  theological  course.  Returning 
to  Texas  he  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Lee,  and 
has  served-  successfully  five  appointments,  one  year  as 
Dean  of  Theology  in  Paul  Quinn  College,  and  has  pur- 
chased wisely  a  few  lots  and  built  church  edifices  for 
the  great  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  is  now  presiding  elder 
of  the  Dallas  district,  Northeast  Texas  Conference.  He 
was  elected  to  four  general  conferences,  including  the 
Centennial  General  Conference. 


260 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


REV.  J.  W.  DUKES 
(See  sketch  on  Page  85.) 


MR.    K.    S.    JOHNSON 
See  sketch  on  Page  134.) 


REV.  T.  Y.  MOORE 
(See  sketch  on  Page  161.) 


REV.  W.  H.  CAPEHEART 
(See  sketch  on  Page  39.) 


MK.  ISAAC  H.  NUTTER 
(See  sketch  on  Page  172.) 


261 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


REV.    HODSON    WATERS 
(See  sketch  on  Page  239.) 


REV.  J.  H.  DICKERSON 
(See  sketch  on  Page  83.) 


REV.   A.   A.   AMOS 
(See  sketch  on  Page  24.) 


REV.   SCOTT  B.  JONES 
(See  sketch  on  Page  142.) 


MR.  WILLIAM  JENNIEFR 
(See  sketch  on  Page  130) 


REV.  J.  J.  EVANS 
(See  sketch  on  Page  88.) 


262 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<B 


MRS.   G.   W.   WILLIAMS 
(See  sketch  Page  247.) 


REV.  W.  H.  MIXON,  D.  D. 
(See   sketch   Page   160.) 


PROF.  LULA  B.  KINCHEON 
(See   sketch   Page   144.) 


REV.  JAMES  M.  HENDERSON,  D.  D. 
(See  sketch  Page  144.) 


265 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


REV.   T.  W.   COFFEE 
(See  sketch  on   Page  67.) 


REV.    W.    T.    JOHNSON 
(See  sketch  on  Page  138.) 


PROF.   C.   H.  JOHNSON 
(See  sketch  on  Page  131.) 


REV.   I.  W.   L.   ROUNDTREE 
(See  sketch  on  Page  193.) 


REV.  JOHN  W.  FLEMING 
(See  sketch  on  Page  90.) 

264 


APPENDIX 


Sketches  and  Illustrations,  Churches,  Missionary  Societies,  Annual 

Conferences,    Schools,  lite. 


DAMS,  MISS  JUANITA  W.,  daughter 
of  John  Quincy  and  Mayme  B.  Adams, 
was  born  March  19,  1888,  at  Indepen- 
dence, Kansas.  Her  mother  and  her 
mother's  family  being  staunch  A.  M. 
E.  workers,  she  was  trained  from  in- 
fancy in  the  Sunday  school  and 
church,  becoming  secretary  of  the 
Sunday  school  in  her  eleventh  year,  and  being  con- 
tinually re-elected  until  her  boarding  school  career 
began.  From  her  earliest  remembrance,  the  home 
of  her  parents  and  grandmother  were  set  stopping 
places    for    A.    M.    E.    ministers,    and    in    her    four- 


MISS  JUANITA  W.  ADAMS 


teenth  year  Miss  Adams  was  converted  and  joined 
Quinn  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  her  home  town, 
under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  T.  W.  Walthall.  She 
made  a  splendid  record  throughout  public  school, 
and  electing  to  take  a  business  course,  entered  West- 
ern University,  Quindaro,  Kansas,  then  presided  over 
by  Hon.  W.  T.  Vernon.  She  was  graduated  with 
honors  in  June,  1905.  Returning  home,  Miss  Adams 
was  idle  just  three  weeks,  when  she  was  recalled  to 
take   temporary   work   under   President   Vernon   and 


was  eminently  satisfactory  to  them,  but  branching 
into  a  wider  field,  under  their  recommendation  she 
entered  the  service  of  Mr.  Nick  Chiles,  editor  of  the 
Topeka  Plaindealer,  Topeka,  Kansas,  in  November, 
1905.  This  position  she  filled  creditably  for  over  a 
year,  when  she  accepted  employment  as  secretary  to 
Miss  Nannie  H.  Burroughs,  secretary  of  the  Women's 
National  Baptist  Convention,  with  headquarters  then 
in  Louisville,  Kentucky.  This  was  a  post  of  consider- 
able responsibility  and  a  training  course  in  itself.  The 
young  lady  liked  the  work  and  liked  the  Baptists,  but 
feeling  that  her  usefulness  was  somewhat  divided, 
after  remaining  with  Miss  Burroughs  and  traveling 
with  her  to  various  points  for  three  years  or  more, 
Miss  Adams  went  to  Nashville  to  work  for  Mr.  Ira  T. 
Bryant,  secretary  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  School 
Union.  Here  she  has  filled  positions  of  monotype  key- 
board operator,  assistant  proofreader,  general  clerk, 
etc.,  and  is  at  present  holding  the  post  of  private  secre- 
tary to  Mr.  Bryant,  who  is  gratified  to  have  in  his 
employ  a  versatile  young  woman  who  is  able  to  work 
in  most  any  place  he  may  want  to  use  her. 


Allen,  Sarah,  wife  of  Bishop  Richard  Allen,  was 
born  in  1764  in  Isle  of  Wight  County,  Virginia.  She 
was   brought   to   Philadelphia   to   live   at   about   eight 


MRS.  SARAH  ALLEN. 


years  of  age.  About  1800  she  was  married  to  Richard 
Allen  and  labored  with  him  till  his  death.  Her  son, 
Richard  Allen,  Jr.,  was  secretary  of  the  first  confer- 
ence. She  died  July  16,  1849,  in  Philadelphia  at  the 
Bishop  Grant,  then  residing  in  Kansas  City.     Her  work     residence  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Ann  Adams. 

265 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


£ 


Allen,  C.  Emery,  the  popular  pastor  of  Mt.  Olivet 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  South  Bend,  Ind.,  is  one  of  the  best 
pastors   of   the   Connection.     Last   year   he   added   36 


Ashley,  Mrs.  M.  A.,  widow  of  Rev.  H.  C.  Ashley, 
only  daughter  of  the  late  Rev.  Moses  and  Elvira  Burks. 
Her  father  was  a  pioneer  African  Methodist  minister 
in  Kentucky,  even  in  the  days  of  slavery.  Mrs.  Ash- 
lev  had  two  brothers,    both    of    whom    devoted  their 


MRS.  M.  A.  ASHLEY. 

lives  to  the  ministry  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Her 
older  brother.  Rev.  G.  H.  Burks,  died  March  2,  191 5, 
and  her  other  brother,  Rev.  T.  W.  Green,  is  now  serv- 
ing his  third  vear  as  pastor,  in  Iola,  Kansas. 


REV.  C.  EMERY  ALLEN,  D.  D. 


members  to  the  church  and  in  his  mid-summer  rally 
raised  $5,000,  which  was  deposited  in  bank,  making 
over  $6,000  cash  on  hand  for  building  purposes.     Allen 


MRS.  C.  EMERY  ALLEN 

(President    Woman's    Mite     Missionary 
Indiana   Conference) 


Society    of 


received  the  degree  of  D.  D.  from  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versity. He  has  been  a  member  of  several  general 
conferences  and  Connectional  Boards. 


MRS.  SARA  WALLACE  ARNETT 
(Wife  of  Rev.  H.  Y.  Arnett) 

Berry,   Richard,    was    born    in    Conowingo,    Cecil 

County,  Md.,  December  9,  1815.  He  was  the  son  of 
John  and  Charlotte  Berry,  and  was  one  of  12  children. 
They  were  all  free  born.  He  was  converted  when  a 
boy.  His  father  and  uncle  belonged  to  the  Under- 
ground Railroad  and  through  them  many  slaves  es- 
caped to  Canada.  In  1834  his  parents  moved  to  Phila- 
delphia. He  joined  Mother  Bethel  and  was  a  class 
leader.  In  1837  he  married  Miss  Sophia  Ann  Simp- 
son, of  Port  Deposit,  Md.  They  had  three  daughters. 
He  moved  to  West  Philadelphia,  then  called  Hamilton 
Village.     He  obtained  his  letter  and  joined  Mt.  Pisgah 


266 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


A.  M.  E.  Church,  then  in  its  infancy.  He  was  or- 
dained deacon  and  filled  every  office  in  the  church — 
class  leader,  steward,  exhorter,  preacher,  deacon  and 
elder.  He  was  instrumental  in  assisting  to  erect  the 
present  Mt.  Pisgah,  and  at  one  time  placed  his  home 
and  interest  at  stake  to  save  the  church  from  cred- 


lanta,  Ga.,  session,  July,  1914;  at  the  close  of  the  con- 
ference he  was  elected  by  his  colleagues  president  of 
the  conference  and  state  superintendents'  council  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the 
general  conferences  of  190S  and  1912.  He  is  a  prom- 
inent real  estate  dealer  and  holder  of  much  valuable 


REV.  RICHARD  BERRY 

itors.  He  has  brought  many  to  the  fold  of  Christ 
and  done  much  for  the  up-building  of  God's  Kingdom. 
Some  of  the  churches  he  assisted  in  raising  are 
Horntown,  Darby,  Paschal,  Cape  May,  Murphy  Chap- 
el, Disney,  Ward,  and  Morris  Brown.  He  died  May 
25,  1897,  at  the  age  of  82. 


Belliny,  D.  S.  D.,  is  a  native  Floridian,  whose 
mother  and  grandmother  were  Methodists ;  a  life-long 
Sunday  school  worker ;  founder  and  publisher  of  the 
Florida  Templar,  1885,  the  first  temperance  newspa- 
per owned  and  controlled  by  colored  men  in  America ; 
for  17  years  an  active  member  of  the  Health  Depart- 
ment of  the  city  of  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  being  the  first 
Negro  to  secure  a  certificate  from  a  regular  organized 
board  of  health  of  the  South  as  an  expert  sanitarian. 
He  organized  the  first  Sunday  school  institute,  1901, 
in  Florida;  has  been  continuously  elected  district  su- 
perintendent for  eighteen  years  of  Sunday  school 
work  of  the  Jacksonville  district.  Founder  of  the 
"Jacksonville  Sunday  School  Institute"  and  has  been 
professor  of  Bible  School  Pedagogy  for  twelve  years. 
Prof.  Belliny  is  a  prominent  Odd  Fellow.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  the  B.  M.  C.  at  Boston,  Mass.,  1894,  receiv- 
ing the  unanimous  vote  of  his  lodge.  He  was  elected 
a  delegate  to  the  session  of  Good  Templars  Interna- 
tional Supreme  Lodge,  1897,  which  met  at  Zurich, 
Switzerland ;  was  very  prominent  among  the  organiz- 
ers of  the  Christian  Endeavor  movement  in  Florida, 
holding  the  positions  of  district  and  conference  super- 
intendent, covering  a  period  of  twelve  years.  He  was 
appointed  by  Bishop  Hurst  state  superintendent  of  the 
Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League  of  Florida,  and  by 
recommendation  of  Dr.  J.  C.  Caldwell,  general  secre- 
tary, which  state  leads  the  connection  with  400  or- 
ganized leagues.  Prof.  Belliny  had  the  honor  of  serv- 
ing as  the  principal  instructor  of  the  superintendents' 
conference  at  the  Young  People's  Congress  at  the  At- 


PROF.  D.  S.  D.  BELLINY. 

Florida  property,  both  in  the  city  and  state.  He  is 
the  father  of  two  daughters  and  one  son,  D.  S.  D.,  Jr. 
His  daughter,  Miss  Corinne  J.,  is  a  graduate  of  Wil- 
berforce  University,  class  1914,  and  is  a  teacher  in  the 
public  schools  of  Jacksonville,  Fla.  Prof.  Belliny  is  a 
prominent  member  of  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Jacksonville,  holding  the  position  of  recording  stew- 
ard. 

Branch,  R.  V.,   was   born   in   Muskogee   County, 
Ga.,  near  Columbus.     His  father  and  mother  operated 


REV.  R.  V.  BRANCH,  D.  D. 

a  farm  in  the  early  life  of  this  boy,  and  gave  him 
training  on  the  same.  The  first  school  he  attended 
was  organized  by  his  father,  Ben  Branch,  and  five 


267 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3° 


other  men  of  the  community,  it  being  a  pay  school. 
He  continued  in  this  second  until  he  reached  what 
we  would  call  the  third  grade. 

Ben  Branch  and  Eliza  Branch  were  of  the  old 
early  Methodist  stock,  and  young  Branch  has  always 
been  a  Methodist.  He  was  converted  and  joined  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  at  the  age  of  12  years ;  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  Rev.  E.  P.  Holmes,  then  presiding  elder 
of  the  Columbus  District  of  the  Macon  (Ga.)  Con- 
ference, April,  1894;  was  admitted  to  the  Macon  (Ga.) 
Conference  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  November,  1894,  Bishop 
Grant  presiding;  was  ordained  deacon  at  Eatonton, 
Ga.,  November,  1895  ;  ordained  elder  at  Tolbotton,  Ga., 
by  Bishop  Turner,  in  1897 ;  pastored  the  following 
charges:  Prospect  Circuit,  Glenalta  Circuit;  Mt.  Zion 
Circuit,  Cuthbert  Station,  Thomasville,  St.  Phillip 
Monumental,  Savannah,  Ga. ;  was  presiding  elder  three 
years  of  the  Atlanta  District,  at  which  time,  under 
Bishop  C.  S.  Smith,  in  the  Quarto-Centennial  Rally, 
he  led  all  the  districts  in  the  State,  raising  for  edu- 
cation $1,400 — $293  more  than  any  other  presiding 
elder  in  the  State ;  then  appointed  pastor  of  Allen 
Temple,  Atlanta,  and  remained  in  this  charge  four 
years,  remodeling  the  church  and  putting  in  a  $2,500 
pipe  organ,  all  at  a  cost  of  $5,000 ;  now  presiding  elder 
of  the  West  Savannah  District  of  the  Georgia  Con- 
ference. 


Butler,  Daniel  H.,  presiding  elder,  Gulfport  Dis- 
trict, Mississippi  Annual  Conference.  Dr.  Butler  is 
a  graduate  of  Gammon  Theological  Seminary,  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  has  pastored  successfully  in  Georgia  and 
Mississippi;  was  president  of  Campbell  College,  Jack- 
son,   Miss.,    and    Paul    Ouinn    College,    Waco,    Tex. 


REV.  D.  H.  BUTLER,  D.  D. 


Bray,  H.  Franklin,  pastor  Hutchinson,  Kansas, 
was  born  in  Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio,  May  14,  1875 ;  received 
his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Indiana, 
Wilberforce  University  and  Payne  Theological  Sem- 
inary, where  he  prepared  himself  for  his  life's  work. 
He  has  served  the  following  appointments :  Paducah, 
(Ky.),    Elizabethtown    (Ky.),    presiding   elder    of    the 


Since  1912  he  has  been  presiding  elder  in  the  Missis- 
sippi Annual  Conference.  Has  been  delegate  to  sev- 
eral General  -.Conferences,  was  voted  for  for  Business 
Manager,  was  elected  to  the  General  Conference  of 
1916  without  opposition  and  by  acclamation.  Mrs. 
Mamie   Brockman-Butler,   his   wife,   died   May,   1916. 

Byrd,  Mrs.  Malinda  L.,  daughter  of  John  and 
Ruth  Kendall,  was  born  April  21,  1880.  She  was  edu- 
cated at  Southland  College ;  converted  at  the  age  of 
ten  years.     She  married  in   1901,  Mr.  F.  E.  Byrd,  of 


REV.  H.  FRANKLIN  BRAY,  D.  D. 

Louisville  (Ky.)  District,  Pueblo  (Colo.),  Phoenix 
(Ariz.)  and  Hutchinson  (Kans.).  In  Phoenix  he  built 
a  mammoth  modern  church  and  a  modern  parsonage 
property  valued  at  $15,000.  He  has  written  many 
poems  and  articles  on  current  and  sociological  sub- 
jects that  have  attracted  much  favorable  comment. 
Dr.  Bray  was  prominently  mentioned  for  editor  of 
the  Western  Christian  Recorder.  He  bears  the  dis- 
tinction of  having  been  the  youngest  presiding  elder 
in  the  connection.  He  was  also  the  youngest  minis- 
terial delegate,  elected  to  the  General  Conference  at  Marvel.  Ark. ;  taught  in  the  public  schools  of  Phillips 
Chicago  in  1904.  He  was  delegate  to  the  General  and  Lee  Counties,  Ark.,  for  fifteen  years.  She  is 
Conferences  of  1912  and  1916,  and  is  a  trustee  of  superintendent  of  Helena  District  A.  C.  E.  League; 
Wilberforce  and  Western  Universities.  secretary  of  W.  H.  and  F.  Missionary  Society  of  the 

268 


MRS.  M.  L.  BYRD. 


8 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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Helena  district ;  was  delegate  to  the  quadrennial  W. 
H.  and  F.  Missionary  Convention,  New  Orleans,  La., 
1915 ;  also  one  of  the  representatives  of  the  W.  H.  and 
F.  Missionary  Society  of  the  East  Arkansas  Confer- 
ence Branch  to  the  Centennial  General  Conference, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  May,  1916;  matron  of  Shorter  Col- 
lege, and  has  been  substitute  R.  F.  D.  No.  2  mail  car- 
rier, Marvel,  for  seven  years. 

Cain,  Richard  Harvey,  fourteenth  bishop  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  was  born  in  Greensboro  County,  W. 
Va.,  April  28,  1826.  In  early  manhood  he  moved  with 
his  parents  to  Ohio,  where  he  worked  as  a  steamboat 
hand.  He  was  converted  at  Portsmouth,  O.,  in  1841, 
and  on  moving  to  Hannibal,  Mo.,  in  1844  was  licensed 
to  preach  by  Rev.  William  Jackson,  of  the  M.  E. 
Church.  Soon  afterward  he  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  and  was  admitted  to  the  Indiana  Conference 
in  1854,  having  his  first  charge  at  Muscatine,  Iowa.  In 
1859  he  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Paul  Quinn 
and    the    next    year    entered    Wilberforce    University, 


BISHOP  RICHARD  H.  CAIN. 

proving  himself  an  untiring  student.  Transferred  to 
the  New  York  Conference  in  1861,  he  had  charge  of 
Bridge  Street  Church  in  Brooklyn.  The  next  year, 
1862,  he  was  ordained  elder  by  Bishop  Payne  in  Wash- 
ington. In  1865  he  was  sent  to  the  South  Carolina 
Conference  and  in  this  state  he  performed  invaluable 
service  for  African  Methodism,  serving  as  pastor  of 
Emanuel  Church,  Charleston,  and  also  as  presiding 
elder.  He  also  interested  himself  in  state  affairs,  being 
a  _  member  of  the  constitutional  convention  which  re- 
vised the  constitution  of  South  Carolina,  serving  two 
years  as  state  senator,  editing  a  Republican  newspaper 
and  in  1879  being  elected  to  the  Forty-third  Congress 
and  in  1881  to  the  Forty-fifth  Congress.  He  served 
very  acceptably  as  president  of  Paul  Quinn  College  at 
Waco,  Texas.  Wilberforce  University  conferred  upon 
him  the  degree  of  D.D.  He  was  elected  bishop  in 
1880  and  was  appointed  to  organize  work  in  Africa. 
He  died  January  18,  1887,  and  was  buried  in  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Carpenter,  W.  Spencer,  pastor  of  Allen  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  was  born  under  the  Eng- 
lish flag,  in  November,  1875.     When  a  babe,  he  was 


brought  to  Cambridge,  Mass.,  where  he  was  reared,  he 
being  one  out  of  a  family  of  ten  children  born  to  his 
parents,  Alexander  C.  and  Phoebe  A.  Carpenter.  In 
his  twelfth  year,  adversity,  through  illness,  having 
struck  his  father,  he  was  obliged  to  leave  school  and 
assist  in  the  support  of  his  home.  A  position  was  se- 
cured for  him  as  apprentice  in  the  famous  University 
Press,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  in  which  institution,  nine 


REV:  W.  SPENCER  CARPENTER,, 

years  later,  he  was  promoted  to  a  journeyman  printer 
and  assigned  to  the  job  and  art  department  in  that 
establishment,  being  the  first  of  his  race  to  have  fin- 
ished an  apprenticeship  in  that  institution?*  When  18 
years  of  age,  he  enlisted  in  the  services  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Volunteers  and,  in  1898,  when  the  calf  for 
men  to  enter  the  Spanish-American  War  came  he, 
with  his  company,  volunteered,  and  he  saw  service  in 
Cuba  and  Porto  Rico  and,  in  the  engagement  at  Guani- 
ca,  P.  R.,  he  was  shot  in  the  hand.  After  the  war, 
Rev.  Carpenter  entered  business  for  himself,  and  later 
on  sold  out  to  his  partner  and  entered  the  establishment 
of  a  large  printing  house — the  C.  &  C.  Press,  Cam- 
bridge, where  as  a  designing  printer,  he  held  a  perma- 
nent position.  In  the  meantime,  he  had  entered  and 
passed  through  the  evening  grammar  and  high 
schools.  In  1906  he  was  converted  under  the  preach- 
ing of  Rev.  R.  C.  Ransom,  who  promoted  him  to  the 
superintendence"  of  Charles  Street  Church  Sunday 
School.  During  this  time  he  gave  his  full  life  to  the 
Church,  and,  under  tutors  from  Harvard  and  Boston 
Universities,  he  was  prepared  for  the  ministry.  For 
two  years  he  was  assistant  pastor  of  Charles  Street 
Church,  Boston.  From  there  he  was  sent  to  Bridge- 
port, Conn.,  and  two  years  later  was  transferred  to  the 
Philadelphia  Conference,  where  for  the  past  five  years 
he  has  remained.  Rev.  Carpenter  has  contributed  ar- 
ticles to  the  race  magazines  and  to  the  daily  press.  He 
has  written  and  produced  two  musical  comedies;  was 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


department  chaplain  of  Pennsylvania-American  War 
veterans  for  two  years ;  is  a  past  master  in  the  Ma- 
tonic  fraternity,  and  now  holds  the  commission  of 
major  general  in  the  uniform  rank,  K.  P.,  E.  &  W.  H. 
In  the  Massachusetts  Volunteers  he  rose  from  private 
to  first  lieutenant,  resigning  the  latter  commission  in 
1909.  In  1908  he  was  married  to  Anna  M.  Williams, 
of  Boston,  Mass.,  which  union  has  been  blessed  with 
two  children.  He  is  serving  his  sixth  year  at  Allen 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia. 

Clayborn,  John  Henry,  the  son  of  David  and  Mar- 
tha Clayborn.  was  born  December  2,  1881,  at  Arka- 
delphia,  Ark.;  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1897  and 
was  licensed  to  preach  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Jones,  in  1903. 
In  1902  he  married  Miss  Lula  B.  Mitchell,  and  they 
have  six  children.  He  joined  the  annual  conference 
under  Bishop  Evans  Tyree,  1902;  was  ordained  dea- 
con in  1904,  and  elder  in  1906,  both  by  Bishop  Lee.  He 
has  held  the  following  appointments :    Broggs    circuit. 


REV.  J.  H.  CLAYBORN. 

1903;  Onalaska  circuit,  1904-5;  Glenville  circuit,  1906; 
New  Salem  circuit,  1907;  New  Edinburg  circuit,  1908- 
9;  Manchester  circuit,  1910;  Stamp  station,  1911-12; 
presiding  elder  of  Dumas  district,  1913-14;  Hamberg 
district,  1915:  served  three  years  as  secretary  of  West 
Arkansas  Conference;  is  a  graduate  of  the  National 
Business  College,  Quincy,  111.,  1905 ;  Bush  College, 
1908;  also  attended  Philander  Smith  and  Shorter  Col- 
leges; studied  under  the  American  Correspondence 
School  of  Law;  taught  school  in  Arkansas  for  thirteen 
years ;  editor  of  "Arkansas  Grub-Ax ;"  trustee  of 
Shorter  College;  notary  public  since  1912;  grand 
chaplain,  O.  E.  S..  of  Arkansas  N.  D.  G.  M.  of  the  M. 
T.  of  A. ;  commissioner  of  the  S.  K.  and  D.,  Temple 
Building;  delegate  to  the  general  conference  of  1916, 
and  delegate  to  the  Emancipation  Celebration  at 
Chicago,  111.,  191 5.  appointed  by  Governor  Hay,  of 
Arkansas. 

Coleman,  William  H.,  the  eldest  son  of  Peter  L. 
and  Georgiana  Coleman,  was  born  in  Natchez,  Miss., 
December  13,  1840.     His  father  was  a  slave,  but  the 


mother  being  free,  the  children  were  also  free.  The 
family  moved  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1850,  where  he 
entered  school.  His  schooling  was  limited  to  about 
three  years  in  the  public  schools.  Later  he  studied 
theology.  He  was  converted  in  1862  and  joined  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  In  1867  he  married  Miss  Fannie  J. 
Hartzell,  of  Ripley,  Ohio.  He  later  joined  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church;  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1871,  under 
Bishop  Payne.  Has  held  the  following  appointments: 
Ripley,  O.,  Berlin  Mission ;  Talicity,  O. ;  Dayton,  O. ; 
Lima,  O.  He  has  lifted  many  mortgages  and  can- 
celled    several    debts   on    church    property.      He   was 


REV.  W.  H.  COLEMAN. 

founder  of  the  Ohio  Sunday  School  Institute.  He  was 
appointed  presiding  elder  in  1885,  at  Newark,  O. ;  he 
has  written  several  pamphlets  and  books,  among 
which  are  "A  Casket  of  Pulpit  Thoughts."  He  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  Church  Extension  Society 
and  Mite  Missionary  Society  of  Ohio.  His  wife  is  an 
exemplary  companion,  always  faithful  and  helpful  to 
him  ;  her  beautiful  Christian  character  has  shown  as  a 
bright  light  in  her  thirty-eight  years  on  the  minister- 
ial road  with  him.  He  is  now  pastoring  a  small  mis- 
sion of  his  own  selection,  at  Glendale,  O.  He  has 
achieved  greatness  by  daring  to  venture  with  his  small 
charges  that  others  feared.  Numerous  sacrifices  have 
been  his ;  simplicity  of  preaching  he  has  ever  con- 
sidered ;  he  has  organized  more  than  twenty  churches 
in  Ohio. 

Cotten,  T.  W.,  son  of  Robert  and  Annis,  was  born 
at  Bynum,  N.  C,  September,  1872;  was  baptized  in  in- 
fancy and  converted  at  twelve  years  of  age ;  received 
a  common  school  education,  after  which  he  attended 
St.  Augustine  College  and  Shaw  University,  Raleigh, 
N.  C.  While  a  boy  he  served  an  apprenticeship  under 
his  father  as  carpenter.  He  taught  in  the  public 
schools  several  years,  four  of  which  he  was  principal 
of  the  Pittsboro  public  school,  which  position  he  re- 
signed to  become  pastor  of  Cary  circuit,  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  in  1900.  Married  Miss  Lillie  E.  Cotten,  Pitts- 
boro, N.  C,  to  which  union  four  children — Lemuel, 
Maud,  Robert  and  Lillian — have  been  born.  He  owns 
very  valuable  property  in  Pittsboro  and  Lenoir,  N.  C, 
also  in  Newport  News,  Va.  He  was  first  licensed  an 
exhorter  in  1898,  and  later  local  preacher,  each  by  Dr. 
R.  H.  W.  Leak,  P.  E.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Western 


270 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


3 


North  Carolina  Conference,  November,  1899,  under 
Bishop  Handy,  at  Durham,  X.  C. ;  was  ordained  dea- 
con by  Bishop  Lee,  at  Greensboro,  1900,  and  elder,  by 
Bishop  \Y.  J.  Gaines,  in  1904,  at  Morganton,  N.  C. 
He  served  for  eight  consecutive  years  as  secretary  of 
the  Western  North  Carolina  Conference,  during  which 
time  he  was  elected  delegate  to  the  general  conference 
at  Norfolk,  Va.,  in  1908.  He  has  served  acceptably  the 
following  charges :  Cary  circuit,  Roxboro  circuit, 
Charlotte,  N.  C. ;  Lenoir,  N.  C.  (Here  the  church  was 
remodeled  and  paid  for  and  a  mission  organized  at 
Dulatown)  ;    Winstcn- Salem    (St.   James).     At    these 


REV.  T.  W.  COTTEN,  D.D. 

places  the  church  buildings  were  much  improved,  the 
congregations  greatly  strengthened  and  the  mortgage 
debts  either  greatly  reduced  or  entirely  cancelled. 
From  Winston-Salem,  N.  C,  he  was  transferred  by 
Bishop  Coppin  to  the  Virginia  Conference  and  sta- 
tioned at  Wytheville.  Here  the  mortgage  debt,  of 
twenty-five  years'  standing,  was  cancelled  and  burned 
the  second  year ;  the  third  year  here  he  put  a  new  roof 
on  the  church,  built  new  fences,  and  left  the  congre- 
gation out  of  debt.  The  trustees  and  faculty  of  Kittrell 
College  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  doctor  of  di- 
vinity in  1913.  He  is  now  serving  his  third  year  at 
Oceana,  Va.,  where  the  bonded  debt  has  been  can- 
celled, mortgage  burned  and  a  new  and  nourishing 
mission  organized  at  Broad  Creek,  Va.  He  is  secretary 
of  the  Norfolk  (Va.)  A.  M.  E.  Preachers'  Meeting.  In 
addition  to  his  pastoral  work  he  is  now  taking  a  spe- 
cial theological  course  at  Howard  University,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 


Cummings,  P.  C,  was  born  in  Abbeville,  S.  C, 
December  6,  1868.  His  father's  name  was  Thomas 
Cummings,  and  his  mother's  name  Isabella  Cum- 
mings. They  had  nine  children,  and  being  poor,  were 
not  able  to  educate  them  as  they  wished.  Rev.  Cum- 
mings, like  the  other  children,  had  only  a  few  years' 
advantage  of  the  public  schools.  He  was  converted  in 
1885,  and  joined  the  church  of  his   choice,   Old   Glov- 


er's Chapel,  A.  M.  E.  Church,  in  Abbeville  County. 
Shortly  after  he  felt  the  divine  call  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel. In  1896  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  that  sainted 
man  of  God,  Hiram  Young,  presiding  elder  of  Abbe- 
ville district.  He  then  attended  night  schools  and  took 
private  studies,  and  afterward  he  taught  night  school. 
In  1899,  December  15,  he  and  his  family  moved  from 
South  Carolina  to  Mississippi,  and  in  April  of  1900,  at 
the  district  conference,  at  Moorehead,  Miss.,  he  re- 
ceived his  first  appointment  to  Dodd's  Mission,  by 
Rev.  W.  B.  Lewis,  presiding  elder  of  the  Greenwood 
district.  It  had  two  points,  one  had  three  members, 
the  other  none,  and  there  wasn't  even  an  organization. 
He  organized  and  built  up  a  large  membership,  and  at 
the  other  point  he  built  a  nice  church  and  named  it 
Bethel.  He  afterward  pastored  the  following  charges : 
Sharkey,  two  years ;  Beauford,  one  year ;  Holly  Ridge, 
two  years;  Rosedale,  two  vears ;  Shelby,  one  year.     In 


REV.  P.  C.  CUMMINGS. 

1904  he  began  the  theology  course  under  Dr.  James 
M.  Henderson,  of  Morris  Brown  College,  by  corre- 
spondence, and  continued  for  five  years;  in  1909  the 
conference  gave  him  a  scholarship  for  two  terms  in 
Campbell  College,  and  in  May,  191 1,  he  was  gradu- 
ated from  the  theological  course  with  the  degree  of 
B.D.  In  191 1,  the  same  school  conferred  the  honor  of 
D.D.  upon  him.  He  pastored  Mound  Bayou  Station, 
1914-1915,  a  church  in  the  greatest  Negro  town  in  the 
United  States.  He  was  sent  from  there  to  Greenville, 
Miss.,  as  pastor  of  St.  Matthew's  Station,  the  leading 
charge  in  the  North  Mississippi  Annual  Conference. 
He  was  delegate  to  the  general  conference  of  1916. 


Devlin,  Thomas  C,  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  conference 
January  20,  1877;  appointed  to  Greenville,  S.  C,  where 
he  remained  five  years  and  built  the  following-named 
churches :  Bakers  Chapel,  Shady  Grove,  Mount 
Sinai,  St.  Peters,  St.  Paul  and  also  increased  the  con- 
gregation from  2  to  438  members,  and  purchased  the 
land  for  the  above-named  churches.  He  was  sent  next 
to  Louisville  circuit,  where  he  built  Flat  Rock,  Cedar 
Grove,  Diamond   Hill,    Brown    Oak,   Clovers  Church, 


271 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


S 


Ebenezer,  Pine  Grove,  Springfield  and  Bethlehem; 
then  sent  to  St.  James'  circuit,  in  Newberry  County; 
built  St.  James'  Church  and  St.  Mark's  Church ;  then 
to  Cochran,  and  built  Moore's  Chapel ;  then  to  Smyrna 
in  Laurence  County,  and  built  Bethlehem ;  then  to 
Oak  Park,  111.,  and  took  charge  of  a  congregation  of 
three  persons  and  enlarged  the  congregation  to  forty- 


REV.  T.  C.  DEVLIN. 

eight  members,  and  built  Canaan  Chapel.  Dur- 
ing his  career  he  has  built  and  founded  twenty-one 
churches,  nine  school-houses  and  eleven  wells  and  two 
parsonages.  He  served  Shady  Grove  circuit  for  two 
years  and  paid  $844  on  a  $900  debt ;  served  St.  Paul's 
Church,  Madison,  Wis.,  and  paid  the  entire  debt  and 
carried  the  ashes  of  the  mortgage  to  the  conference. 

Disney,  Richard  R.,  fifteenth  bishop  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  was  born  June    24,    1S30,    in    North  East, 


BISHOP  R.  R.  DISNEY. 


Md. ;  was  converted  in   1843,  in  Baltimore,   Md.,  and 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1856,  in  Massachusetts,  by 


Rev.  G.  A.  Rue.  He  commenced  traveling  in  1857; 
was  ordained  deacon  in  1858,  and  elder  in  i860;  was 
ordained  bishop  November  21,  1875.  Died  April  20, 
1891,  and  was  buried  in  Chatham,  Canada. 

Downs,  R.  R.,  was  born  in  the  state  of  Louisiana. 
He  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  after  being  convinced 
that  it  was  the  best  church  for  his  ideals.     He  has 


REV.  R.  R.  DOWNS,  D.D. 

pastored  and  presided  successfully  in  Florida,  Georgia, 
Ohio  and  West  Virginia,  and  is  now  presiding  elder  of 


MRS.  MARGARET  T.  DOWNS 

the  West  Virginia  conference.  He  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Publication  Board,  the  S.  S.  Union  Board, 
and  is  now  a  member  of  the  Missionary  Board.  He 
has  reared  a  large  and  successful  family.  He  is  a 
forceful  writer  and  has  contributed  to  all  church  peri- 
odicals. Wherever  he  is,  he  is  known  as  an  outspoken 
enemy  of  all  unfairness  and  injustice. 


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Dunlap,  Coleman  C,  for  4  years  pastor  of  Moth- 
er Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia,  was  born 
near  Clinton,  S.  C,  in  the  year  1861. 

He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  18  years  and  join- 
ed New  Bethel  Church  about  three  miles  from  Clin- 
ton. He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Wm.  S.  Thomas 
during  the  pastorate  of  Nathaniel  Childs  in  1879,  serv- 
ing as  a  local  preacher  for  two  years. 

In  1881  he  joined  the  Columbia  Conference,  under 
Bishop  Dickerson,  at  Spartansburg,  S.  C. 

After  securing  a  primary  education  at  the  public 


REV.  COLEMAN  C.  DUNLAP,  D.D. 

school  of  Clinton,  he  entered  Allen  University  at  Co- 
lumbia, S.  C,  in  1881.  His  parents  being  poor,  were 
unable  to  render  him  any  material  assistance. 

President  J.  C.  Waters  and  Bishop  Wm.  F.  Dick- 
erson, seeing  that  he  was  studious  and  trustworthy, 
gave  him  assistance.  He  was  assigned  to  a  Mission 
Church  on  Wheeler  Hill,  Columbia,  where  he  spent 
four  years,  and  also  acted  as  assistant  teacher  of  the 
primary  department.  He  served  several  small  appoint- 
ments around  the  country,  during  his  stay  of  six  years 
at  Allen  University. 

In  1887  he  graduated  in  the  first  college  class  of 
Allen  University  as  valedictorian  of  his  class.  Among 
the  members  of  the  class  were : 

Bishop  Wm.  D.  Chappelle,  A.  J.  Hunter,  of  Ala- 
bama, and  D.  T.  MacDaniel,  of  South  Carolina.  This 
same  year  he  married  Miss  Martha  Henderson,  of  Ab- 
beville, South  Carolina. 

He  pastored  some  of  the  best  appointments  of  the 
Columbia  Conference,  among  which  were: — Abbeville, 
S.  C,  Winnsboro,  S.  C,  and  Greenville,  S.  C. 

In  1894  he  was  transferred  by  Bishop  Turner,  to 
take  charge  and  superintend  the  work  of  the  Churches 
in  the  Bermuda  Islands. 

He  served  for  four  years  very  acceptably  St.  Paul 
Church,  Hamilton,  Bermuda,  and  nearly  paid  the  en- 
tire indebtedness  of  600  pound  sterling  on  the  church. 


On  returning  to  America  he  was  stationed  at 
Coxsackie,  N.  Y. 

In  1899  he  was  transferred  to  the  New  England 
Conference  and  stationed  at  Bethel  Church,  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.  Here  he  did  wonderful  work,  uniting  the 
church  which  had  been  torn  asunder  and  increasing 
the  congregation  by  50  per  cent.  While  here  he  took  a 
special  course  in  English  literature  in  Brown  Univer- 
sity. 

In  1903  Bishop  Derrick  transferred  him  to  the 
Philadelphia  Conference  and  stationed  him  at  Chester, 
Pa.,  where  he   spent  five   successful  years.     He  was 


MRS.  M.  HENDERSON  DUNLAP. 

then  sent  to  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  and  found  the  church 
well-nigh  deserted.  Here  he  possibly  did  the  best 
work  of  his  life  and  in  1912  Bishop  Evans  Tyree  re- 
moved him  after  four  years  of  successful  labor  in 
Harrisburg,  to  take  charge  of  Mother  Bethel  Church, 
Philadelphia.  It  required  considerable  patience,  en- 
durance and  diplomacy  to  unite  the  factions  in  this 
church  and  to  bring  her  back  to  her  former  glory.  He 
has  accomplished  a  good  work  at  Mother  Bethel,  paid 
off  current  expenses  of  $1500,  which  he  found,  kept  up 
the  mortgage  indebtedness  each  year  of  $1000  and  in- 
terest, repaired  the  memorial  windows,  which  cost 
considerable,  placed  electric  lights  in  the  church,  built 
two  three-story  houses  on  the  church  lot  that  bring 
a  rental  of  $95  a  month,  decorated  the  entire  church 
and  paid  for  all  these  repairs  in  full  as  the  work  was 
being  done.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Confer- 
ences of  1896  and  1912,  and  is  chairman  of  the  local 
committee  to  entertain  the  Centennial  General  Con- 
ference. 


Dunlap,  Mrs.  M.  Henderson,  wife  of  Rev.  C.  C. 
Dunlap,  was  born  Aug.  14,  1865,  at  Abbeville,  S.  C.  She 
attended  the  public  schools  at  her  home  and  later 
Claflin  University,  Orangeburg,  S.  C.  At  an  early  age 
she  joined  the  St.  James  A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  church 
home  of  her  parents.  She  was  married  to  Rev.  C.  C. 
Dunlap  September  22,  1887.  From  this  happy  union 
were  born  5  boys  and  1  girl,  '{  • 


18 


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<3 


Gaines,  Wesley  John,  sixteenth  bishop  of  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  was  born  a  slave,  in  Wilkes  County, 
Ga.,  October  4,  1840;  received  his  theological  train- 
ing from  an  Episcopal  clergyman,  at  Athens,  Ga.  Mar- 
ried Miss  Julia  A.  Camper,  August  30,  1863.  He  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  i860;  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  1865;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1S66,  at  Savannah,  by 


BISHOP  W.  J.  GAINES. 

Bishop  Payne,  and  elder  in  1867,  by  the  same  bishop. 
Served  as  pastor,  presiding  elder,  missionary  secre- 
tary, and  was  elected  bishop  May,  1888.  He  founded 
Morris  Brown  College;  was  builder  of  Big  Bethel,  At- 
lanta, at  that  time  the  largest  colored  church  in  the 
South.  He  is  the  author  of  "History  of  African 
Methodism  in  the  South,"  "The  Negro  and  the 
White  Man."  He  had  one  daughter.  Miss  Mary  C. 
Gaines.  He  died  January,  1912,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  where 
he  is  buried. 


Golden,  John  W.,  pastor  of  Pearl  Street  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Jackson,  Miss.,  son  of  Rev.  Eli  and  Mrs.  Cyn- 
thia Golden,  was  born  in  the  early  sixties.  He  was  at 
birth  very  feeble  and  it  is  said  that,  to  end  his  suffer- 
ing, a  physician  gave  him  a  dose  calculated  to  take  his 
life,  but  which,  instead  of  killing  him,  cured  him.  His 
mother  died  when  he  was  12  years  of  age  and  he  was 
reared  by  his  grandmother,  Mrs.  Christine  Roberts. 
His  school  advantages  were  meagre.  He  was  con- 
verted in  1879  in  Oil  City,  Pa.,  under  the  preaching 
of  Rev.  R.  M.  Green ;  entered  the  traveling  ministry 
in  1886,  was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Ward  in  1886 
at  Meridian,  Miss. ;  elder  by  Bishop  Arnett  at  Friars 
Point,  Miss.;  served  many  charges  in  Mississippi  and 
was  appointed  presiding  elder  by  Bishop  J.  M.  Con- 
ner, and  in  1915  pastor  at  Jackson,  Miss.  He  is  con- 
sidered one  of  the  best  preachers  in  the  state  of  Mis- 
sissippi. 

Grant,  Abraham,  nineteenth  bishop  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  was  born  a  slave  in  Lake  City,  Fla.,  August 
25,  1848;  was  sold  at  auction  at  Columbus,  Ga.,  just 
before  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  and  brought  $6000 
in  Confederate  money.  After  the  war  he  returned  to 
Florida  and  clerked  in  a  grocery  store  and  studied  in 
one   of   the   missionary    schools.      Later  he   attended 


night  school  at  Cookman  Institute,  Jacksonville,  Fla., 
while  he  acted  as  steward  in  hotels ;  was  converted  in 
1869,  in  Jacksonville;  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev. 
J.  R.  Scott,  April  3,  1873 ;  ordained  deacon  December, 
1873;  ordained  elder  March  4,  1876.  While  in  Jack- 
sonville he  was  inspector  of  customs,  and  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governer  Stearns  county  commissioner  of 
Duval  County.  In  1878  he  was  transferred  to  Texas, 
and  pastored  San  Antonio  and  Dallas,  served  as  pre- 
siding elder,  and  became  vice-president  of  Paul  Ouinn 
College.  He  was  elected  bishop  May  24,  1888,  and 
served  over  the  ninth,  first,  fourth  and  fifth  Episcopal 
districts.  He  was  always  welcome  wherever  he  had 
served.  He  served  as  president  of  the  Trustee  Board 
of  Wilberforce,  and  of  Western  University ;  president 


BISHOP  A.  GRANT. 

of  the  Church  Extension  Board,  president  of  the  Pub- 
lication Board,  president  of  the  Missionary  Board  and 
president  of  Financial  Board.  He  visited  West  Africa 
and  presided  over  the  Sierra  Leone  Annual  Confer- 
ence. He  was  a  member  of  the  Anna  T.  Jeannes  Fund 
Board  ;  the  second  and  third  Ecumenical  Conferences 
of  Methodism,  and  died  at  Kansas  City,  Kans.,  where 
he  then  made  his  home,  January,  191 1. 

Greene,  Rev.  C.  A.  A.,  was  born  in  Barbados,  Bri- 
tish West  Indies,  of  parents  who  were  Christians  and 
who  early  taught  him  the  fear  of  God.  He  was  well 
acquainted  with  letters  before  he  went  to  school.  He 
was  converted  on  the  way  while  on  an  errand.  He 
attended  public  and  other  schools  at  times  until  he 
stood  an  examination  at  the  high  school  of  Lord  Cum- 
bermere  in  Bridgetown.  He  also  learned  carpentry, 
by  which  trade  he  was  able  to  aid  his  parents  when 
reverses  came  to  them.  He  was  confirmed  by  the 
Bishop  of  Barbados  at  St.  Michaels  Cathedral,  and 
was  a  member  of  that  church  where  he  taught  in  the 
school.  Hoping  for  better  wages,  he  went  to  Ber- 
muda where  he  met  with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  joined 
the  lyceum  and  became  a  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school. 
Here,  also,  he  first  met  Bishop  Turner,  also  Dr.  James 
Porter,  C.  C.  Dunlap,  R.  H.  Shirley,  H.  H.  Cooper,  and 
J.  A.  Johnson  (now  bishop),  and  others  in  their  turn. 
This  latter's  influence  caused  him  to  join  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  The  great-hearted  Bishop  Turner  talked 
personally  to  him,  sold  him  many  books  that  had  been 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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used  by  himself  and  gave  him  his  first  papers  with 
authority  to  preach.  He  built  up  a  mission  in  the 
North  village  at  the  house  of  a  member,  Mrs.  S. 
Spencer,  where  meetings  were  held  during  the  week 
and  on  Sunday  afternoons.  He  also  founded  the 
Model  Primary  School  in  the  same  village.  Bishop  B. 
T.  Tanner  was  next  to  sign  his  papers  and  he  was 
given  charge  of  the  church  at  St.  George  and  St. 
David's  Island.  He  gathered  material  for  the  build- 
ing of  a  new  church   at   St.   George's,   when   Bishop 


REV.  C.  A.  A.  GREENE 

Grant  came  over  and  brought  Rev.  C.  V.  Monk  to 
succeed  him,  and  the  next  year  Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick 
ordained  him  deacon  and  sent  him  to  Canada  to  take 
charge  of  the  church  in  Amherst,  Nova  Scotia.  He 
served  two  years,  during  which  time  he  was  ordained 
elder  by  Bishop  Derrick,  who  brought  him  to  the 
Philadelphia  Conference  in  1900,  where  he  was  sent 
to  the  church  at  Pottsville,  Pa.,  and  at  the  next  con- 
ference was  introduced  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  where  he 
first  met  the  brethren.  This  is  his  fifteenth  year 
among  them,  serving  charges  in  Delaware  and  Penn- 
sylvania ;  but  his  family  prefers  to  live  in  Boston. 
The  degree  of  S.  T.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  the 
Bible  of  College  of  the  Bible  Educational  Association 
'of  Philadelphia,  an  institution  founded  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  S.  G.  Miller,  a  learned  Presbyterian  clergyman, 
who,  after  four  years  of  hard  work,  was  taken  away 
suddenly  by  death,  the  work  falling  into  the  hands 
of  C.  A.  A.  Greene,  who  was  then  secretary.  The 
name  was  changed  to  Miller  College  and  C.  A.  A. 
Greene  is  president  and  the  good  work  goes  on.  He 
stands  always  for  temperance  and  is  chairman  of  that 
committee  in  his  conference. 

Hadden,  Rev.  Thomas  Gary,  was  born  in  Green- 
ville, S.  C,  December  18,  1867,  and  is  the  second 
child  of  Sophia  Hadden  and  Captain  Thomas  Gary,  of 
Newberry,  S.  C.  Young  Hadden  attended  public  school 
at  Greenville,  S.  C.  during  six  or  seven  years,  and 
was  assisted  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Middleton  and  Prof.  C.  C. 
Scott  to  enter  Clark  University,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  in  1883. 
After  completing  the  trade  of  blacksmith,  he  left 
school  to  marry  and  entered  the  newspaper  business 
as  city  editor  and  advertising  agent  of  the  Atlanta 


Defiance.  He  then  entered  the  railway  mail  service 
and  served  until  he  resigned  so  as  to  devote  his  whole 
life's  energies  to  the  ministry.  He  was  converted  in 
1897  and  was  duly  impressed  with  the  call  to  preach. 
He  entered  Gammon  Theological  Seminary  as  a  day 
student.  In  the  meantime  he  had  accepted  ordination 
as  deacon  and  was  busy  exhorting  for  two  or  more 
years  wherever  the  pastors  gave  him  an  appoint- 
ment, but  finally  he  fell  from  grace  and  backslided 
and  remained  in  a  fallen  state  until  1903,  when  he 
repented,  was  re-converted  and  returned  to  the  serv- 


REV.  THOMAS  GARY  HADDEN 

ice  of  the  Master.  He  resigned  the  mail  service  and 
joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Privateer,  S.  C,  where 
he  was  appointed  exhorter  by  Rev.  L.  M.  Jackson, 
pastor.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  Rev.  W.  M. 
Thomas,  presiding  elder,  and  was  appointed  mission- 
ary of  the  Wateree  District  of  the  Northeast  South 
Carolina    Conference. 

Brother  Hadden  moved  to  Asheville,  N.  C,  in 
1906,  and  was  admitted  to  the  East  Tennessee  Annual 
Conference  on  trial  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  on  October 
28,  1907,  Bishop  B.  F.  Lee  presiding,  and  was  appoint- 
ed to  the  mission  at  St.  Elmo  in  South  Chattanooga, 
Tenn.,  where  he  bought  and  built  what  is  now  known 
as  St.  John's  A.  M.  E.  Church.  On  March  7,  1908, 
Bishop  Lee  appointed  him  to  St.  Paul's  on  Williams 
Street,  in  connection  with  St.  Elmo.  Bishop  Parks 
sent  him  to  Harriman,  where  he  bought  a  church  and 
parsonage  and  left  a  good  working  membership  and 
only  $28  due  on  the  property.  In  1910  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Tennessee  Conference  and  stationed  at 
Brooklyn  Circuit.  He  was  ordained  an  elder  by  Bish- 
op Parks  on  October  29,  1911,  at  St.  John's  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Nashville,  Tenn,  and  was  returned  to  the 
East  Tennessee  Conference.  Bishop  Jones  transfer- 
red him  to  West  Tennessee  and  appointed  him  to 
Jackson,  Tenn.  On  November  7,  1915,  he  was  given 
the  appointment  to  Pierce  Circuit,  which  consists  of 
St.  John's  Temple   and  Shad's   Grove   Mission. 

Brother  Hadden's  family  consists  of  his  wife,  Ella 
M.,  two  daughters,  Rosa  L.  and  Ruth  Elbe,  and  two 
sons,  Thomas  Garfield  and  Edward  Ulysses.  He  has 
a  comfortable  home  in  Asheville,  N.  C,  and  is  a 
Mason. 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


Hall,  Walter  P.,  one  of  the  leading  laymen  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.  Member  of  Union  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
where  he  has  been  trustee,  steward,  superintendent 
of  Sunday  school,  class  leader,  etc.  Has  been  lay 
delegate  to  several  general  conferences,  and  member 


MR.  WALTER  P.  HALL 

for  12  years  of  the  Publication  Board ;  is  regarded  as 
one  of  the  best  business  men  of  the  race ;  conducts 
large  poultry  business  in  Philadelphia,  is  president 
of  the  Pioneer  Building  and  Loan  Association,  Relia- 
ble Aid  Society,  Mercy  Hospital,  and  active  in  many 
other  movements  for  the  religious,  social  and  econ- 
omic advance  of  the  race. 


Heath,  William  H.  B.,  was  born  in  Craven  Cy., 
N.  C,  November  15,  1848,  son  of  Nathan  and  Laura 


REV.  W.  H.  B.  HEATH. 

Heath,  moved  to  Connecticut   in    1862  with  a 
Army  officer,  and  received  common  school  edu 


in  New  England ;  was  ordained  deacon  at  New  Bed- 
ford, Mass.,  in  1875;  elder  in  Boston  in  1876,  both  by 
Bishop  J.  M.  Brown ;  pastored  Great  Barrington, 
Mass. ;  New  Bedford,  Mass. ;  Norwich,  Conn. ;  Plain- 
ville,  Conn. ;  Fall  River,  Mass. ;  Unionville,  Md. ; 
Fruitland,  Crisfield,  Centerville,  Church  Hill,  Piney 
Neck,  in  Maryland;  Port  Jefferson  and  Kinderhook  in 
New  York,  and  the  following  in  New  Jersey :  Allen- 
town,  Pensauken,  Fenwick,  Bethel,  Camden,  South 
Woodbury,  Haddonfield  (twice),  Wrightsville, 
Swedesboro,  Rahway,  Millville,  Vineland  (twice),  and 
East  Camden  (twice). 

Jameson,  Henry  Washington,  clergyman,  lawyer; 
born  at  Mexico,  Mo.,  June  15,  1865;  son  of  William 
and  Elizabeth  (Miller)  Jameson;  public  school  educa- 
tion, Macon.  Mo.,  1871-8;  Galesburg,  111.,  1878-80; 
A.B.,  Knox  College,  Galesburg,  1S88 ;  LL.B.,  Wesley- 
an  Law  School,  Bloomington,  111.,  1897;  studied 
theology  at  Morgan  Park,  111.;   (LL.D.,  Central  Law 


REV.  H.  W.  JAMESON,  LL.B.,  D.D. 

School,  Louisville,  Ky.,  1906;  D.D.,  Morris  Brown 
College.  Atlanta,  Ga.,  1907).  Married  Nannie  L. 
Crabbe,  of  Galva,  111.,  June  18,  1887;  second  marriage, 
Lillian  E.  Jenkins,  of  Evansville,  Ind.,  Nov.  19,  1903; 
one  child,  Henry  W.,  Jr.  Admitted  to  the  bar  at  Bloom- 
ington, 111.,  1896;  was  editor  and  publisher  "American 
Pilot,"  Bloomington  ;  licensed  to  preach  in  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  1896;  his  work  has  been  confined  to  fourth 
Episcopal  district  in  the  Illinois,  Iowa  and  West  Ken- 
tucky Conferences ;  now  pastor  Bethel  Church,  Cham- 
paign, 111. ;  was  delegate  from  Illinois  to  World's  Sun- 
day School  Congress,  Washington,  D.  C,  1910;  Zu- 
rich, Switzerland,  1913 ;  instructor  in  Sunday  school 
methods  at  Young  People's  Congress,  Atlanta,  Ga., 
1914;  his  Sunday  school  work  is  endorsed  by  three 
Sunday  school  associations.  Trustee  Wilberforce 
University.  Served  in  Spanish-American  war ;  com- 
missioned first  lieutenant  Eighth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  and  later  appointed  judge-advocate  general 
courts-martial,  Military  District  of  Mayori,  Province 
U.  S.  of  Santiago,  Cuba ;  was  first  colored  clergyman  to 
cation      serve  as  chaplain   in   Legislature   of   Wisconsin;  now 

276 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3> 


chaplain  Spanish-American  War  Veterans,  Depart- 
ment of  Illinois;  major  U.  S.  Boy  Scouts,  Republican, 
member  Kappa  Alpha  Nu,  Masons,  Order  Eastern 
Star. 

Kitchens,  Mrs.  C.  B.,  of  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  is  an 
active    member    and    officer    of    Mt.    Zion    A.    M.    E. 


MRS.  C.   B.  KITCHENS 

Church,  Jacksonville,   Fla.,   and   a   woman   of  power, 
influence    and    long   and    unselfish    service. 

Lankford,  John  Anderson,  architect,  builder  and 
mechanical  engineer,  was  born  in  Potosi,  Miss.,  De- 
cember 4,  1874,  son  of  Anderson  and  Nancy  Lank- 
ford,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
home,  the  State  College,  Lincoln  Institute,  Jefferson, 
Mo.,  Tuskegee  Normal  and  Industrial  School,  Tuske- 
gee,  Alabama,  and  the  Architectural  College  of 
Scranton,  Pa.,  and  was  a  student  of  a  noted  German 
architect  and  mechanical  engineer  for  over  four  years. 

He  received  the  degree  of  B.  S.  from  Shaw  Univer- 
sity in  1898;  M.  S.  from  Morris  Brown  University  in 
1901;  M.  S.  from  Wilberforce  University  in  1902;  and 
Master  of  Mechanical  Science  from  the  State  Agri- 
cultural College,  Normal,  Ala.,  in  1908.  He  has  de- 
signed, supervised  and  constructed  some  of  the  largest 
and  most  costly  buildings  owned  by  Negroes  in  Amer- 
ica, and  many  for  other  races,  among  them  being 
Palmer  Hall,  the  large  $70,000  building  for  the  A.  and 
M.  College,  Normal,  Ala.,  the  $40,000  First  Baptist 
Church,  Raleigh,  N.  C,  the  overhauling  and  building 
of  a  new  parsonage  for  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Norfolk,  Va.,  where  the  General  Conference  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  was  held,  May,  1908;  the  $25,000 
building  for  the  Southern  Aid  Insurance  Company; 
a  26-room  residence  and  three  three-story  flats  for  Dr. 
W.  L.  Taylor ;  the  $100,000  True  Reformer's  Building, 
John  Wesley  A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church,  St.  John's  M.  E. 
Church,  Odd  Fellows  Hall,  Hillsdale ;  a  large  cigar 
factory,  Dave  Stewart's  $5,000  undertaking  establish- 
ment, Winslow's  and  Dabney's  large  livery  and  under- 
taking stables,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  and  hundreds  of 
other  buildings  throughout  the  country.     He  was  ap- 


pointed supervising  architect  of  the  National  Negro 
Fair  Association,  of  Mobile,  Ala.,  director  general 
of  the  Jamestown  Exposition  for  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, was  one  of  the  vice  presidents  of  the  National 
Negro  Business  League,  organizer  and  president  of  the 
Washington  Negro  Business  League,  District  of  Co- 
lumbia, and  was  one  of  the  directors  and  founders  of 
the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  District  of  Columbia.  At  the  Gen- 
eral Conferences  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  1908  and 
1912  he  was  elected  supervising  architect  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church. 

He  has  just  written,  published  and  had  copy- 
righted a  book  entitled  "Lankford's  Artistic  Church 
and  Other  Designs,"  the  first  work  of  its  kind  to  be 
published  by  a  Negro  in  this  country.  Dr.  R.  C.  Ran- 
som published  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Review  of  May,  1916, 
an  article  written  by  Mr.  Lankford  on  "The  Church 
Edifice,"  which  has  had  quite  a  deal  of  favorable  com- 
ment from  many  of  the  leading  newspapers  and  ma- 
gazines of  the  country.  He  is  intensely  interested  in 
any  movement  for  the  betterment  of  the  race ;  is  a 
Shriner,  Knights  Templar  and  a  33rd  degree  Scottish 
Rite  Mason.  In  1901  he  married  the  refined  and  cul- 
tured grand-daughted  of  the  late  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner, 
and  by  this  union  they  have  one  daughter. 

Leake,  William,  was  born  about  1838,  in  Rocking- 
ham, Richmond  County,  N.  C.  He  learned  the  trade 
of  blacksmith  while  a  slave.  He  was  converted  when 
thirteen  years  of  age,  and  joined  the  M.  E.  Church,  in 
which  he  was  a  class  leader  for  several  years  and 
afterwards  became  a  preacher.  His  first  sermon  was 
preached  to  his  master  and  a  large  number  of  white 
people  in  a  yard.  He  married  Miss  Harriet  Plummet, 
about  1856,  and  they  had  nine  children.  In  1865  he 
went  to  live  in  Austin  County,  Texas,  and  joined  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  and  was  made  a  local  preacher.  He 
joined  the  annual  conference  under  Bishop  Shorter,  in 
1871,  and  was  ordained  deacon  at  the  same  time;  was 
ordained  elder  in  1873  by  Bishop  Brown  and  appointed 
presiding  elder  of  the  Chapel  Hill  district,  which  he 
held  for  fourteen  years,  first  as  pastor,  then  as  presid- 
ing elder.  He  transferred  to  the  Northeast  Texas 
Conference,  where  he  spent  twenty  years  as  presiding 
elder.  He  superannuated  in  November,  1913,  and  died 
June,  1915.  He  took  over  5000  persons  into  the 
Church ;  he  had  but  little  education  but  wonderful  re- 
sourcefulness. 

Lewis,  Rev.  Walter  A.,  was  born  in  Florence,  Ga., 
of  slave  parents.  He  had  a  great  desire  to  learn  to  read 
and  write,  so  he  applied  to  Mrs.  Fannie  Ellis  (white) 
for  instruction,  and  she  agreed  to  teach  him  at  night  for 
$1.00  per  month.  When  he  was  old  enough  to  begin  man- 
aging for  himself  he  hired  to  Col.  Shepherd  for  $10.00 
per  month,  and  by  this  saved  enough  money  to  pay  two 
terms  in  Claflin  High  School,  Columbus,  Ga.  In  1876 
he  left  his  home  in  Columbus,  Ga.,  for  Edwards,  Miss- 
issippi, where  he  was  put  to  making  brick.  Next  he  went 
to  Claiborne  county  and  secured  a  school  at  Port  Gib- 
son, Miss.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  eleven  years, 
but  did  not  join  the  church  until  he  was  fourteen.  In  1877 
Rev.  M.  T.  Newsom,  presiding  elder  of  Port  Gibson  Dis- 
trict, licensed  him  to  preach  at  Raymond,  Miss.  In  1880 
Bishop  Turner  sent  him  to  Canton,  Miss.,  where  he  or- 
ganized a  church  and  bought  a  church  lot.  In  the  fall  of 
1880  he  joined  the  conference  at  Summit,  Miss.,  and 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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was  ordained  deacon  and  sent  to  Crystal  Springs,  Miss., 
where  he  built  a  church  for  $900  and  paid  for  it,  and  re- 
ceived sixty  members.  In  1882  he  was  transferred  to 
Arkansas  and  stationed  on  the  Harrisburg  Circuit, 
where  he  received  twenty-five  members  in  the  Church, 
and  secured  a  lot  at  Whitehall  Station.  He  was  or- 
dained elder  by  Bishop  Turner,  in  1882,  at  Little 
Rock.  In  1883  he  went  to  Osceola,  Ark.,  where  there 
was  no  church  and  only  a  few  Methodist  people.  These 
were  soon  organized,  and  that  year  125  members  were 
added  to  the  Church.  The  next  year,  1884,  the  Lord 
blessed  his  efforts  with  a  great  revival,  and  ninety  souls 
were  converted  and  seventy  joined  the  Church.  By 
this  time  a  church  had  been  built  and  Osceola  was  a 
good  point.  The  same  year  he  organized  a  church  at 
Elmot,  Ark.,  with  twenty  members. 

In  December,  1S85,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Car- 
rie E.  Cayton,  of  Hermanville,  Miss.,  who  has  ever 
been  his  faithful  companion  for  the  past  thirty  years. 
In  1887  he  was  transferred  to  West  Tennessee  Con- 
ference and  stationed  on  the  Lucy  Circuit.  While  here 
he  organized  a  church  in  the  adjoining  town,  Milling- 
ton,  which  proved  to  be  the  strongest  point  on  the  cir- 
cuit. In  1888  he  was  sent  to  Mt.  Zion  Circuit,  where 
he  repaired  the  church,  built  a  parsonage  and  received 
thirty-five  members  in  the  Church.  In  1889  Bishop 
Wayman  sent  him  to  Union  City,  to  gather  a  discour- 
aged membership ;  harmony  soon  prevailed,  and 
thirty-five  persons  were  added.  The  first  $250  toward 
building  a  new  church  was  raised,  and  he  entertained 
the  conference  that  year  with  much  satisfaction.  At 
the  close  of  that  conference  he  was  appointed  presid- 
ing elder  of  the  South  Memphis  District.  He  served 
that  district  four  years,  and  organized  the  following 
churches ;  Bethel  Church,  Memphis,  Tenn. ;  Moore's 
Chapel,  Brownsville,  Tenn. ;  Pilgrim,  McCulley  and 
North  Memphis,  and  during  that  time  he  received  300 
members  into  the  fold. 

In  1893  he  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the 
Memphis  District,  served  four  years,  received  over 
five  hundred  members,  and  organized  Dyersburg 
Church,  and  built  a  house  of  worship ;  also  organized 
a  church  at  Covington,  Atoka,  Quito,  Richardson 
Landing  and  Greenleaf.  In  1897  he  was  appointed 
pastor  of  Quinn  Chapel,  Paris,  Tenn. ;  served  two 
years  with  great  success,  adding  forty  members  to  the 
Church  ;  built  the  best  parsonage  then  in  the  state.  In 
1899  he  was  returned  to  Memphis  and  stationed  at  St. 
Andrew.  While  there  forty  precious  souls  were 
saved,  seventy-five  were  added  to  the  church,  the 
church  was  renovated,  and  he  made  the  best  report  that 
had  ever  been  made  from  that  church  up  to  that  time.  In 
1909  he  was  again  made  presiding  elder  and  placed  over 
the  Dixon  District,  serving  acceptably  five  years,  organiz- 
ing Promise  Land  and  Fort  Cooper  Churches,  and  receiv- 
ing 200  members.  In  1905  he  was  appointed  the  second 
time  to  the  South  Memphis  District,  where  he  served  three 
years,  and  planted  the  following  churches  :  Old  Tyler,  Gil- 
christ, Wayman  Chapel,  Ward's  Chapel,  Allen's  Chapel ; 
reorganized  Mt.  Zion  and  rebuilt  the  church. 

The  general  conference  of  1904  adopted  the  Peo- 
ple's Benefit  Association  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  ol 
which  he  was  the  founder,  and  made  him  the  secre- 
tary. From  1904  to  1908  he  collected  and  paid  more 
than  $1000  to  sick  ministers  and  their  wives.  In 
1908  the  general  conference  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  com- 
bined the  P.  B.  A.  and  the  C.  P.  A.,  and  overwhelm- 


ingly elected  Rev.  Lewis  secretary.  This  organization 
did  more  in  his  administration  than  during  the  two 
previous  administrations  of  its  existence.  In  1912  he 
was  appointed  to  New  Tyler,  Memphis,  where  a  splen- 
did year's  work  was  accomplished;  twenty-five  mem- 
bers were  received  into  the  church ;  $200  was  paid  on 
the  lot  for  a  new  church.  In  1913  he  was  placed  on 
the  Paris  District  as  presiding  elder,  where  he  is  do- 
ing much  for  this  Church  and  race. 

He  has  been  a  member  of  each  general  conference 
since  1884.  Was  a  delegate  to  the  World's  Parlia- 
ment of  Religion  in  Chicago.  Has  been  a  director  of 
the  People's  Bank  and  Trust  Company,  Nashville, 
Tenn.,  since  its  organization  in  191 1  ;  also  of  the  Sol- 
vent Saving  Bank,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  two  years.  He 
was  president  of  the  trustee  board  of  Turner  College 
for  three  years,  and  no  man  has  done  more  for  the  per- 
petuation of  that  school  than  he. 

In  191 1  he  bought  Scovel  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  paying  $300  of  his  own  money  to 
bind  the  contract,  thus  giving  the  connection  another 
church  in  Nashville,  and  received  D.D.  from  Turner 
College,  1915. 

Martin,  Miles  Madison,  was  born  May  4,  1861,  at 
Ninety-six,  Abbeville  County,  S.  C.  His  parents,  who 
were  slaves,  both  died  when  he  was  fifteen  years  old. 
He  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  of  which  his  mother 
was  a  member,  at  ten  years  of  age,  and  was  converted 
and  received  as  a  full  member  in  1878,  under  Rev.  G. 
W.  Marshall.     He  was    licensed    to    preach    May  17, 


REV.  M.  M.  MARTIN. 

1880,  by  Rev.  S.  H.  Jefferson.  Married  Miss  Clarissa 
Childs  November  14,  1880.  He  learned  to  write  by 
picking  up  old  letters  and  copying  from  them,  study- 
ing by  a  wood  knot  light.  After  four  years'  struggle  he 
went  to  the  Brewal  Normal  School,  Greenwood,  S.  C, 
with  a  wife  and  four  children,  and  remained  four 
years._  He  taught  the  public  school  in  1884  and  1885. 
He  joined  the  annual  conference  in  1884,  was  ordained 
deacon  in  1885,  by  Bishop  Shorter,  at  Greenville,  S. 
C,  and  elder.  Served  the  following  charges:  Green- 
ville Mission,  1884,  16  members;  taught  mixed  school 
of  white  and  colored  children,  bought  one  acre  of 
land  and  built  church,  paying  $500;  Seneca  and  Wal- 
halla,   1886;  taught  school  and  bought  church,  which 


278 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


O 


had  been  sold  at  auction,  for  $250  of  his  own  money  ; 
St.  Matthew's,  Orangeburg,  remodeled  church  and 
paid  $200  debt ;  St.  Mark's  Mission,  Clarendon 
County,  taught  school,  bought  land  and  built  church, 
all  in  five  months ;  Wedgefield  circuit,  paid  debt  and 
remodeled  church ;  Vance  circuit,  Live  Oak  circuit, 
paid  $280  debt,  and  for  parsonage ;  Mt.  Olive,  Sum- 
ter County,  remodeled  church ;  St.  Luke's  circuit ; 
Marysville  circuit,  Laurel  Hill  circuit,  St.  PauFs  cir- 
cuit, Mt.  Pleasant  station,  paid  mortgage,  remodeled 
church ;  Beulah  circuit,  remodeled  one  church,  raised 
$118  to  build  another ;  Cypress  Fork  circuit,  remodeled 
church,  raised  $180  to  build  another,  and  presiding 
elder  Dillon  district;  has  taken  1368  persons  into  the 
Church,  baptized  103  children  and  married  69  couples; 
studied  theology  under  Drs.  J.  E.  Haynes  and  J.  M. 
Henderson. 

Morris,  Rev.  Joseph  Edward,  the  third  of  the 
thirteen  children  and  the  first  of  seven  sons  of  Chris- 
tian and  Susan  Morris,  was  born  in  Turkeyville,  Lan- 
caster County,  Pa.,  November  24,  1866.  At  seven 
years  he  went  to  his  grandmother  (Kittie  Morris)  at 
Washingtonboro,  below  Columbia,  Pa.,  where  he  at- 
tended school.  At  14  he  hired  to  a  farmer  (Jacob 
Staman),  and  attended  school  in  the  winter.  He  left 
the  farm  at  the  age  of  19  and  went  to  Lancaster,  Pa., 
and  was  foreman  in  a  rolling  mill.  He  was  converted 
in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  1886.  He  went  to  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  October,  1891 ;  joined  Brown  Chapel  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Allegheny,  November,  1891 ;  joined  Chartiers' 
(now  Allen  Chapel)  Church  in  1892,  and  became  super- 
intendent of  the  Sunday  school.  He  was  licensed  to 
exhort  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Brown  in  September,  1894.  He 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  August,  1895,  by  Dr.  Cor- 
nelius Asbury,  and  joined  the  annual  conference  Octo- 
ber, 1895,  in  Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  under  Bishop  Arnett. 
The  conference  being  full,  he  was  sent  home,  but  on 
Easter  Sunday  he  was  sent  to  Belleview.  At  Wash- 
ington, Pa.,  October,  1896,  he  was  ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  Lee,  and  sent  to  Olean,  N.  Y.,  where  he  clear- 
ed the  church  of  debt  and  added  to  its  membership. 
West  Middletown,  Pa.,  Parkersburg  and  Clarksburg, 
W.  Va.,  were  his  next  charges.  In  Clarksburg  he 
cleared  the  church  of  debt,  trebled  the  Dollar  Money, 
and  entertained  the  conference  in  1900.  He  was  or- 
dained elder  by  Bishop  Lee  in  1899.  He  went  next 
to  Tyrone,  Pa.,  where  he  lifted  the  mortgage  of  $1,400 
in  six  months ;  thence  to  Bellefonte,  where  he  bought 
a  parsonage.  After  two  years  he  went  to  Erie  and 
laid  the  plans  for  the  clearing  of  the  debt  of  that 
church  amounting  to  $2,500.  During  his  two  years 
there  he  received  the  degree  of  D.  D.  from  Morris 
Brown  College  for  work  done  in  a  correspondence 
course.  He  went  next  to  Monongahela  City ;  then 
acted  as  financial  agent  of  Wilberforce  University  and 
raised  $1,700.  He  was  next  sent  to  Braddock,  re- 
maining there  three  years  and  paying  $1,000  on  the 
debt ;  thence  to  Monessen,  Pa.,  for  three  years,  im- 
proving property,  increasing  the  membership  and  pay- 
ing over  $1,500  of  the  debt.  He  is  now  serving  his 
first  year  acceptably  at  Uniontown,  Pa.  He  has  been 
a  trustee  of  Wilberforce  University  for  15  years;  has 
received  about  1,000  persons  into  the  Church;  was  an 
alternate  to  the  General  Conference  of  1912;  has  con- 
tributed articles  to  the  Christian  Recorder  and  South- 
ern Recorder;  composed  a  song,  "The  Congo  for 
Jesus";  he  has  taken  an  active  part  in  civic,  political 


and  racial  affairs.  He  now  owns  and  controls  con- 
siderable real  estate.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Emma 
L.  Gilkerson,  June,  1892,  by  Rev.  I.  N.  Ross.  They 
have  had  four  children,  all  girls — Irene,  Mahulda,  Lois 
and  Josephine — three  of  whom  are  still  living,  Mahul- 
da having  been  killed  by  a  railroad  train  when  she 
was  14  years  of  age  and  in  the  second  year  in  high 
school.  Irene  is  a  graduate  of  Braddock  High  School 
and  is  active  in  A.  C.  E.  League  work.  Lois  and  Jo- 
sephine, who  are  14  and  11,  respectively,  are  in  school. 

Murray,  Abraham  Lincoln,  was  born  at  Ypsilanti, 
Mich.,  in  1863,  of  Kentucky  parents.  His  mother  died 
when  he  was  but  a  lad,  and  he  was  placed  under  the 
care  of  an  aunt  who  took  the  part  of  a  mother.  His 
early  education  was  received  in  the  public  schools  at 
Charlestown  and  Greencastle,  Ind.,  De  Pauw  and  Wil- 
berforce Universities,  from  the  last  named  receiving 
the  degrees  of  B.  D.  and  D.  D.  In  1888  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  supply  at  Brazil,  Ind.,  where  he  found 
three  full  members  and  two  probationers.  Yet  he 
erected  a  church  costing  $2,500  and  increased  the 
membership  to  64.  In  1891  Bishop  Brown  ordained 
him  elder  and  transferred  him  to  the  Michigan  Con- 


REV.  A.  L.  MURRAY,  D.  D. 

ference,  sending  him  to  Jackson,  Mich.,  where  the 
foundation  had  been  laid  for  a  new  church.  He  com- 
pleted it  at  a  cost  of  $4,000.  He  then  went  to  Lafay- 
ette and  Vincennes,  and  many  new  members  were 
received  at  each  charge.  He  was  next  assigned  to 
Allen  Chapel,  Indianapolis.  He  remodeled  the  church 
at  a  cost  of  $5,000  and  paid  for  it.  His  work  attracted 
the  attention  of  Governor  James  A.  Mount,  who  was 
loud  in  his  praises.  Six  years  were  spent  in  this 
charge.  Then  Bishop  Grant  appointed  him  to  Bethel 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Chicago.  During  his  stay  here  of 
four  years,  the  membership  was  increased  and  some 
good  work  was  accomplished.  He  was  next  sent  from 
Chicago  to  Quincy,  111.,  where  he  remained  only  four 
weeks,  Bishop  Arnett  having  asked  for  him  to  go  to 
Atlantic  City,  N.  J.  Here  he  remained  five  years  and 
erected  one  of  the  prettiest  A.  M.  E.  Churches  in  New 
Jersey.  He  served  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Newark 
District  three  years,  and  is  now  pastor  at  Jersey  City. 


279 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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He  was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Conferences  of 
1908,  1912  and  1916;  was  a  member  of  the  financial 
board,  1908  to  1912,  and  the  missionary  board,  1912  to 
1916;  is  a  trustee  of  Wilberforce  University,  and  one 
of  the  most  popular  pastors  in  the  Church.  He  has 
taken  into  the  Church  more  than  5,000  persons  and 
raised  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars  for 
the  Church. 

Nazrey,  Willis,  fifth  bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church ;  was  born  March  5,  1808,  in  Isle  of  Wight,  Va. 
He  was  converted  in  1837,  in  New  York,  and  was  li- 
censed to  preach  in  the  same  year  in  Sullivan  Street, 


WILLIS  NAZREY. 

New  York  City,  by  Rev.  William  Cornish;  com- 
menced traveling  in  1840;  was  ordained  deacon  1841 ; 
ordained  elder  two  years  later ;  was  ordained  bishop 
May  13,  1852.  Died  August  22,  1874,  and  was  buried 
in  Chatham,  Canada. 


REV.  JOHN  W.  NORRIS,  D.  D. 

Norris,  John  William,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Hagerstown  District,  of  the  Baltimore  Annual  Con- 
ference, is  one  of  the   most  successful  ministers   in 


the  Second  Episcopal  District.  He  has  pastored 
some  of  the  best  charges  in  his  conference,  and  is  the 
author  of  "The  Ethiopian's  Place  in  History  and  His 
Contribution   to  the  World's   Civilization." 

Parks,    Henry  Blanton,  bishop  of  the  A.   M.  E. 

Church,  and  now  bishop  of  the  Fifth  Episcopal  Dis- 
trict, was  born  in  Georgia  about  60  years  ago ;  edu- 
cated in  Atlanta  University.  He  was  brought  up  in 
Big  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Atlanta,  Ga.  In  1896 
he    was    elected    missionary    secretary    and    served 


BISHOP  H.  B.  PARKS,  D.  D. 

faithfully  for  12  years.  In  1908  he  was  elected  bish- 
op and  assigned  to  Alabama  and  Tennessee.  Upon 
the  death  of  Bishop  Grant,  in  1911,  he  was  assigned 
to  the  additional  work  of  the  Fifth  Episcopal  Dis- 
trict comprising  all  of  the  Northwestern  part  of  the 
United  States.  He  was  also  elected  the  president 
of  the  Financial  Board  and  served  as  such  until  1916. 
Bishop  Parks  was  a  delegate  to  the  Ecumenical  Con- 
ference in  1911  at  Toronto,  Canada,  and  delivered  one 
of  the  welcome  addresses.  He  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  greatest  orators  and  preachers  of  Methodism, 
regardless  of  race. 


BISHOP  WILLIAM  PAUL  QUINN. 

Quinn,  William  Paul,  fourth  bishop,  was  born  in 
the  East  Indies,  in  1788,  and  was  converted  in  1808, 


280 


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in  Bucks  County,  Pa.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
]8i2,  in  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  and  commenced  traveling 
in  1816;  was  ordained  deacon  in  1818,  and  elder  in 
1838.  He  was  ordained  bishop  May  19,  1844,  an(l  died 
February  3,  1873,  and  was  buried  in  Richmond,  Ind. 
He  served  as  senior  bishop  24  years,  9  months  and  14 
days,  and  was  the  pioneer  of  the  work  in  the  western 
part  of  the  country. 

Rice,  Ulysses  S.,  was  born  March  19,  1876,  at 
Clinton,  S.  C.  He  attended  the  State  College  of  South 
Carolina  and  graduated  from  the  same  in  1900.  Hav- 
ing felt  called  to  the  ministry,  he  entered  Lincoln 
University,  Pa.,  and  graduated  from  the  Theologi- 
cal Department  in  1903.  He  joined  the  Philadelphia 
Conference  and  was  offered  work,  but  he  preferred 
to  go  back  to  his  uative  State  and  work  among  his 
own  people.  Rev.  Rice  served  as  principal  of  Friend- 
ship Graded  School  in  Clinton,  S.  C,  for  four  years, 


He  married  Miss  Priscilla  Smith,  September  2,  1874, 
and  she  survives  him. 


BISHOP  M.  B.  SALTER. 

Schemmerhorn,  Thomas  H.,  pastor  of  Bethel  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  Kinderhook,  N.  Y.,  when  a  boy  attend- 
ed the  church  of  which  he  is  now  pastor,  was  secre- 
tary and  librarian  of  its  Sunday  school,  was  converted 
in  it  and  served  as  class  leader.     He  then  joined  the 


REV.  U.  S.  RICE 

and  of  Poplar  Grove  Graded  School,  Abbeville,  S.  C, 
for  two  years,  being  engaged  in  church  work  at  the 
same  time.  He  was  married  September  25,  1906,  to 
Miss  Sulpearl  S.  Suber,  of  Laurens,  and  to  this  union 
three  children  have  been  born  Ulylles  S.,  Jr.,  Clara 
Gladys  and  Pansy  Victoria.  Rev.  Rice  has  pastored 
some  of  the  leading  churches  in  his  conference,  and 
is  now  pastor  of  Weston  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Greenwood,    S.   C. 

Salter,  Moses  Buckingham,  twenty-first  bishop, 
the  son  of  Moses  B.  and  Mary  M.  D.  Salter,  was  born 
February  13,  1841,  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  was  con- 
verted in  1857;  in  i860  he  was  made  a  class  leader  and 
licensed  to  preach  in  1865,  by  Rev.  R.  H.  Cain,  all  in 
the  same  city.  He  commenced  traveling  in  1866,  and 
was  ordained  both  deacon  and  elder  in  the  same  year, 
1866;  1868-70  he  was  presiding  elder;  1870-74  he 
studied  at  Wilberforce  University ;  1895  he  was  pastor 
of  Emanuel  Church,  Charleston,  and  in  1892  he  was 
elected  bishop.  He  died  March  25,  1913,  at  his  home, 
in  Charleston,   having  been  retired  since   May,   1912. 

281 


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REV.   THOMAS   H.    SCHEMMERHORN 

A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Chatham,  N.  Y.,  became  a  local 
preacher,  was  ordained  local  deacon  September  10, 
1909,  by  Bishop  Gaines,  and  May,  1915,  was  ordained 
local  elder  by  Bishop  Tyree.  September,  1912,  he 
was  appointed  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Rev.  J. 
Cuff  at  Kinderhook,  and  has  been  there  ever  since, 
where  he  is  doing  commendable  work.  The  church 
at  Kinderhook  was  erected  April,  1851. 

Vernon,  William  Tecumseh,  was  born  at  Lebanon, 
Mo.  Adam  Vernon,  his  father,  was  a  Christian  over 
60  years  and  a  minister  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  nearly 
50  years,  having  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the 


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A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Southwest  Missouri.  Margaret 
Vernon,  his  mother,  who  still  lives,  is  a  God-fearing 
Christian  woman,  who  early  schooled  her  children  in 
Christian  virtues  and  correct  living.     The   son  at  an 


REV.  WILLIAM  TECUMSEH  VERNON,  D.  D. 

early  age  entered  school  and  was  graduated  from 
Lincoln  University,  Jefferson  City,  Mo.,  while  still  in 
his  teens,  finishing  as  class  orator  and  valedictorian. 
Feeling  the  call  to  the  ministry,  he  studied  for  a  time 
at  Wilberforce  University.     In  1896  he  joined  the  Mis- 


years'  labor  there,  where  Dr.  Vernon's  eloquence  and 
ability  were  given  to  advance  his  race,  school  and 
church,  Western  University  had  four  large  building, 
400  students,  and  through  his  efforts  the  State  of 
Kansas  had  appropriated  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars 
for  the  work.  He  had  made  it  one  of  the  leading 
schools  of  the  Church  and  race.  By  this  time  he  had 
become  a  national  figure  and  was  called  to  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  by  President  Roosevelt  to  become  the 
Register  of  the  United  States  Treasury.  While  there 
he  labored  for  the  Church  as  earnestly  as  when  in  the 
West,  traveling,  lecturing  and  preaching  all  over 
America.  Dr.  Vernon  resigned  this  position,  continu- 
ing work  for  the  Church  and  race  in  the  heart  of  the 
South  as  president  of  Campbell  College  at  Jackson, 
Miss.  He  traveled  through  the  North  and  raised  hun- 
dreds of  dollars  for  the  school.  He  is  now  pastoring 
successfully  Avery  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  one  of  the  historic  churches  of  the  connection. 
This  great  church  of  over  a  thousand  members  is  mov- 
ing forward  harmoniously  under  his  leadership. 

He  is  Master  of  Arts,  Doctor  of  Divinity,  and 
Doctor  of  Laws  from  Lincoln  and  Wilberforce  Uni- 
versities. He  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  a  thirty-third  de- 
gree Mason.  In  1901  he  was  married  to  Miss  Emily 
J.  Embry,  a  graduate  of  Wilberforce  University  and 
daughter  of  the   late   Bishop   Embry. 

Waddleton,  Mrs.  Anna  Amelia  Everett,  was  born 
in  Washington,  D.  C.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the  Wash- 
ington high  and  normal  schools.  Whatever  of  success 
has  come  into  her  life  was  due  to  the  influence  of  the 
strong  Christian  character  of  her  dear  mother,  Mrs. 
C.  J.  Geary,  who  served  her  church  as  a  stewardess 


MRS.  WILLIAM  T.  VERNON 


MRS.  A.  E.  WADDLETON. 

for  fifteen  years.  Mrs.  Waddleton  entered  the  Sun- 
day school  at  the  age  of  three  years;  at  13,  taught  a 
class  of  boys ;  was  converted  and  united  with  Bethel, 
now  Metropolitan,  Church,  Washington,  D.  C,  be- 
souri  Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and  was  tween  the  ages  of  16  and  17 ;  was  then  placed  in  charge 
assigned  to  the  presidency  of  Western  University  at  of  the  boys  of  the  primary  department,  later  was 
Ouindaro  Kans.  The  school  then  consisted  of  one  made  superintendent  of  the  entire  primary  depart- 
s'mall  building  and  about  a  dozen  students.     After  10      ment,  which  place  she  now  holds.    She  introduced  the 

282 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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Cradle  Roll  and  Home  Department  in  Metropolitan 
Sunday  school  and  is  now  superintendent  of  the  Cra- 
dle Roll  for  Metropolitan  and  for  the  connection.  She 
writes  the  juvenile  and  gem  lesson  papers  and  the 
picture  cards.  She  is  also  secretary  of  the  Juvenile 
League  for  the  general  church ;  has  charge  of  the  Jun- 
ior M.  M.  societies  for  the  Baltimore  conference.  She 
served  for  six  years  as  superintendent  of  Sunday 
schools  of  the  Potomac  district  of  the  Baltimore  con- 
ference. She  has  been  a  member  of  the  Elementary 
S.  S.  Union  of  Washington  since  its  organization, 
about  thirty  years  ago.  She  has  been  a  teacher  in 
the  public  schools,  having  been  appointed  at  the  age 
of  seventeen.  She  resigned  and  married  John  P. 
Waddleton,  of  Columbia,  S.  C.  She  is  the  mother  of 
four  daughters  and  two  sons ;  the  boys  died  in  infancy. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband  she  entered  once  again 
upon  her  life's  work  as  a  public  school  teacher  in  the 
city  of  Washington.  She  is  interested  in  all  work  for 
the  uplift  of  her  people,  particularly  among  the  chil- 
dren, and  has  been  very  successful  in  handling  the 
street  boy.  She  is  a  forceful  writer  and  a  frequent 
contributor  to  the  Christian  Recorder. 


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REV.  J.  W.  WHITESIDES,  D.   D. 
A  leading  A.  M.  E.  pastor  in  the  State  of  Arkansas. 


MR.   WILLIAM   WATTS 

One  of  the  leading  laymen  of  the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  Louisiana. 


MRS.  JOSEPHINE  WINTERS. 

Winters,  Mrs.  Josephine,  is  the  highly  respected 
superintendent  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  school,  of 
Horntown,  Pa.  She  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
has  served  as  superintendent  more  than  twenty  years. 


Abstinence.— An    act    or    practice    whereby    an    individual  the    annual    conference:    provided    he    proves    himself    well 

voluntarily  refrains  from  the  gratification  of  appetites  versed   in   the   disciplin-e   and   doctrines    of   the    Church    and 

and  animal  passions.     In   a  religious  sense  this   act  or  in   the   studies   prescribed  by  the   Discipline  ;he   may  be   ad- 

practice  is  to  enable  the  mividual  to  keep  the  body  in  sub-  mitted    to   full    connection   provided    he    has    "maintained    a 

jection  that  soul  may  grow.     Abstinence  is  recommended  by  good  character  two  years  on  trial,  proved  his  fitness,  given 


the  Discipline  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  as  one  of  the  preach- 
er's personal  duties. 

Admission  of  Preachers. — A  preacher  who  wishes   to  be 
admitted  to   an   annual  conference  of  the  A.   M.   E.   Church 


the  annual  conference  satisfaction  in  the  studies  for  the 
second  year,  and  in  the  special  examination  for  admission," 
but  an  unordained  preacher  from  another  denomination  can 
enter  the  itinerant  ministry  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  only 
by  becoming  a  member   of  a    [local]    church   and   entering 


must  not  be  over  40  years  old;  must  be  recommended  by  a  the  annual  conference  regularly."  "An  ordained  preacher 
district  conference  or  for  other  reasons  set  forth  in  the  may  come  in  the  same  way  or  he  may  be  received  by  an 
discipline.    He  then  may  be  admitted:  On  trial  by  vote  of      annual  conference  on  proving  his  ordination,  accepting  our 


283 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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doctrine  *  *  *  giving  satisfactory  evidence  of  gifts, 
graces,  etc.,  provided,  however,  that  ministers  who  come 
from  churches  that  recognize  only  one  order  of  the  minis- 
try shall  be  received  as  deacons." 

Admission  to  Church  Membership. — Persons  admitted 
into  full  membership  of  the  Church  must  prove  through 
questionings  their  belief  in  the  doctrines,  etc.,  of  the  Church 
in  toto  and  their  willingness  to  support  the  same.  They 
must  have  ser-ed  a  probationship  of  at  least  three  months 
satisfactorily  to  their  pastor  and  class  leader.  Persons, 
however,  who  bear  certificates  of  full  membership  from 
other  Methodist  churches  need  not  necessarily  serve  the 
three-months'   probation. 

Addresses  of  Bishops. — The  addresses  of  the  bishops  are 
as    follows  : 

Bishop  B.  F.  Lee,  D.  D.,  Wilberforce,  Ohio. 

B.  T.  Tanner.  L>.  L>.,  L).  C.  L.  (ineffective),  2908  Diamond 

Street,   Philadelphia,   P. 
Bishop  Evans  Tyree,  M.  D.,  D.  D.,  15  North  Hill  Street, 

Nashville,   Tenn. 
Bishop   C.   S.   Smith,   M.   D.,   D.   D.,  35   East  Alexandrine 

Avenue.    Detroit,    Mich. 
Bishop  C.  T.  Shaffer,  M.   D.,  D.  D.,  3742  Forest  Avenue, 

Chicago,  111. 
Bishop    L.    J.    Coppin,    D.    D.,    1913    Bainbridge    Street, 

Philadelphia,   Pa. 
Bishop  H.   B.   Parks,  3312  Calumet  Avenue,  Chicago,  111. 
Bishop  J.  S.  Flipper.  D.  D.,  401  Houston  Street,  Atlanta, 

Ga. 
Bishop    J.    A.    Johnson,    D.    D„    1412    North    Eighteenth 

Street,    Philadelphia,   Pa. 
Bishop  William   H.   Heard,  D.   D.,   1426  Rockland   Street, 

Philadelphia,    Pa. 
Bishop   John    Hurst,    D.    D.,    1808    McCulloh    Street,   Bal- 
timore,  Md. 
Bishop    W.    D.    Chappelle,    A.    M.,    D.    D.,    1208    Harden 

Street,   Columbia,   S.   C. 
Bishop  Joshua  H.  Jones,  A  .M.,  D.  D..  Wilberforce,  Ohio. 
Bishop    James    M.    Conner,    D.    D..    1519    Pulaski    Street, 

Little   Rock,  Ark. 
Bishop  W.  W.   Beckett,   Charleston,   S.   C. 
Bishop   I.   N.    Ross,   Washington,   D.   C. 

Addresses    of    General    Officers. — 

Rev.  J.  I.  Lowe,  D.  D.,  General  Manager  of  Book  Con- 
cern,  631    Pine    Street,    Philadelphia,    Pa.    (resigned). 

Rev.  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr.,  B.  D.,  Ph.  D.,  Editor  Christian 
Recorder,  631  Pine  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  also 
Manager  of   Book  Concern. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Rankin,  D.  D.,  Missionary  Secretary,  61  Bible 
House,  New  York,  N.   Y. 

Prof.  John  R.  Hawkins,  A.  M.,  LL.  B.,  Secretary  of 
Finance,  1541  Fourteenth  Street,  N.  W.,  Washing, 
ton,  D.  C. 

Prof.  A.  S.  Jackson,  A.  M.,  Secretary  of  Education, 
Waco,  Tex. 

Rev.  R.  C.  Ransom,  D.  D.,  Managing  Editor  A.  M.  E. 
Review,  631   Pine   Street,   Philadelphia,   Pa. 

Mr.  Ira  T.  Bryant,  A.  B.,  LL.  B.,  Secretary-Treasurer 
Sunday-School  Union,  Eighth  and  Lea  Avenues, 
Nashville,  Tenn. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Allen,  Editor  Southern  Christian  Recorder, 
Eighth   and  Lea  Avenues,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

Rev.  B.  F.  Watson,  D.  D.,  Secretary  Church  Extension 
Society,  1535  Fourteenth  Street,  N.  W.,  Washington, 
D.   C. 

Rev.  J.  C.  Caldwell,  D.  D„  Secretary  Allen  Christian 
Endeavor  League,  Eighth  and  Lea  Avenues,  Nash- 
ville,   Tenn. 

Rev.  J.  Frank  McDonald,  D.  D„  Editor  Western  Chris- 
tian  Recorder,  2517  Grove  Street,  Kansas  City,  Kan. 

Rev.  John  T.  Jenifer,  D.  D.,  Historiographer,  3430  Ver- 
non Avenue,  Chicago,   111. 

Africa,  the  second  largest  continent  of  the  globe,  is  in 
the  eastern  hemisphere,  partly  in  the  north  temperate,  tor- 
rid and  south  temperate  zones.  It  contains  about  11,262,000 
square  miles,  and  has  a  population,  no  one  knows  how  many, 
but  variously  estimated  from  150,000,000  to  400,000,000  people. 
In  latitude  Africa  reaches  from  37  degrees,  21  minutes,  North 
(about  the  latitude  of  Norfolk,  Va.),  to  34  degrees  51  min- 
utes, South  (the  latitude  of  Buenos  Ayres),  and  in  longitude 
from  17  degrees,  30  minutes,  West,  to  51  degrees,  28  minutes, 
East.    It    is    about    5,000   miles    long   and    4,000   miles    wide. 


It  is  bounded  on  the  North  by  the  Mediterranean  Sea  and 
the  Strait  of  Gibraltar,  which  separate  it  from  Europe;  on 
the  East  by  the  Red  Sea,  which  separates  it  from  Asia,  and 
also  by  the  Indian  Ocean  ;  on  the  South  by  the  Indian  and 
Atlantic  Oceans  ;  and  on  the  West  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 
The  origin  of  the  name  "Africa"  is  uncertain,  though 
thought  to  be  Pheonician  as.  a  designation  of  Carthage, 
which  was  a  colony  of  Tyre.  The  inhabitants  of  Africa  are 
chiefly  brown   and  black. 

African  M.  E.  Church,  Origin  of. — As  a  result  of  unkind 
treatment  at  the  hands  of  their  white  brethren,  the  colored 
people  belonging  to  the  Methodist  Society  of  St.  George,  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  gathered  themselves,  in  September,  1787, 
and  formed  the  beginnings  of  the  African  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  which  was  fully  organized  in  a  general  con- 
vention held  in  April,  1816,  in  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

African  Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church  was  or- 
ganized in  1820,  at  New  York,  in  Mother  Zion  Church.  It 
grew  out  of  about  the  same  conditions  which  caused  the 
organization  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Richard  Allen  endeav- 
ored to  get  them  to  join  his  movement  but  did  not  succeed. 
"Mother  Zion"  was  started  in  New  York  about  1796,  and 
Wesley  Zion  Church  in  Philadelphia  soon  afterward.  In 
1820  the  organization  was  formed.  The  head  of  the  Church 
was  called  a  general  superintendent  and  not  a  bishop,  and 
was  not  elected  for  life,  but  for  four  years  only,  with  the 
right  of  re-election.  James  Varick  was  the  first  superin- 
tendent. 

Africa,  South.— On  November  1,  1892,  the  Rev.  M.  M. 
Mokone  felt  conscientiously  moved  to  withdraw  from  the 
Wesleyan  Methodist  Church  of  South  Africa.  The  eternal 
color  line  made  itself  manifest,  even  in  the  District  Synod 
of  the  Wesleyan  Church,  and  resulted  in  the  separation  of 
the  white  from  the  native  and  colored  ministers,  causing  the 
deliberations  of  the  latter  to  be  presided  over  by  a  European 
president  and  white  secretary.  Rev.  M.  M.  Mokone  and 
others  felt  the  sting  of  an  unnecessary  humiliation  unbe- 
coming    the      Christian      ministry      and     unworthy     of     the 


BISHOP  H.  M.  TURNER 
First  bishop  of  A.  M.  E.  Church  to  visit  South  Africa. 

Saviour's  teaching  of  oneness  amongst  His  followers,  and 
so  he,  with  about  50  members,  organized  "The  Ethiopian 
Church"  in  Pretoria  on  November  20,  1892.  Under  President 
Kruger's  regime,  the  Transvaal  Government  recognized  "The 
Ethiopian  Church"  in  January.  1893.  November  20,  1893,  the 
first  church  was  opened  in  the  Marabastard  Native  Loca- 
tion, in  an  old  thatched  house,  the  property  of  one  Mr. 
William  Makanda,  who  though  a  Wesleyan,  was  in  great 
sympathy  with  the  movement.  The  Rev.  George  Wearind, 
chairman  and  general  superintendent  of  the  "White  Wes- 
leyan Church"  in  Pretoria,  was  invited  to  preach  at  the 
opening  service,  but  was  unable  to  attend,  and  the  Rev. 
W.  J.  Underwood,  of  the  White  Wesleyan  Congregation 
preached  the  dedicatory  sermon.  His  text  was  Genesis  xxix, 
10,  the  same  passage  that  Bishop  Francis  Asbury,  of  the 
M.  E.  Church,  used  at  the  dedication  of  Bethel  Church  in 
Philadelphia,  the  Mother  Church  of  our  Connection  in  1794. 

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■a- 


The  first  preachers  ordained  in  "The  Ethiopian  Church" 
were  Rev.  J.  Z.  Tantsi  and  Rev.  J.  G.  Xaba.  They  were  or- 
dained by  Rev.  M.  M.  Mokone,  asisted  by  Rev.  J.  M.  Kan- 
jane,  of  the  African  Church.  This  new-born  Church  became 
abundant  with  life,  because  of  its  freedom  and  indepen- 
dence. 

The  time  came  when  the  ministers  and  officers  of  the 
Ethiopian  Church  felt  the  need  of  new  stimulus,  wise  coun- 
sellor and  sustained  energies.  A  native  young  woman  of 
keen  intelligence  named  Charlotte  Manye,  who  lived  in  Jo- 


satisfied.  I  have  to  wait  for  Brother  Xaba,  but  I  do  not 
think  he  cares  for  a  sea  voyage.  If  he  does  not  come  to- 
morrow, I  must  go  without  him.  I  am  sorry  to  go  without 
him,  but  I  can't  afford  to  wait  another  week  in  Cape  Town 
for  him."  Brother  Xaba  did  not  arrive  the  day  when  they 
both  should  have  sailed  together;  and  so  on  April  15,  1896, 
Rev.  Dwane  left  for  America  with  the  official  documents  of 
affiliation.  Brother  Dwane  arrived  in  America  June  10, 
1896,  to  find  that  the  General  Conference  had  just  closed  its 
session,  ~and  this  explained  Brother  Dwane's  reason  for  be- 


BETHEL  INSTITUTE,   SOUTH  AFRICA. 


hannesburg,  Transvaal  (and  who  afterwards  became  a  grad- 
uate of  Wilberforce  University),  first  called  the  attention 
of  Rev.  Mokone  to  a  letter-head  of  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner, 
D.  D.,  of  Atlanta,  Ga.,  U.  S.  A.,  as  reprsentative  of  the 
greatest  Negro  Church  in  the  world — the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  On  May  21,  1895,  Elder  Mokone  wrote 
Bishop  Turner  for  information  as  to  school  facilities  for  his 
son.  Later  he  wrote  again,  asking  to  be  told  something  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  America.  In  reply,  Bishop  Turner 
sent  a  discipline,  a  hymnal  and  other  books  pertaining  to  the 
Church  life.  The  African  brethren,  after  carefully  reading 
and  pondering  over  the  contents  of  the  Church  literature, 
came  to  the  unanimous  conclusion  that  that  was  the  Church 
for  them — one  in  racial  affinity,  one  in  color  and  one  in  hope. 
Hence,  at  the  third  session  of  the  Ethiopian  Conference, 
held  in  Pretoria,  March  17,  1896,  it  was  resolved  to  be  united, 
if  possible,  with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  of  America.  It  was  at 
this  conference  that  Rev.  James  M.  Dwane  joined  as  a  min- 
ister in  good  standing,  having  withdrawn  from  the  Wesleyan 
Church  of  South  Africa ;  also  that  two  delegates — Rev.  James 
M.  Dwane  and  Rev.  J.  G.  Xaba — were  elected  to  go  to 
America  to  consummate  the  union.  The  Rev.  Dwane  was 
the  first  to  arrive  at  Cape  Town  en  route  for  America.  Be- 
fore booking  his  passage,  he  called  upon  Mr.  F.  M.  Gow, 
at  his  business  place  in  Shortmarket  Street,  showed  him  the 
resolution  of  the  Ethiopian  Conference,  and  said,  "Now,  Mr. 
Gow,  do  you  think  the  brethren  in  America  will  accept  us?" 
He  replied,  "Gladly."  Rev.  Dwane  said,  "We  have  long  de- 
sired to  join  hands  with  our  brethren  across  the  seas — we 
have  nothing  to  offer  them  but  our  needs;  for  indeed,  and 
after  all,  we  are  but  seeking  our  own."  Mr.  Gow  replied, 
"That  is  so,  I  am  satisfied  that  our  Church  in  America  will 
accord  you  a  hearty  welcome."    "And  now,"  he  said,  "I  am 


ing  so  anxious  to  be  in  America  and  not  waiting  for  Brother 
Xaba. 

Rev.  Dwane  met  Revs.  H.  B.  Parks  (missionary  secretary), 
and  J.  S.  Flipper,  who  presented  him  to  Bishop  H.  M. 
Turner.  The  Bishop's  Council  accepted  favorably  the  propo- 
sition for  the  amalgamation  of  the  Churches.  Rev.  James 
W.  Dwane  was  appointed  general  superintendent  and  re- 
turned to  Africa  September  22,  1896.  Before  returning  to 
Africa  he  was  re-obligated  with  instructions  to  re-obligate 
the  ministers  of  the  late  Ethiopian  Church.  This  appoint- 
ment of  Rev.  Dwane  as  general  superintendent  did  not  meet 
with  the  approval  of  the  Native  brethren,  because  he  had 
but  newly  joined  their  movement  and  in  that  he  had  gone 
to  America  without  Rev.  Xaba. 

The  first  session  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  Conference 
was  held  by  Superintendent  Dwane  at  Lessyton,  Queens- 
town,  on  April  7,  1897.  Here  the  ministers  were  re-obli- 
gated. 

One  morning,  on  March  22,  1898,  it  was  noised  in  the 
city  of  Cape  Town  that  a  black  bishop  had  arrived  at  the 
docks  and  had  inquired  for  the  home  of  an  A.  M.  E.  Church 
minister  in  Cape  Town  (who  was  then  the  Rev.  P.  Kuze), 
to  which  place  he  was  driven  in  a  cab.  About  the  middle 
of  the  day  a  minister  of  arresting  and  commanding  appear- 
ance came  with  another  gentleman  into  the  office  of  Rev. 
Gow,  at  Shortmarket  Street,  Cape  Town.  "Whom  may  I 
have  the  honor  of  addressing?"  "Ahem!  I  am  Bishop 
Turner,  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
this  is  my  son,  David."  "Oh !  Ah !  indeed,  I  am  very  glad 
to  see  you  sir,  and  to  shake  hands  with  you,  also  proud 
to  welcome  you  at  the  gateway  of  this  great  continent,  the 
home  of  our  forefathers."  The  great  bishop  was  much  af- 
fected, and  after  a  while  he  said,  "I  am  mighty  glad  to  get 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


a 


my  feet  once  more  on  the  soil  of  renowned  Africa."  It  is 
not  possible  within  the  limited  space  at  our  disposal  to  tell 
half  the  things  he  did  and  said  during  his  short  stay  in  the 
city,  uttering  words  of  benediction,  inspiration  and  hope  to 
the  many  who  were  privileged  to  enjoy  his  precious  com- 
pany. He  stayed  with  Rev.  P.  S.  Kuze,  then  A.  M.  E.  pas- 
tor in  Cape  Town,  making,  however  his  home  his  business 
center,  as  it  has  ever  been  with  every  bishop  since,  and  he 
has  felt  greatly  honored  and  blessed  by  their  distinguished 
presence.  Bishop  Turner  did  not  stay  long  in  Cape  Town. 
He  said,  "My  Master's  business  requires  haste."  He  pro- 
ceed to  the  Transvaal,  visiting  Johannesburg  and  Pretoria. 
At  the  latter  place  he  called  upon  President  Paul  Kruger, 
who  received  him  graciously,  remarking,  "You  are  the  first 
black  man  whose  hand  I  have  ever  shaken."  He  spoke  to 
the  President  of  the  object  of  his  mission  to  Africa,  and 
received  from  him  words  of  encouragement. 

With  the  best  intentions  and  prompted  by  the  pressing 
request  of  the  brethren  at  the  first  session  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  Conference  held  in  the  city  of  Queenstown,  Lessy- 
ton,  Bishop  Turner  made  General  Superintendent  James  M. 
Dwane  vicar  bishop,  and  left  him  in  charge  of  the  work. 
The  result  of  this  extraordinary  act  would  fill  pages,  but 
why  dwell  on  them?  Enough  to  say  that  the  Bishops' 
Council,  after  much  deliberation,  almost  unanimously  en- 
dorsed and  even  commended  the  act  of  the  senior  bishop, 
whilst  the  ministry  and  laity  of  the  Church  were  practically 
unanimous   in   their   approval. 

On  Bishop  Turner's  return  to  Cape  Town,  en  route  to 
America,  after  organizing  the  Transvaal  and  South  African 
Conferences,  a  farewell  reception  was  accorded  him  at  a 
great  meeting  held  in  the  Opera  House,  Cape  Town.  This 
large  building  was  crowded  by  white  and  colored  citizens, 
anxious    to    see    and    hear    the    message    of    the    first    black 


BISHOP  J.  ALBERT  JOHNSON 
Retiring   bishop    of    South    Africa. 

bishop  that  had  stepped  on  South  African  soil.  It  was  on 
Sunday  afternoon,  May  22,  1898.  The  great  throng  sat 
breathless  as  the  writer  led  the  bishop  to  the  platform, 
accompanied  by  several  native  and  colored  ministers,  with 
representative  lay  citizens.  After  introduction,,  the  bishop 
arose  to  adrdess  the  meeting,  receiving  such  an  ovation 
as  that  building  had  never  witnessed  before.  For  an  hour 
and  a  half  the  great  and  eloquent  speaker  swayed  the 
mighty  audience  at  his  will  to  tears,  to  smiles  and  rap- 
turous applause.  Although  we  paid  £13  for  the  hire  of  that 
building,  we  have  never  regretted  it,  for  as  an  outcome  of 
that  service  the  formation  of  the  first  A.  M.  E.  Church 
amongst  the  Cape  people  had  its  rise,  on  the  25th  of  May, 
1898.     It    was    called   "Bethel." 

On  September  28,  1898,  Elder  Dwane  left  for  America, 
being  called  there  by  the  Bishops'  Council.  It  was  thought 
that  his  visit  to  America  would  enable  him  to  study  the 
actual  working  of  the  Church,  where  it  had  its  birth.  Fa- 
vors and  receptions  were  lavished  upon  him  on  every  hand, 
thousands  rejoicing  to  see  and  shake  hands  with  a  real, 
pure    African. 

He  returned  home   to  Africa   in   March,  1899,  much  de- 


lighted with  his  stay  and  looking  forward  to  great  things. 
He  called  the  second  session  of  the  Transvaal  Conference  in 
March,  1899,  at  Bloemfontein,  and  the  third— the  South 
African  Conference — in  April  of  the  same  year  at  Derba 
Marela,  in  the  district  of  King  William's  Town.  During 
this  period  General  Superintendent  Dwane  was  in  eager  ex- 
pectation to  receive  from  America  the  sum  of  £2,000 
($10,000)  promised  him  for  establishing  a  South  African 
college.  He  had  no  doubt  persuaded  himself  to  believe  that 
the  amount  promised  would  be  sent  him  in  round  sum. 
The  Church  in  America,  however,  was  not  prepared  to  en- 
trust this  amount  of  money  to  any  of  its  agents  before 
they  were  satisfied  as  to  his  ability  in  wisely  using  the  same. 

This  thoughtful  delay  was  not  appreciated  by  Brother 
Dwane.  He  then  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Church 
had  failed  in  fulfilling  her  promises,  so  he  called  a  special 
conference  to  meet  at  Queenstown  on  October  6,  1899. 
There  were  about  30  ministers  present.  Elder  Dwane  told 
the  conference  in  brief  that  the  Church  in  America  had 
failed  and  refused  to  give  the  money  promised  for  the 
South  African  college,  also  that  his  being  made  a  vicar 
bishop  was  the  cause  of  much  dispute  amongst  the  American 
bishops  and  brethren.  He  next  told  them  that  he  also  had 
been  convinced  that  his  being  made  a  bishop  was  not  in 
line  with  the  apostolic  order,  and  with  many  other  reasons 
he  felt  that  his  only  course  was  to  resign  from  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  Deep  down,  there  were  stronger  racial  reasons 
upon  which  we  cannot  dwell  in  this  brief  article  which 
compelled  him  to  take  the  step  he  did.  And  so,  with  the 
exception  of  these  faithful  few,  namely,  Revs.  Kuze,  Mque- 
bisa,  William  Mashalaba  and  J.  Z.  Tantsi,  the  whole  of  the 
conference  went  with  him.  This-  action,  depressing  and 
painful  though  it  was  at  the  time,  made  it  better  to  estab- 
lish the  A.  M.  E.  Church  proper.  These  four  brethren  who 
remained  wrote  the  same  day  to  Bishop  Turner,  asking  for 
advice  and  instruction,  and  took  steps  to  adjust  matters  as 
far  as  they  were.  A  meeting  was  held  at  the  Friendly 
Hall,  Cape  Town,  in  November,  1899,  there  being  present 
Elders  Sishuba  (in  the  chair),  Ngcayiya,  G.  Z.  Tantsi,  J.  W. 
Roberts,  F.  M.  Gow,  Spawn,  Songica  and  others.  Thy  de- 
cided to  place  the  situation  before  those  ministers  and 
churches  who  had  not  withdrawn  and,  if  possible,  prevent 
the  trouble  spreading.  This  had  the  desired  effect  and 
many  who  had  joined  Elder  Dwane's  movement  returned 
with   a  determination   to  stand  by  the  A.   M.   E.   Church. 

In  response  to  an  urgent  cable  sent  to  Rev.  F.  M.  Gow 
to  Bishop  Turner,  the  Rev.  I.  N.  Fitzpatrick  was  sent  out  to 
just  matters  and  hold  the  annual  conference,-  as  general 
superintendent.  It  might  be  stated  here  that  on  learning  of 
the  trouble  that  had  befallen  us,  Bishop  Turner  wrote  to 
Presiding  Elder  Tantsi  to  take  charge  of  the  work  until  the 
arrival  of  America's  representative.  This  good  brother,  with 
his  accustomed  humility,  declined,  saying  it  was  too  great 
an   honor  and   responsibility  to  be  undertaken   by  him. 

Rev.  I.  N.  Fitzpatrick's  arrival  was  most  timely.  He  at 
once  called  the  fourth  session  of  the  South  African  Con- 
ference, which  was  held  in  the  Friendly  Hall,  Cape  Town, 
on  March  8,  1900.  After  this,  he  was  introduced  to  the 
Premier  of  the  Colony,  the  Hon.  W.  P.  Schreiner,  who  re- 
ceived him  graciously  and  assured  him  that  had  he  been 
appointed  definitely  to  stay  in  South  Africa  as  the  Church's 
representative,  he  would  have  granted  the  Church  and  him 
the  necessary  recognition.  Owing  to  the  outbreak  of  the 
Anglo-Boer  War,  the  Transvaal  Conference  could  not  be 
held.  General  Superintendent  Fitzpatrick  left  for  America 
on  March  28,  1900,  to  gether  with  Rev.  F.  M.  Gow,  then  as 
a  lay  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  at  Columbus,  Ohio. 
They  were  followed  soon  after  by  the  Revs.  M.  M.  Mokone, 
J.  Z.  Tantsi  and  A.  S.  Gabashane.  The  two  former  brethren 
were  delayed  in  attendance,  having  sustained  shipwreck 
not  many  miles  from  Cape  Town.  No  lives  were  lost,  how- 
ever, thank  God,  and  the  brethren  were  able  to  attend  the 
General  Conference  ere  its  close.  At  this  General  Confer- 
ence, Rev.  Levi  Jenkins  Coppin  was  elected  to  the  office  of 
Bishop,  and  assigned  as  first  resident  bishop  of  South  Af- 
rica, known  as  the  Fourteenth  Episcopal  District. 

In  February,  1901,  we  welcomed  Bishop  Coppin  to  our 
shores.  Our  rejoicing  was  such  as  to  move  the  city  of  Cape 
Town  to  enquire,  "What  is  up?  Who  is  this?  Another 
black  Bishop?"  "Yes,"  we  reply,  "Another  black  bishop  has 
come  to  stay,  and  make  sure,  by  the  help  of  God,  the  work 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Less  than  one  month  after  the 
arrival  of  Bishop  Coppin,  an  important  victory  was  gained 
for  the  Church.  On  March  21st,  1901,  the  Government  of 
Cape   Colony,  formally  recognized   our  Church,  granting  li- 


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cense  to  her  fully  ordained  ministers  to  perform  marriages 
and  making  application  for  church  sites  in  locations,  etc. 
The  clouds  began  to  disappear  and  all  started  to  work  with 
renewed  energy,  zeal  and  determination.  Shortly  after  this, 
the  first  real  estate  owned  by  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  was 
secured  by  the  Bishop.  It  was  named  Bethel  Institute. 
Here  the  fifth  session  of  the  South  African  Conference  was 
held  on  December  8th,  1901,  in  conjunction  with  the  Trans- 
vaal Conference.  This  was  necessary,  owing  to  the  con- 
tinuance   of    the   Anglo-Boer   War. 

Bethel  Institute,  a  commodious  building  of  twelve 
rooms,  was  purchased  by  us  and  was  situated  in  Hanover 
street,  Cape  Town.  It  was  converted  into  a  school  and 
church  and  cost  about  $20,000.  Rev.  A.  H.  Attaway,  who  had 
now  arrived,  was  given  charge  of  the  school,  while  the  Rev. 
F.  M.  Gow  was  given  oversight  of  the  church.  It  was 
decided  that,  rather  than  erect  a  school  in  any  one  native 
territory  and  thus  have  as  students  only  the  members  of 
that  particular  tribe,  it  would  be  better  to  operate  a  school 
in  a  place  where  members  of  the  various  tribes  and  colored 
Africanders  would  feel  free  to  come.  Hence  the  location  of 
Bethel  Institute  in  Cape  Town.  The  school  was  equipped 
with  modern  furniture,  and  put  on  a  favorable  footing  with 
the  best  schools  of  the  country  and  soon  grew  to  such  pro- 
portions, that  a  corps  of  twelve  teachers  was  needed. 

The  arrival  in  Cape  Town  of  Mrs.  Fanny  Coppin  and  Dr. 
C.  M.  Tanner  in  December,  1902  on  the  return  visit  of  Bishop 
Coppin    from    Atneric"     r---  ,-r    -"^ditional    impetus    to    the 


BISHOP  W.  W.   BECKETT 
Present   bishop   of   South   Africa. 

work.  Mrs.  Coppin  was  the  ideal  lady  on  whom  the  eyes  of 
our  African  women  were  turned  for  counsel  and  instruction. 
Her  unobstrusive,  simple  spirituality  weaved  a  chaplet  of 
inspired  lives  wherever  she  moved.  She  was  a  great  gain 
to  South  Africa.  The  Mite  Missionary  Society,  established 
by  her  persevering  effort,  still  lives.  The  South  African 
Christian  Recorder,  established  by  Rev.  C.  M.  Tanner, 
D.  D.,  was  another  conspicuous  addition  to  the  interest  of 
the  Church  and  of  much  service  to  the  race.  It  ceased  to 
exist  for  want  of  sufficient  financial  support.  The  work  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  as  conducted  by  Bishop  Coppin  was 
deep  and  systematic,  and  although  he  was  not  permitted  to 
visit  the  Transvaal  and  Orange  Free  State,  yet  his  active 
itinerary  carried  him  to  all  parts  of  Cape  Colony,  strength- 
ening what  had  been  started  previous  to  his  coming,  setting 
up  new  work  where  it  was  needed.  Mission  churches  and 
schools  were  established  at  the  Friendly  Hall,  Cape  Town; 
Green  River,  Maitland  Location,  Rondebosch,  Wellington, 
Montague,  Worcester,  Bloemfontein,  Pretoria,  Queentown, 
Johannesburg,  Piquetburg,  and  Port  Elizabeth. 

We  are  tempted  to  write  more  of  the  great  and  good 
work  done  by  those  two  messengers  of  the  Cross,  Bishop 
Levi  and  Mrs.  Fanny  Coppin.  Bishop  and  Lady  Coppin, 
with  Dr.  C.  M.  Tanner,  left  Cape  Town  by  the  R.  M.  S. 
Saxon  on  Wednesday,  the  16th  of  December,  1903. 


Bishop  Charles  Spencer  Smith  was  appointed  to  the 
South  African  Diocese  to  succeed  Bishop  Coppin  at  the 
General  Conference  of  1904.  The  short  time  that  elapsed 
between  the  retirement  of  the  one  and  the  appointment  of 
the  other  Bishop  served  to  throw  the  Church  into  a  state  of 
spiritual  restlessness  and  ecclesiastical  embarrassment  in 
consequence  of  which  our  reception  to  Bishop  Smith  on 
October  24th,  1904  had  to  be  repeated  on  April  25th,  1905, 
because  his  Lordship  had  to  return  to  America  to  adjust 
matters — administrative  and  financial  pertaining  to  the 
welfare   of   the   Church. 

Bishop  Smith  came  to  Africa  in  troublous  times.  Trou- 
bles, no  doubt,  incidental  to  the  formation  of  a  new  work 
amongst  inexperienced  ministers,  laymen  and  members,  who 
not  fully  conversant  with  the  spirit  and  genius  of  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  abrogated  to  themselves  powers  and  authorities, 
subversive  to  the  best  interests  of  the  Church,  and  the  sub- 
sequent loss  of  Bethel  Institute  building,  bankruptcy  and 
suspension  of  a  bishop.  This  was  a  severe  and  unprece- 
dented blow  to  the  Church  and  will  take  years  to  bring 
about   confidence. 

This  much,  however,  must  be,  and  has  been  admitted 
by  the  many  who  have  been  privileged  to  listen  to  our  bril- 
liant and  scholarly  Bishop,  that  had  he  returned  to  Africa, 
i.  e.,  had  it  been  possible  for  him  to  return,  he  would  have 
lifted  and  placed  the  Church  upon  an  eminence  beneficial  to 
all.  Certainly  the  ability  shown  at  the  conference  held  on 
the  15th  of  November,  1905,  in  Beaufort  West,  convinced  all 
the  brethren  that  we  had  in  our  Bishop,  a  deep  thinker,  an 
orator  of  no  mean  order  and  a  sympathetic,  conscientious 
and  wise  counsellor.  During  this  period  Rev.  Professor  J.  A. 
Gregg — now  president  of  Edward  Waters  College — with  his 
wife,  arrived  in  Cape  Town.  They  were  just  the  couple 
needed  for  our  work.  A  gentleman  of  high  attainments  and 
forceful  character  was  Rev.  Prof.  Gregg  and  Mrs.  Gregg,  a 
cultured  lady  with  the  touch-stone  of  fine  Christian  senti- 
ment. Their  ministerial  services  were  very  acceptable  and 
inspiring.  They  had  charge  of  Chatsworth  Industrial  High 
School,  and  though  their  stay  was  comparatively  brief,  yet 
they  left  kindly  memories  of  a  Godly  life,  usefully  employed. 

Owing  to  what  has  been  referred  to  as  spiritual  rest- 
lessness, the  Bishop's  council  deputed  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
W.  B.  Derrick  to  visit  South  Africa  and  report  the  situation. 
The  Bishop  arrived  in  Cape  Town  on  June  17th,  1907,  and 
was  received  with  hearty  and  sincere  welcome.  The  same 
being  accorded  to  Professor  Thomas,  of  Wilberforce  Uni- 
vrsity,  who  accompanied  him.  He  visited  and  was  unstinted 
in  his  praise  of  Bethel  Institute  and  its  school  operations, 
and  urged  the  Church  at  home  to  redeem  it  from  bank- 
ruptcy. From  Cape  Town  we  proceed  to  Bloemfontein, 
Bishop  Derrick  being  the  first  bishop  to  visit  this  town, 
held  there  a  joint  session  of  three  conferences,  and  went  by 
special  appointment  to  the  Government  House  for  an  inter- 
view with  His  Excellency  the  Governor.  From  thence  we 
left  for  Pretoria,  the  capital  of  the  Transvaal,  and  the 
Bishop,  who  was  the  first  of  our  Bishops  to  enter  the  Trans- 
vaal, was  granted  an  audience  with  Lord  Selborne.  His 
Majesty's  High  Commissioner,  and  other  dignataries  of 
United  South  Africa.  On  our  return  journey  to  Cape  Colony, 
a  joint  conference  was  held  at  Kimberly,  which  was  honored 
by  a  visit  of  His  Honor,  the  Mayor  of  Kimberly,  who  ad- 
dressed words  of  encouragement  and  help  to  the  conference. 
An  incident  which  gave  joy  to_  the  Bishop's  heart  was  the 
visit  of  a  distinguished  native  chief  who  was  very  much 
impressed  with  the  assembled  ministers  and  ere  his  de- 
parture, gave  evidence  of  a  changed  life.  We  have  en- 
deavored to  compress  in  few  words  what  would  fill  up  pages 
of  eventful  days  spent  in  this  sub-continent  by  His  Lord- 
ship. We  would  call  attention  to  this  fact,  that  if  the 
Bishop's  presence  did  naught  else  but  elicit  this  from 
the  department  of  native  affairs,  then  his  journey  to  Africa 
has  not  been  in  vain.  The  statement  is  this,  "That  in  no 
case  has  a  member  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  been  charged  with  sedition,  rebellion  or  any  act  that 
could  bring  them  under  condemnation  by  the  Government." 
The  people  of  Cape  Town  will  not  soon  forget  his  arresting 
presence,  the  deep  spirituality  of  his  sermon  in  Bethel,  nor 
the  masterly  eloquence  of  his  lecture  "Under  Two  Flags," 
He  left  a  convincing  impression  of  the  moral  and  potential 
worth  of  the  Church  he  so  ably  represents.  Bishop  Derrick 
on  his  return  to  America,  January  11th,  1908,  strongly  re- 
commended that  the  Bethel  Institute  property  be  redeemed 
at  all  costs  and  that  the  missionary  operation  should  not 
suffer  for  want   of   support. 


287 


6 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


To  the  Rt.  Rev.  J.  Albert  Johnson  was  left  the  task  of 
consolidating  and  permanently  establishing  the  work  so 
nobly  begun  by  Bishops  Turner  and  Coppin.  After  the  con- 
secration and  appointment  of  Bishop  Johnson  at  St.  John's 
African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Norfolk,  Virginia,  May 
20th,  1908,  he  was  made  cognizant  of  the  great  task  awaiting 
him  in  South  Africa.  His  reply  was,  "I  will  go  and  do  my 
best,  and  if  the  Bethel  Institute  property  is  worth  re- 
deeming, I  shall  recommend  its  redemption."  So  all  eyes 
were  fastened  upon  him,  as  the  man  on  whose  recommen- 
dation the  continuance  or  otherwise  of  our  work  in  South 
Africa  depended.  Bishop  Johnson  sailed  from  New  York, 
Oct.  Sth,  1908.  The  general  Church  insisted  on  giving  him  a 
hearty  reception  on  Nov.  24th,  and  Bethel  Church  an  "At 
Home"  on  December  1st,  1908. 

After  going  into  the  heart  of  things,  he  wrote  and  ad- 
vised the  Home  Church  that  Bethel  Institute  property  must 
be  redeemed  at  all  cost,  and  to  the  eternal  credit  of  Afro- 
American  Methodism,  the  response  was  prompt,  February 
IS,  1911,  quite  a  year  before  the  payment  became  due,  the 
last  penny  being  $5,250,  was  paid. 

Now,  then,  if  this  was  all  Bishop  Johnson  accomplished 
he  would  have  left  his  mark  on  the  pages  of  South  African 
Missions.  Without  this  institution  every  door  would  have 
soon  closed  against  us  in  South  Africa,  on  account  of  our 
failure  and  bankrupt  proceeding. 

Presiding  Elder  F.  M.  Gow,  with  his  staff  of  workers, 
including  Bros.  E.  G.  Willenburg,  and  H.  A.  Fortuin  held  a 
special  thanksgiving  service,  February  15,  1911,  passing  reso- 


their  Bishop.  And  with  all  this,  find  time  to  visit  adjacent 
circuits  and  stations,  Cape  Colony,  Bloemfontein  and 
Orange  River  Colony.  He  knows  every  minister  in  his 
home,  or  hut,  and  learned  to  call  their  unpronounceable 
names  as   if  to  the  manner  born. 

The  five  conferences,  running  smoothly  and  methodical- 
ly are  evidence  of  his  genius  and  ability  to  take  matters 
well  in  hand. 

The  establishment  of  the  Evaton  College,  the  erection 
of  the  magnificent  Fanny  Jackson  Coppin  Girls  Hall,  and 
the  securing  of  a  large  and  splendid  piece  of  ground,  not 
far  from  the  College,  where  it  is  intended  in  the  near  fu- 
ture to  build  a  Home  of  Rest  for  our  worn  out  ministers, 
will  stand  as  a  monument  to  his  far-seeing  thoroughness 
and  painstaking  zeal.  We  are  well  aware  that  we  are  not 
writing  the  life  of  Bishop  Johnson,  but  the  history  of  our 
Church  here  from  1908  to  1916,  almost  eight  years,  is  so 
wrapped  up  with  him,  and  he  has  done  so  much  which  it 
would  be  almost  incredible  to  believe,  that  one  can  scarcely 
write  a  sentence  without  mentioning  him,  and  yet  we  have 
not  told,  because  we  cannot  tell  all.  His  pulpit  utterances, 
illuminating,  eloquent  and  soul-uplifting  are  treasured  me- 
mories, his  interpretation  of  the  spirit  and  letter  of  our 
Book  of  Discipline  at  our  annual  conferences  are  a  help  to 
our  understandin  gthe  genius  and  trend  of  African  Meth- 
odism. The  future  is  brighter  because  Bishop  J.  Albert 
Johnson  came  and  lived  in  South  Africa  for  eight  years 

The  Church  has  grown  from  10,000  to  18,000  full  mem- 
bership,   and    in    spite    of    war    and    general   depression    the 


A  GROUP  OF  SOUTH  AFRICAN  STUDENTS  AT 
WILBERFORCE  UNIVERSITY. 


lution  of  grateful  appreciation  for  the  effort  put  forth  by 
our  beloved  Bishop  J.  Albert  Johnson.  We  cannot  tell  with- 
in this  limited  space  of  the  growth  of  the  work  under  his 
masterful,  patient  and  conscientious  supervision.  There  is 
no  point  of  interest  in  this  vast  field  that  he  has  not  visited. 
The  lonely  heights  of  Basutolan.d,  travelling  over  precipi- 
tous mountains  on  a  small  Basuto  pony,  now  crossing 
treacherous  rivers,  made  doubly  dangerous  by  incessant 
rainfall,  then  sleeping  on  wet  ground  in  an  open  field,  ex- 
posed to  all  kinds  of  weather,  returning  to  Cape  Town  after 
a  long  trip  from  the  interior,  weak  and  worn  and  broken 
up,  to  be  literally  nursed  into  health  again,  and  yet  without 
complaining,  and  all  without  letting  his  friends  in  the  home- 
land know  of  his  condition,  for  fear  of  causing  them  anxiety. 
Then  after  a  little  rest  he  would  start  on  a  journey  to 
far  away  Pondoland,  a  dry  and  sparsely  populated  country, 
to  see  and  learn  of  the  condition  of  our  people  there,  and 
cheer  the   lonely   missionaries,  who  so  much   desire   to  see 


financial  returns  exceed  all  expectations.  From  an  income 
of  £  199  in  1903,  to  £609.12.6  in  1911  we  have  increased  to  over 
£2,000  ($10,000)  as  reported  at  our  last  conference  at  Kl°em- 
fontein,  1915.  Our  day  school  numbers  over  1,100  children 
and  we  receive  Government  grant  in  aid  of  our  schools  ±/uu 
($3,500)  per  annum.  Bethel  school  takes  the  lead  in  having 
an  enrollment  of  350  scholars,  and  thus  the  Church  is 
moving  on.  The  spiritual  work  is  bracing;  there  is  living 
interests  in  the  things  of  God.  We  have  135  buildings  set 
apart  for  the  worship  of  God,  with  104  ordained  ministers 
and  216  preachers  and  other  lay  helpers.  We  are  eagerly 
looking  forward  to  active  work  in  connection  with  iivaton 
College,  where  we  can  train  our  own  men  for  the  Master  s 
service.  No  race  can  hope  to  accomplish  its  highest  destiny 
without  being  properly  trained  and  equipped. 

During  the  last  few  years  our  Church  has  suffered  the 
loss  of  some  of  our  most  gifted  ministers  and  laymen  ana 
some    of    our    noble    women.      Notably    amongst    them,    we 


288 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


a 


might  mention  P.  E.  Kumalo,  P.  E.  Tantsi,  Father  Ga- 
bashane,  Rev.  Mbadla,  and  last,  but  not  least,  our  talented 
principal  of  Evaton  College,  Rev.  H.  C.  Msikinya,  a  teacher 
of  matchless  worth,  trained  at  Wilberforce  University,  U. 
S.  A.  Heaven  has  also  claimed  two  of  our  beloved  sisters, 
Mrs.  S.  E.  Gow  and  Mrs.  Emma  Tunki.  (By  Rev.  F.  M.  Gow, 
conference    historian.) 

Allen  C.  E.  League,  The,  the  Young  People's  Depart- 
ment of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  is  the  result  of  three  separate 
and  distinct  names  or  organizations.  "Allen,"  the  name  of 
the  founder  and  first  Bishop  of  our  Church,  also  from  the 
name  of  an  organization  started  some  years  ago  by  Bishop 
W.  B.  Derrick  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  called  "The  Sons 
of  Allen."  "Christian  Endeavor,"  a  world-wide  and  inter- 
denominational society  organized  in  Portland,  Maine,  in  the 
early  80's,  by  Rev.  F.  E.  Clark,  and  which  is  today  the  most 
powerful  young  people's  movement  in  the  world.  "League," 
taken  from  the  "Epworth  League,"  which  is  the  name  of  the 


At  the  recent  World's  and  Interdenominational  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  Convention  in  1915  the  Allen  C.  E.  League 
reported  4.215  Leagues  with  a  membership  approximating 
150,000.  The  cardinal  principles  of  the  League  are:  1.  Con- 
fession of  Christ.  2.  Service  for  Christ.  3.  Fellowship  in 
Christ.     4.    Loyalty   to   Christ's   Church. 

Allen  University,  Columbia,  S.  C,  was  established  in 
December,  1880,  by  Bishop  W.  F.  Dickerson  and  Rev.  Bruce 
H.  Williams  and  others.  It  absorbed  Payne  Institute,  which 
had  been  established  at  Lakesbury,  in  1870.  Its  presidents 
have  been,  Rev.  J.  C.  Waters,  1881-85;  Prof.  J.  W.  Morris, 
1885-94,  1895-97;  Rev.  J.  S.  Johnson,  1894-95;  Rev.  W.  D. 
Chappelle,  1897-99;  Rev.  David  H.  Johnson,  1899-1904; 
Rev.  W.  D.  Johnson,  1904-08;  Rev.  W.  D.  Chappelle,  1908-12; 
Rev.  W.  W.  Beckett,  1912-16;  Rev.  R.  W.  Mance,  1916-. 
Courses  are  given  from  the  primary  classes  through  college 
course.  There  is  also  a  scientific  and  theological  depart- 
ment.    The   number  of  students   of   1916  was  686;  graduates 


ARNETT  HALL,  ALLEN  UNIVERSITY,  COLUMBIA.  S.  C. 


young  people's  organization  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  The  name  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League  stands 
for  church  loyalty,  interdenominational  fellowship  and  de- 
nominational pride.  In  1896  at  the  general  conference  at 
Wilmington,  N.  C,  the  Rev.  D.  P.  Roberts,  D.D.,  offered  a 
resolution  to  adopt  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  as  the 
official  young  people's  society  of  the  Church,  which  was  done. 
The  bishops  in  their  quadrennial  address  in  1900  recom- 
mended the  Christian  Endeavor  and  asked  that  a  young 
minister  be  selected  as  general  secretary,  and  Rev.  B.  W. 
Arnett.  Jr.,  was  appointed.  He  began  this  new  work  with- 
out salary  and  without  the  co-operation  of  the  majority  of 
the  ministers,  as  but  very  few  of  them  knew  anything  about 
the  work.  In  1904  Rev.  E.  J.  Gregg.  D.D.,  was  elected  sec- 
retary, and  the  general  conference  changed  the  name  to  "The 
Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League,"  and  a  pledge  and  con- 
stitution, better  adapted  to  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  were  adopt- 
ed, and  a  =alary  provided.  In  1908  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Julian  C.  Caldwell,  D.D.,  who  entered  enthusiastically  into 
the  work  and  traveled  extensively,  spending  from  seven  to 
eight  months  of  the  year  in  the  field.  He  published  literature 
for  the  Department,  including  a  monthly  paper,  "The  Allen 
Christian  Endeavorer,"  and  secured  general  recognition  of 
the  value  of  the  young  people's  work.  Under  his  adminis- 
tration new  Leagues  have  been  organized,  old  Leagues  re- 
vived and  thousands  of  young  people  enlisted  under  its  fold. 
Young  People's  Day  (Richard  Allen's  birthday)  and  Self- 
Denial  Week  have  been  made  vital  by  the  A.  C.  E.  League. 

19  289 


since    beginning,   980   the    most    distinguished    being   Bishop 
W.  D.  Chappelle;  buildings,  2;  acres,  58;  value  of  property, 
$180,000.    The    income 
two   years. 


eraged    about   $12,500   for   the    past 


Annual  Conference,  so  called  because  it  is  a  meeting 
which  takes  place  once  a  year.  In  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  it 
is  composed  of  all  the  traveling  elders,  deacons  and  licen- 
tiates, and  all  the  local  elders  and  local  deacons,  also  two 
laymen  from  each  district  conference  within  its  bounds. 
The  boundaries  are  set  by  the  General  Conference.  The 
business  of  an  annual  conference  is  judicial  and  adminis- 
trative and  not  legislative.  Reports  of  all  pastors  and  pre- 
siding elders  are  had,  young  preachers  are  examined  for 
admission,  for  ordination  and  in  their  studies;  deacons  and 
elders  are  elected  and  ordained;  the  character  of  ministers 
of  the  conference  is  examined;  finances  of  the  conference 
are  regulated;  the  appointments  of  the  preachers  made;  edu- 
cational and  missionary  anniversaries  held,  and  such  other 
business  as  may  relate  to  the  welfare  of  the  Church  within 
the  boundary  of  the  conference  is  transacted.  A  bishop 
appointed  by  the  General  Conference  presides,  and  is  held 
responsible  by  the  General  Conference  for  proper  adminis- 
tration of  the  law,  but  the  conference  elects  other  officers. 
Sessions  generally  are  held  from  Wednesday  to  Sunday 
night  at  a  time  selected  by  the  bishop  and  a  place  selected 
by  the  conference.  The  annual  conference  elects  ministerial 
delegates  to  the  General  Conference,  one  minister  for  every 


°s> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


thirty  members,  or  final  fraction  over  fifteen.  It  also  con- 
firms  the  election  of  lay  delegates  elected  at  least  three 
months  prior  by  the  electoral  lay  college. 

Annual  Conferences. — The  number  of  annual  confer- 
ences at  the  Centennial  (1916)  was  82;  71  in  the  United 
States,  2  in  West  Arfica,  5  in  South  Africa,  1  in  West  In- 
dies, 1  in  South  America,  2  in  Canada.  (For  their  boun- 
daries see  discipline. 

Annual  Conference  Boundaries  are  fixed  by  the  General 
Conference,  on  recommendation  of  a  committee  on  boun- 
daries. The  boundaries  are,  however,  usually  agreed  upon 
by  the  conferences  concerned  and  the  same  approved  by 
the   General  Conference. 

Antigua,  an  island  in  the  West  Indies,  a  dependency  of 
Great  Britain,  famed  as  the  first  place  in  America  in  which 
the  Methodist  doctrine  was  preached,  being  brought  from 
England  by  Nathaniel  Gilbert  and  two  of  his  Negro  servants, 
who  were  converted  and  baptized  by  John  Wesley  in  17S8. 
The  first  Methodist  class  in  the  new  world  was  formed  in 
this  island  in  1759,  out  of  black  people,  and  between  1774 
and  1778,  was  led  by  two  black  women.  Bishop  Derrick  and 
several  other  of  our  ministers  were  born  in  Antigua. 

Antinomianism. — The  name  given  to  doctrines  which 
claim  that  the  law  is  made  void  through  faith.  The  chief 
thought  is  that  Christ  abolished  the  moral  law,  hence 
Christians  are  not  obliged  to  observe  it.  This  doctrine 
has  done  a  great  deal  of  harm. 

Apostles'  Creed,  The,  is  as  follows  :  "I  believe  in  God  the 
Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth  ;  and  in  Jesus 
Christ,  His  only  Son  our  Lord,  who  was  conceived  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  suffered  under  Pon- 
tius Pilate,  was  crucified,  dead  and  buried;  He  descended 
into  hell;  the  third  day  He  rose  from  the  dead  ;  He  ascended 
into  heaven  and  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father 
Almighty ;  from  whence  He  shall  come  to  judge  the  quick  and 
the  dead.  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Holy  Catholic 
Church,  the  communion  of  saints,  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  the  life  everlasting. 
Amen."  This  creed  contains  the  essentials  of  Christian 
faith.  The  Catholic  Church  says  that  the  apostles  wrote 
the  creed  in  the  upper  room  at  Jerusalem,  each  contributing 
a  part;  but  this  is  probably  untrue.  The  creed  or  its  es- 
sentials probably  came  from  the  apostles  in  some  shape, 
and  is  of  such  great  antiquity  as  to  be  the  most  revered 
creed  to  the  Church.  It  is  accepted  by  Protestant  and 
Catholic  Churches,  but  the  term  "Catholic  Church"  in  the 
creed  does  not  mean  either  the  Greek  or  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church,  but  the  "Universal  Church." 

Apostolic  Succession. — This  doctrine  holds  that  "  a  min- 
istry can  trace  its  orders  back  through  Episcopal  hand  to 
the  Apostles."  Methodists  believe  this  to  be  erroneous. 
Why?     See  Discipline,  page  432,   1912. 

Appeals. — An  appeal  is  entered  when  one  is  not  satisfied 
that  the  law  has  been  properly  applied  in  his  case,  and 
asks  it  to  be  taken  to  a  higher  authority.  This  cannot  be 
denied  him,  as  the  right  of  appeal  is  fundamental  to  Meth- 
odism. A  member  tried  by  a  committee  may  appeal  to  the 
quarterly  conference,  thence  to  the  annual  conference,  thence 
to  the  general  conference,  which  has  the  final  decision. 

Arkansas  Annual  Conference  was  organized  1868  by  Bish- 
op Shorter,  and  embraced  all  of  the  State  of  Arkansas 
and  the  then  Indian  Territory.  There  were  at  that  time 
14  preachers,  16  churches,  valued  at  $2,359,  and  about  3,500 
members  and  450  Sunday-school  scholars.  To-day  the  same' 
territory  is  the  Twelfth  Episcopal  District  and  embraces  the 
Arkansas,  South  Arkansas,  East  Arkansas,  West  Arkansas, 
Oklahoma,  Northeast  Oklahoma  and  Central  Oklahoma  Con- 
ferences, having  about  500  ministers   and  40,000  members. 

Arkansas  Conference  (East). — In  1898  Bishop  Derrick  ad- 
vised the  division  of  Arkansas  forces  by  the  making  of  a 
new  conference.  A  committee  composed  of  Revs.  J.  W. 
Whitesides,  A.  A.  Williams,  F.  B.  Carolina,  H.  M.  Deaver,  J. 
M.  Murchison,  J.  W.  Walker,  W.  A.  J.  Phillips,  G.  G. 
Baker,  J.  I.  Lowe,  P.  W.  Wade,  E.  W.  Lampton  and  H.  C. 
Jones  was  appointed  on  division  and  conference  boundary. 
The  committee's  report,  which  was  unanimously  adopted, 
recommended  that  the  territory  covered  by  the  Clarendon, 


Helena  and  Redfield  Districts  be  set  apart  as  the  new  con- 
ference and  the  same  to  be  known  as  the  East  Arkansas 
Conference.  Thus  at  its  organization  the  conference  had 
three  districts,  namely:  Helena,  Rev.  A.  A.  Williams,  presid- 
ing elder;  Clarendon,  Rev.  J.  W.  Whitesides,  presiding  elder; 
and  Redfield,  Rev.  J.  I.  Lowe,  presiding  elder.  There  were 
3,360  members  with  37  organized  places  of  worship.  There 
were  33  traveling  elders,  17  traveling  deacons,  14  traveling  li- 
centiates, 6  local  elders,  16  local  deacons,  61  Sunday  schools, 
with  61  superintendents,  279  teachers  and  officers,  1,990 
scholars ;  dollar  money  collected  from  the  territory  the 
year   it   was   divided,  $1,159.75. 

Fifteen  years  later,  in  1913,  there  were  five  districts: 
Sherrill,  Rev.  W.  T.  Pope,  presiding  elder;  Helena,  Rev.  L.' 
S.  Overall,  presiding  elder;  Forrest  City,  Rev.  R.  C.  Hol- 
brooks,  presiding  elder;  Clarendon,  Rev.  J.  G.  Robinson,  pre- 
siding elder;  Marianna,  Rev.  B.  J.  Finney,  presiding  elder; 
6,861  members,  71  traveling  elders,  38  traveling  deacons,  15 
traveling  licentiates,  3  supernumeraries,  7  superannuates,  2 
local  elders,  17  local  deacons,  98  charges  with  136  preaching 
points.  Fifteen  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  fifty-six  dol- 
lars and  thirtv-four  cents  was  paid  for  pastors'  salaries, 
$694.66  for  benevolence,  $519.19  for  missions,  and  $3,199.08 
for  dollar  money.  The  conference  owns  church  property 
valued  at  $87,930.  Converts  reported  were  379  and  acces- 
sions 651.  Revs.  A.  H.  Hill,  O.  L.  Moody,  H.  S.  Graves 
and  P.  S.  Hill  received  assistance  while  attending  Wilber- 
force  University,  while  Revs.  L.  S.  Overall,  and  E.  C.  Fore- 
man were  assisted  through  Shorter,  graduating  with  B.  D. 
The  conference  has  furnished  one  general  officer — Dr.  J.  I. 
Lowe,  manager  of  the  Book  Concern,  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
1912-16,  one  college  president — Dr.  O.  L.  Moody,  president 
for  two  years  of  Shorter  College  ;  two  matrons,  of  Shorter, 
• — Miss  Janie  Wilson  and  Mrs.  M.  L.  Byrd  (the  present  in- 
cumbent) ;  Professors  O.  I.  Moppin  and  H.  J.  Lucas,  of  Shor- 
ter College,  and  Dr.  J.  N.  Campbell,  dean  of  theology,  are 
all   from   this    conference. 

The  bishops  who  have  presided  over  the  conference  ses- 
sions have  been:  Derrick,  1899;  Tvree,  1900-3;  Lee,  1904-7; 
Flipper,  1908-11;  Chappelle,  1912-15;  Conner,  1916—.  Begin- 
ning with  Marianna  in  1899,  the  conference  has  met  at  the 
following  places  in  successive  years  :  Holly  Grove,  Redfield, 
Brinkley,  Helena,  Forest  City,  Stuttgart,  Wynne,  Holly 
Grove,  Marianna,  Clarendon,  Forest  City,  Helena,  Brinkley, 
Stuttgart,  Holly  Grove  and  Helena.     (W.  T.  Pope,  historian.) 

Arminianism,  the  name  of  a  system  of  theology  followed 
by  most  Methodists,  promulgated  by  James  Arminius,  who 
was  born  in  1560  in  Holland  and  was  professor  in  Univer- 
sity of  Leyden  from  1603  till  his  death  in  1609.  The  essen- 
tials of  Arminianism  are  opposed  to  John  Calvin's  doctrine 
of  election  and  predestination,  Calvin  holding  that  persons 
are  elected  to  salvation  or  damnation  by  God  without  re- 
gard to  any  exercise  of  their  own  will.  Arminius  held  that 
election  was  only  because  of  the  omniscience  of  God  who 
foreknows  all  things,  but  was  primarily  based  upon  the 
foreknowlege  of  the  free  choice  or  rejection  of  salvation 
which  the  individuals  should  make.  This  doctrine  is  not 
only  philosophically  sound,  but  socially  for  more  serviceable 
than  Calvinism.  Still  Arminius  did  not  hold  that  man's 
salvation  is  due  entirely  to  man's  choice.  For  he  held  that 
man  in  a  sinful  state  cannot  come  to  God  except  through 
the  working  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Articles  of  Religion.— The  African  M.  E.  Church  has 
25  Articles  of  Religion,  as  follows:  I.  Of  Faith  in  The  Holy 
Trinitv;  II.  Of  the  Word  or  Son  of  God,  who  was  made 
very  Man;  III.  Of  the  Resurrection  of  Christ;  IV.  Of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  V.  The  Sufficiency  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for 
Salvation;  VI.  O  the  Old  Testament;  VII.  Of  Original  or 
Birth  Sin;  VIII.  Of  Free  Will;  IX.  Of  the  Justification  of 
Man  ;  X.  Of  Good  Works  ;  XI.  Of  Works  of  Supererogation  ; 
XII.  Of  Sin  after  Justification;  XIII.  Of  the  Church;  XIV.  Of 
Purgatory;  XV.  Of  Speaking  in  the  Congregation  in  Such 
a  Tongue  as  the  People  Understand;  XVI,  Of  the  Sacra- 
ments; XVII.  Of  Baptism;  XVIII.  Of  the  Lord's  Supper; 
XIX.  Of  Both  Kinds;  XX.  Of  the  one  Oblation  of  Christ, 
finished  upon  the  Cross;  XXI.  Of  the  Marriage  of  Min- 
isters; XXII.  Of  the  Rites  and  Ceremonies  of  Churches; 
XXIII.  Of  the  Rulers  of  the  United  States  of  America  ;  XXIV. 
Of  Christian  Men's  Goods;  XXV.  Of  a  Christian  Man's  Oath. 
These  articles  were  taken  by  Wesley  mainly  from  the  39 
articles  of  The  Anglican  (Episcopal)  Church.  For  the  full 
text,  see   the   discipline. 


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Assignment  of  Bishops,  1916-1920. — The  General  Confer- 
ence of  1916,  through  the  Episcopal  Committee,  made  the 
following  assignment  of  bishops  : 

To  the  First  Episcopal  District:  Philadelphia,  New  Jer- 
sey, New  York  and  New  England  Annual  Confer- 
ences, Presiding  Bishop,  Evans  Tyree,  M.  D.,  D.  D. 

To  the  Second  Episcopal  District:  Baltimore,  Virginia, 
North  Carolina  and  Western  North  Carolina  Con- 
ferences, Presiding  Bishop,  J.  Albert  Johnson,  D.  D. 

The  Third  Episcopal  District:  Ohio,  North  Ohio,  Pitts- 
burgh and  West  Virginia  Conferences,  Presiding 
Bishop,  C.  T.  Shaffer,  D.  D.,  M.  D. 

The  Fourth  Episcopal  District :  Indiana,  Illinois,  Chica- 
go, Kentucky  and  West  Kentucky  Conferences,  Pre- 
siding Bishop,  Levi  J.  Coppin,  D.  D. 

The  Fifth  Episcopal  District :  Missouri,  North  Missouri, 
Kansas,  Colorado,  California  and  Puget  Sound 
Conferences,   Presiding  Bishop,  H.   B.   Parks,  D.   D. 

The  Sixth  Episcopal  District:  Georgia,  North  Georgia, 
Macon,  Atlanta,  Southwest  Georgia,  South  Georgia 
and  Augusta  Conferences,  Presiding  Bishop,  Joseph 
S.    Flipper,    D.    D. 


The  Ninth  Episcopal  District:  Tennessee,  West  Tennes- 
see, East  Tennessee,  Alabama,  North  Alabama,  East 
Alabama,  Central  Alabama  and  South  Alabama 
Conferences,  Presiding  Bishop,  B.  F.  Lee,  D.  D. 

The  Tenth  Episcopal  District:  Texas,  West  Texas, 
Northeast  Texas,  Central  Texas  and  Southwest 
Texas  Conferences,  Presiding  Bishop,  J.  H.  Jones, 
D.  D. 

The  Eleventh  Episcopal  District:  Florida,  East  Florida, 
South  Florida,  Central  Florida,  West  Florida  and 
Middle  Florida  Conferences,  Presiding  Bishop,  John 
Hurst,  D.  D. 

The  Twelfth  Episcopal  District :  Arkansas,  West  Ar- 
kansas, South  Arkansas,  East  Arkansas,  Oklahoma, 
Central  Oklahoma  and  Northeast  Oklahoma  Con 
ferences,  Presiding  Bishop,  J.  M.  Conner,  D.  D. 

The  Thirteenth  Episcopal  District:  Liberia  and  Sierra 
Leone  Conferences,  Presiding  Bishop,  Isaac  N. 
Ross,  D.  D. 

The  Fourteenth  Episcopal  District:  Cape  Colony,  Trans- 
vaal, Orange  River,  Zambesi  and  Natal  Conferences, 
Presiding  Bishop,  W.  W.  Beckett,  D.  D. 


ST.  JAMES  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  ATLANTIC  CITY,  N.  J. 
Rev.  H.  P.  Anderson,  D.  D.,  Pastor. 


The  Seventh  Episcopal  District :  South  Carolina,  Colum- 
bia, Northeast  South  Carolina,  Piedmont  and  Pal- 
metto Conferences,  Presiding  Bishop,  W.  D.  Chap- 
pelle,  D.  D. 

The  Eighth  Episcopal  District:  Mississippi,  North  Mis- 
sissippi, Northeast  Mississippi,  Central  Mississippi, 
East  Mississippi,  Northwest  Mississippi,  Louisiana 
and  North  Louisiana  Conferences,  Presiding  Bishop, 
William  H,  Heard,  D.  D. 


The  Fifteenth  Episcopal  District:  Bermuda,  Nova  Sco- 
tia, Ontario,  Michigan,  West  Indies  and  South 
America  Conferences,  Presiding  Bishop,  C.  S.  Smith, 
D.  D.,  M.  D. 

Bishop  Benjamin  Tucker  Tanner,  D.  D.,  to  remain  on 
superannuated  or  retired  list  of  Bishops. 

Avery  Fund. — Charles   Avery,  a   merchant   and   minister 
in  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church.    In  1849  he  gave  funds 


291 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


•e 


to  establish  Avery  Institute  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  from  which 
Bishop  Tanner  graduated.  He  also  gave  a  considerable  sum 
to  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Pittsburgh,  from  which  it  now 
has  an  income  of  about  $3,000  per  year;  also  gave  $10,000 
to  YVilberforce,  and  was  a  liberal  contributor  to  the  educa- 
tional and  religious  work  of  the  Negro  and  especially  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  left  funds  for  12  scholarships  ex- 
clusively for  young  Negroes  in  the  University  of  Pittsburgh, 
but  we  are  sorry  to  say  these  have  not  been  all  taken. 


Baltimore  Annual  Conference,  The,  was,  according  to 
Bishop  Handy,  first  held  at  the  house  of  Nicholas  Gil- 
liard  on  Low  St.,  Baltimore,  April  12,  1817.  Bishop  Allen 
presided  and  his  son,  Richard  Allen,  Jr.,  was  secretary.  The 
appointments  were :  Henry  Harden,  Baltimore ;  David 
Smith,  Prince  George  County,  Md.;  Herculean  Shureman, 
Frederick  Road,  Md.  Daniel  Coker  was  left  without  ap- 
pointment on  account  of  damaging  rumors.  The  next  ses- 
sion was  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Williams.  Bishop  Allen 
presided  and  there  were  present  Revs.  Harden,  Jacob  Mat- 
thews, David  Smith,  Edward  Waters,  Abner  Coker,  Jacob 
Richardson,  Joseph  Clare,  Charles  Pierce  as  members,  and 
Jacob  Tapsico  and  William  Cousins,  as  visitors. 

Bands. — The  weekly  meeting  of  two  or  three  persons 
together  for  the  purpose  of  reading  Scripture,  prayer,  re- 
lating experiences  and  rigorous  personal  examination  was 
called  a  band  meeting  and  was  especially  useful  in  early 
Methodism  in  promoting  a  deep  spiritual  life.  The  bands 
are  never  mixed — they  are  all  men  or  all  women.  Among 
the  directions  of  band  members /are:  Not  to  buy  or  sell  on 
the  Lord's  Day;  to  taste  no  spirituous  liquors,  unless  pre- 
scribed by  a  physician ;  not  to  mention  the  faults  of  any 
one  behind  his  "back;  to  wear  no  needless  ornaments;  to 
use  no  needless  self-indulgence  ;  zealously  to  maintain  good 
works,  and  "constantly  to  attend  on  all  the  ordinances  of 
God." 

Baptism  is  the  application  of  water  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit,  to  one  presenting  himself  to 
the  Church.  "It  is  not  only  a  sign  of  profession  and  mark 
of  difference,  whereby  Christians  are  distinguished  from 
others  that  are  not  baptised,  but  it  is  also  a  sign  of  regen- 
eration, or  the  new  birth."  Baptism  is  essentially  by  Christ, 
and  generally  recognized  as  essential  by  Christian  Churches. 
Methodists  prescribe  no  particular  mode,  putting  more  em- 
phasis on  the  spiritual  condition  than  the  physical  act. 
The  usual  modes  are  sprinkling,  pouring  and  immersing. 
Sprinkling  and  pouring  are  most  generally  used  by  us. 

Benediction,  from  Latin  words,  "bene"  and  "dicere," 
meaning  to  speak  well  of,  a  blessing,  is  the  invocation  of 
the  favor  and  blessings  of  God.  St.  Paul  used  the 
benediction  frequently  in  his  letters.  The  benediction 
is  always  used  at  the  close  of  the  service.  Methodists 
usually  give  the  benediction  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
Son  and  Holy  Ghost.  II.  Corinthians,  xiii,  14,  is  called  the 
Apostolic  Benediction. 

Bethel  means  "House  of  God,"  from  two  Hebrew  words, 
"Beth"  and  "El"  (See  Genesis  xxviii,  16-19).  Bethel  was 
the  name  given  to  the  house  of  worship  first  erected  by 
Richard  Allen  and  his  followers  in  Philadelphia  in  1794. 
Bethel  was  the  name  given  to  the  first  African  Methodist 
Church  in  Baltimore,  also  the  first  in  New  York  and  various 
other  places.  On  this  account  for  many  years  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  was  called  the  "Bethel  Connection."  Even  at  this 
day  "Bethel"  is  appropriately  the  most  popular  name  for 
churches  in  our  connection.  Nearly  every  large  city  has  a 
"Bethel." 

Bishops  are  the  head  of  the  African  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  as  of  all  Episcopal  Churches.  A  bishop  is 
elected  by  ballot  at  the  general  conference,  "provided  he 
shall  be  blameless  in  character  and  qualifications,"  and 
"consecrated  to  the  office  of  a  bishop  by  the  imposition  of 
the  hands  of  a  bishop  and  six  elders."  He  presides  over 
conferences  and  connectional  boards  and  is  general  super- 
intendent directly  of  the  work  in  the  district  to  which  he 
is  appointed  by  the  general  conference,  and  in  council  with 
other  bishops  of  the  whole  work  of  the  Church.  Bishops 
ordain  men  elected  to  the  orders;  and  after  counsel  with  pre- 
siding  elders,   appoint  pastors   to   their   charges.    They   are 


ordered  to  travel  at  large  through  their  Episcopal  districts, 
and  held  accountable  for  the  strict  enforcement  of  the 
discipline  within  these  districts.  At  the  general  conference 
they  must  give  an  accounting  to  the  Episcopal  Committee 
and  their  character  must  be  passed  by  the  general  con- 
ference before  they  can  be  assigned.  A  bishop's  assignment 
is  from  general  conference  to  general  conference,  a  period 
of  four  years  ;  but  he  may  be  returned  for  a  second  or  third 
term  if  the  conference  sees  fit.  The  first  bishop  elected  for 
superintendence  was  Richard  Allen,  who  was  set  apart  for 
the  episcopal  office  April  11,  1816.  Since  that  time  we  have 
elected  and  set  apart  for  this  office  41  bishops,  16  of  whom 
are  living,  IS  active  and  1  retired.  The  names  of  the 
bishops  are  as  follows:  (1)  Richard  Allen*;  (2)  Morris 
Brown*;  (3)  Edward  Waters*;  (4)  Paul  Quinn*;  (5)  Willis 
Nazrey*;  (6)  Daniel  A.  Payne*;  (7)  A.  W.  Wayman* ;  (8)  J. 
P.  Campbell*;  (9)  James  A.  Shorter*;  (10)  T.  M.  D.  Ward*; 
(11)  J.  M.  Brown*;  (12)  H.  M.  Turner*;  (13)  W.  F.  Dicker- 
son*;  (14)  Richard  H.  Cain*;  (IS)  R.  R.  Disney*;  (16)  W.  J. 
Gaines*;  (17)  B.  W.  Arnett*;  (18)  B.  T.  Tannerf;  (19)  A. 
Grant*;  (20)  B.  F.  Lee;  (21)  M.  B.  Salter*;  (22)  James  A. 
Handy*;  (23)  W.  B.  Derrick*;  (24)  J.  H.  Armstrong*;  (25)  J. 
C.  Embry*;  (26)  Evans  Tyree ;  (27)  M.  M.  Moore*;  (28)  C. 
S.  Smith;  (29)  C.  T.  Shaffer;  (30)  L.  T.  Coppin ;  (31)  E.  W. 
Lampton*;  (32)  H.  B.  Parks;  (33)  J.  S.  Flipper;  (34)  J.  A. 
Johnson;  (35)  W.  H.  Heard;  (36)  John  Hurst;  (37)  W.  D. 
Chappelle;  (38)  J.  H.  Jones;  (39)  J.  M.  Conner;  (40)  W.  W. 
Beckett;   (41)    I.  N.   Ross.     [*Deceased.     fRetired.] 

Bishops'  Council  is  a  meeting  of  the  bishops  to  consider 
the  work  of  the  Church.  There  was  no  specific  law  creat- 
ing this  council;  but  in  1852  the  three  bishops,  Quinn,  Naz- 
rey and  Payne,  met  to  confer  about  the  supervision  of  the 
work,  which  was  divided  into  three  districts.  The  council 
has  grown  to  be  a  sort  of  general  conference  ad  interim,  and 
exercises  great  influence.  There  are  two  meetings —  a  sum- 
mer meeting  usually  at  YVilberforce  University,  Ohio,  at 
commencement,  and  a  mid-winter  meeting  in  February, 
usually  in  some  Southern  city.  The  council  is  attended  by 
hundreds  of  ministers  and  laymen,  though  they  cannot  enter 
the  meetings,  which  as  a  rule  are  behind  closed  doors. 

Bishops'  Widows. — The  widows  of  bishops  receive  a 
pension  from  the  Church  of  $25  per  month,  paid  by  the 
financial  department,  provided  they  retain  their  widowhood 
and   membership   in   the   A.    M.   E.   Church. 

Blacksmith  Shop. — Richard  Allen  purchased  a  discarded 
blacksmith  shop  and  moved  it  upon  the  lot  at  Sixth  and 
Lombard  Streets,  repaired  it  and  dedicated  it  as  Bethel 
Church.  No  blacksmith  business  was  ever  conducted  upon 
the  ground  where  Bethel  Church  is  located,  so  far  as  we 
know,  and  Richard  Allen  was  not  a  blacksmith. 

Boards,  General.— Each  department  is  under  a  general 
Board,  made  up  as  a  rule  of  one  member  from  each  Epis- 
copal District.  Each  board  is  presided  over  by  a  bishop. 
The  principal  boards  meet  once  per  year  to  examine  the 
accounts  and  general  condition  of  the  department,  and  serve 
whatever  other  interests  they  may.  The  Bishops'  Council 
appoints  the  Publication  and  Allen  Christian  Endeavor 
Boards,  which  need  no  confirmation  by  the  General  Con- 
ference; the  bishops  nominate  the  Church  Extension  Board, 
and  Sunday-School  Union  Board.  The  Financial  Board  is 
elected  by  the  General  Conference  without  special  nomina- 
tion by  the  Bishops'  Council.  The  general  boards  as  at 
present  constituted  are  as   follows  : 

Publication  Board— Bishop  Evans  Tyree,  president:  Rev. 
H.  H.  Cooper,  Rev.  R.  B.  Smith,  Rev.  C.  C.  Dunlap, 
Rev.  S.  S.  Morris,  Rev.  C.  H.  Murray,  Rev.  R.  H. 
Bumry,  Mr.  Moses  Johnson,  Dr.  W.  A.  Sinclair,  Mr. 
Blair. 

Board  of  Missions— Bishop  J.  A.  Johnson,  president: 
First  District,  Rev.  R.  J.  Williams  ;  Second  District, 
Rev.  E.  H.  Hunter;  Third  District,  Rev.  R.  R.  Downs; 
Fourth  District,  Rev.  J.  P.  Q.  Wallace;  Fifth  Dis- 
trict, Rev.  N.  C.  Buren  ;  Sixth  District,  Rev.  W.  O.  P. 
Sherman;  Seventh  District,  Rev.  D.  H.  Johnson; 
Eighth  District,  Rev.  C.  E.  Brooks;  Ninth  District, 
;  Tenth  District,  Rev.  C.  W.  Abington ;  Elev- 
enth District,  Rev.  S.  A.  Harris;  Twelfth  District, 
Rev.  C.  R.  Tucker;  Thirteenth  District,  Rev.  A.  L. 
Brisbane;  Fourteenth  District,  ;  Fifteenth  Dis- 


trict, Rev.  C.  E.  Allen. 


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Financial  Board — Bishop  B.  F.  Lee,  president:  First  Dis- 
trict, Rev.  M.  W.  Thornton;  Second  District,  Rev. 
A.  L.  Gaines;  Third  District,  Rev.  T.  H.  Jackson; 
Fourth  District,  Rev.  A.  J.  Carey;  Fifth  District,  Rev. 
J.  R.  Ransom;  Sixth  District,  Rev.  S.  D.  Roseboro; 
Seventh  District,  Rev.  R.  W.  Mance;  Eighth  District, 

Rev.  W.  H.  Edwards;   Ninth   District,  — ;  Tenth 

District,  Rev.  S.  J.  Johnson  ;  Eleventh  District,  Rev. 
J.  E.  Starks  ;  Twelfth  District,  Rev.  J.  D.  Dennis,  Thir- 
teenth District,  Rev.  H.  M.  Steady;  Fourteenth  Dis- 
trict,   ;  Fifteenth  District,  Rev.  J.  VV.  Sanders. 

Board  of  Education — Bishop  W.  D.  Chappelle,  president: 
First  District,  Rev.  H.  P.  Anderson;  Second  District, 
Rev.  K.  C.  Holt;  Third  District,  Rev.  W.  H.  H.  But- 
ler; Fourth  District,  Rev.  O.  E.  Jones;  Fifth  District, 
Rev.  J.  H.  Wilson;  Sixth  District,  Rev.  P.  W.  Great- 
heart.;  Seventh  District,  Rev.  Sandy  Simmons; 
Eighth    District.    Mr.    L.    A.    Lacey ;    Ninth    District, 

;  Tenth  District,  Mr.  L.  B.  Kincheon  ;  Eleventh 

District,  Rev.  G.  W.  Hawkins;  Twelfth  District,  Rev. 
O.  L.  Moody;  Thirteenth  District,  Rev.  J.  P.  Rich- 
ards; Fourteenth  District,  Mr.  W.  H.  Fortuin ;  Fif- 
teenth  District,   Rev.  James    M.   Henderson. 

Board  of  Sunday-School  Union — Bishop  J.  S.  Flipper, 
president:  Rev.  T.  J.  Askew,  Rev.  M.  S.  Bryant,  Rev. 
A.  P.  Gray;  Rev.  J.  A.  Hadley,  Mr.  Levi  Adams,  Mr. 
Jeff  Rhodes,  Mr.  Richard  Hill. 

Board  of  Church  Extension — Bishop  W.  H.  Heard,  presi- 
dent: First  District,  Rev.  C.  P.  Cole;  Second  District, 
Rev.  A.  J.  Wilson  ;  Third  District,  Rev.  Charles  Bun- 
dy;  Fourth  District,  Rev.  J.  H.  Sydes  ;  Fifth  District, 
Rev.  W.  H.  Peck;  Sixth  District,  Rev.  J.  T.  Hall;  Sev- 
enth  District,   Rev.   Lee   A.   Logan ;    Eighth   District, 

Rev.  F.  R.  C.  Durden  ;  Ninth  Distriet,  ;  Tenth 

District,  Rev.  G.  B.  Young;  Eleventh  District,  Rev. 
J.  M.  Wise ;  Twelfth  District,  Rev.  James  Jones ; 
Thirteenth  District,  Mr.  George  Herring;  Fourteenth 
Rev.  P.  S.  Kuze ;  Fifteenth  District,  Rev.  W.  H.  Jones. 

Board  of  Western  Christian  Recorder — Bishop  I.  N. 
Ross,  president:  First  District,  Rev.  H.  H.  Pinckney; 
Second  District,  Rev.  C.  G.  Taylor;  Third  District, 
Rev.  T.  D.  Scott;  Fourth  District,  Mr.  W.  A.  Stewart; 
Fifth  District,  Rev.  A.  A.  Gilbert;  Sixth  District, 
Rev.  E.  Griggs ;  Seventh  District,  Rev.  D.  J.  Turpin ; 
Eight   District,   Rev.    M.   C.   Wright;   Ninth    District, 

;   Tenth    District,   Rev.   W.   J.   Laws;    Eleventh 

District,  Rev.  R.  B.  Brooks;  Twelfth  District,  Rev. 
H.    Scott;   Thirteenth    District,    Mr.   T.    W.    Haynes ; 

Fourteenth   District,  ;   Fifteenth   District,  Rev. 

D.    P.   Tolbert. 

Board  of  the  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League — Bishop 
J.  M.  Conner,  president;  Rev.  H.  E.  Stewart,  Rev.  W. 
S.  Brooks,  Rev.  I.  J.  Pruitt,  Rev.  A.  Thomas,  Rev. 
P.  C.  Hunt,  Rev.  D.  M.  Baxter,  George  Carter  (Fif- 
teenth   District). 

Board  of  Historical  and  Literary  Societies — Bishop  W. 
W.  Beckett,  president:  First  District,  Rev.  H.  K. 
Spearman;  Second  District,  Rev.  R.  H.  W.  Leak; 
Third  District,  Rev.  P.  A.  Scott;  Fourth  District,  Rev. 
J.  W.  Frazier ;  Fifth  District,  Rev.  J.  Logan  Craw; 
Sixth  District,  Rev.  M.  T.  Robinson ;  Seventh  Dis- 
trict, Rev.   P.  J.   Chavis ;   Eighth   District,   Rev.   I.   B. 

Grandison ;    Ninth    District,    ;    Tenth    District, 

Mr.  J.  A.  Kirk;  Eleventh  District,  Rev.  W.  R.  White- 
hurst;  Twelfth  District,  Rev.  P.  W.  De  Lisle;  Thir- 
teenth District,  Mr.  W.  I.  Cole  ;  Fourteenth  District, 
Rev.  J.  Y.  Tantsi;  Fifteenth  District,  Rev.  J.  P. 
James. 

Board  of  Southern  Christian  Recorder — Bishop  J.  H. 
Jones,  president;  First  District,  Rev.  B.  W.  Arnett; 
Second  District,  Rev.  G.  D.  Carnes  ;  Third  District, 
Rev.  J.  A.  Collins  ;  Fourth  District,  Rev.  D.  C.  Carter, 
Fifth  District,  Rev.  R.  L.  Pope;  Sixth  District,  Rev. 
C.  J.  Jones  ;  Seventh  District,  Rev.  C.  L.  Henderson  ; 
Eighth   District,   Rev.   S.   W.   White;   Ninth   District, 

;  Tenth   District,   Rev.   H.   S.  Simms ;   Eleventh 

District,  Rev.  H.  E.  Daniels;  Twelfth  District,  Rev. 
W.   T.   Pope;   Thirteenth   District,   Rev.   A.   F.   Holt; 

Fourteenth   District,  ;   Fifteenth   District,  Rev. 

Austin   Richardson. 

Book  Concern  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  The,  was  provided 
for  in  the  first  discipline  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  which 
stated  that  the  profits  from  the  same  should  go  for  the 
support   of   superannuated   preachers    and   widows    and    or- 


phans of  deceased  ministers.  But  at  that  time  it  was  no 
more  than  a  book  agency.  In  1817  the  first  discipline  was 
published,  and  in  1832  a  second  was  published.  A  hymn 
book  was  published  in  1818  and  another  in  1835.  Bishop 
Allen  was  first  general  steward.  In  1835  Joseph  M.  Corr 
reported  as  general  book  steward  that  he  had  printed  1,000 
copies  of  the  discipline  and  bound  500,  also  1,000  hymn  books, 
2,000  minutes  at  a  cost  of  about  $600.  He  had  sold  $300 
worth  of  hymnals  and  disciplines  and  "had  succeeded  in 
getting  through  with  all  this  huge  debt,  and  had  on  hand 
clear  of  all  contingencies  $60,  with  which  to  commence  the 
Publishing  Fund."  James  M.  Corr  died  October,  1835,  and 
was  succeeded  by  George  Hogarth  (see  sketch).  The  Book 
Concern  was  moved  from  Philadelphia  to  New  York.     Here 


THE  A.    M.   E.   BOOK   CONCERN 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

it  had  a  more  or  less  precarious  time.  In  1845  it  is  reported 
that  "the  condition  of  the  Book  Concern  is  painful."  Mr. 
Hogarth  was  succeeded  by  Augustus  N.  Green,  and  he  by 
M.  M.  Clark  in  1852.  W.  T.  Catto  was  general  book  steward 
from  1852  to  1854,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  P. 
Campbell.  Other  book  stewards  were  Elisha  Weaver,  1860 
-68;  Joshua  A.  Woodlin,  A.  L.  Stanford  and  B.  T.  Tanner, 
1868-72;  W.  H.  Hunter,  1872-76;  H.  M.  Turner,  1876-80;  T 
Gould,  1880-84;  J.  C.  Embry,  1884-96;  T.  W.  Henderson,  1896 
1900;  R.  H.  W.  Leak,  1900-02;  J.  H.  Collett,  1902-09;  R.  R. 
Wright,  Jr.,  1909-12;  J.  I.  Lowe,  1912-16;  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr., 
since  August  18,  1916.  The  Book  Concern  was  located  in 
Pittsburgh  in  1848,  removed  to  Philadelphia  in  1852,  and 
given  its  present  location,  631  Pine  Street,  in  1866.  The  pres- 
ent structure  was  built  by  J.  C.  Embry  in  1892.  It  is  a  three- 
story  building  with  a  two-story  back  building  and  cemented 
basement,  size  18  ft.  x  100  ft.  The  front  basement  is  used  as 
a  store  room  and  wholesale  shipping  room,  and  the  rear  as 
a  boiler  room.  The  first  floor  contains  retail  book  store, 
manager's  office  and  office  for  bookkeeper  and  Christian 
Recorder  mailing  department,  also  bindery  department;  in 
the  rear  is  the  press  room,  containing  two  cylinder  presses 
for  book  work  and  the  Recorder,  two  job  presses,  one  folder, 
one  paper  cutter,  one  stitcher,  all  run  by  electric  power. 
The  second  floor  contains  the  office  of  the  editors  of  the 
Christian  Recorder  and  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Review,  and  the  com- 
posing room  in  which  are  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of 
printing  materials,  including  a  linotype  of  the  best  make. 
On  the  third  floor  is  an  assembly  room  used  for  the  Phila- 
delphia Preachers'  Meeting,  board  and  committee  meetings. 
The   publications    of    the    Book   Concern    are   the    Christian 


293 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Recorder,  Review,  discipline,  hymn  books,  polity,  Digest  of 
Theology  and  other  books,  blanks,  etc.,  necessary  for  the 
work  of  the  Church. 

The  income  of  the  Book  Concern  since  1836,  as  nearly 
as  can  be  ascertained  from  reports  is  as  follows,  under  each 
business  manager: 

George   Hogarth,   1836-1840    $1,954.11 

1840-1844   2,168.00 

1844-1848   8,407.58 

Total    12,529.69 

A.  R.  Green,  1848-1852   11,585.47 

W.  T.  Catto,  M.  M.  Clarke  and  J.  P.  Campbell, 

1852-1856    3,995.80 

J.    P.    Campbell,    1856-1860    6,449.57 

Elisha   Weaver,    1860-1864    7,410.26 

1864-1868    29,149.86 

J.  Woodlin,  A.  L.   Stanford  and  B.  T.  Tanner, 

1868-1872 25,275.47 

W.   H.   Hunter.    1872-1876 41.368.69 

H.  M.  Turner,  1876-1880  50,142.27 

T.    Gould,    1880-1884    63,139.65 

J.  C.  Embry,  1884-1888   49.123.49 

1888-1892   55,597.86 

1892-1896   67.876.46 

T.  W.  Henderson,   1896-1900    65,811.27 

R.  H.  W.  Leak  and  J.   H.  Collett,   1900-1504 

J.   H.    Collett,    1904-1908    

J.  H.  Collett  and  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr.,  1908-1912  . .  63,702.25 

J.   I.   Lowe,   1912-1916    53,161.24 

Borrowing. — The  discipline  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  dis- 
courages borrowing  money  and  specifically  borrowing  by 
ministers  without  the  probability  of  paying.  It  should  be  a 
rule  of  every  man's  life  not  to  borrow,  except  under  absolute 
necessity.  Pride,  ambition,  self  indulgence  and  the  desire  to 
make  a  show  should  never  force  persons  to  borrow.  And 
no  person  should  indulge  in  luxuries  or  extravagances  as 
long  as  he  is  in  debt. 

Boston,  Mass. — The  First  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  more  generally  known  as  "The  Charles  Street  A. 
M.  E.  Church,"  was  organized  in  Boston  in  1833.  Its  found- 
er was  Noah  C.  W.  Cannon,  a  man  of  piety  and  capability; 
the  church  was  first  located  in  the  West  End,  on  a  street 
named  Belnap;  it  afterwards  occupied  the  following  sites: 
West  Cedar  Street,  Cambridge  Street,  North  Russel  Street, 
then  to  Anderson  Street,  from  which  place  it  moved  to  its 
present  house  of  worship  at  the  corner  of  Charles  and 
Mount  Vernon  Streets,  December  15,  1876.  The  member- 
ship at  this  time  was  about  200  persons.  The  church  build- 
ing and  ground,  which  is  just  below  Beacon  Hill  and  the 
State  House,  a  block  and  a  half  from  the  beautiful  Charles 
River  basin  and  the  same  in  another  direction  from  the 
historic  public  gardens,  includes  a  pipe  organ,  the  first  in- 
stalled in  any  church  in  Boston,  magnificent  oak  pews  and 
other  furnishings,  was  purchased  from  the  Charles  Street 
Baptist  Society  for  the  sum  of  $40,000  .The  undertaking 
was  a  stupendous  one  for  this  small  number.  Rev.  William 
H.  Hunter  was  the  pastor.  Rev.  Ebenezer  T.  Williams  paid 
off  the  mortgage  on  the  church  building  on  Anderson  Street, 
and  opened  the  way  for  the  larger  venture.  Rev.  Josesph 
P.  Shreves,  the  next  pastor,  looking  to  the  future  of  the 
society,  began  a  sinking  fund,  held  a  rally,  raised  the  sum 
of  $3,050.50,  which  was  deposited  in  the  bank  for  the  pur- 
chasing of  a  new  church.  Rev.  William  H.  Hunter  took 
charge  about  this  time  and  within  six  months  had  launched 
plans  for  the  purchase  of  the  present  property.  The  proper- 
ty on  Anderson  Street  was  mortgaged  for  $6,000,  which 
with  the  sinking  fund  made  a  total  of  $9,050.50;  it  was  re- 
solved to  raise  $10,000  for  the  first  payment  on  the  indebt- 
edness ;  the  good  women  led  off  in  the  endeavor.  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Clinton  pledged  the  sum  of  $50,  also  Mrs.  Rosetta 
Allston,  Mrs.  Collins,  Mrs.  Richardson,  Mrs.  Rutli  Hill,  Mrs. 
Mary  Thomas  and  others  contributed  like  sums,  which  with 
the  aid  of  other  friends  succeeded  in  making  the  grand  total. 
Dr.  J.  T.  Jenifer,  who  served  this  congregation  as  pastor 
from  1881  to  1887,  in  the  year  1882,  raised  and  paid  $22,000 
on  the  property;  this  is  probably  the  largest  amount  ever 
raised   at   one   time   by   any   church   in   the   connection. 

A  charter  was  granted  the  society  in  1839  by  the  Legisla- 
ture, the  same  signed  by  the  Speaker  of  the  House,  the  Hon. 
Edward  Hale.    In  the  early  history  of  this  church  the  Ne- 


groes of  Boston  were  only  allowed  to  occupy  the  first 
two  rows  in  the  gallery  on  the  Charles  Street  side  during 
the  services.  Now  they  own  the  building.  Wendell  Phillips, 
William  Lloyd  Garrison,  Dr.  E.  E.  Hale,  General  Ben.  But- 
ler, Phillips  Brooks,  W.  H.  Foote,  Brook  Hereford,  Dr.  Dura 
and  other  notables  of  world-wide  fame  have  been  a  part  of 
this  congregation  and  contributed  some  of  the  best  service 
in  times  past.  In  its  history  and  within  her  walls  the 
"Boston  Associated  Charity  Society"  was  organized.  "The 
St.  Andrew's  Church"  was  born  here,  as  well  as  the  great 
"Tremont  Temple"  and  its  mighty  following  of  the  pres- 
ent. Four  of  its  pastors  have  served  as  general  officers 
in  the  great  connection  of  which  it  is  a  part,  viz.,  Theodore 


CHARLES  STREET  A.   M.  E.  CHURCH,  BOSTON,  MASS. 

Gould,  T.  W.  Henderson,  J.  T.  Jenifer,  and  Reverdy  C.  Ran- 
som. Two  have  also  been  elevated  to  the  bishopric — Revs. 
J.  P.  Campbell  and  W.  F.  Dickerson.  Other  able  ministers 
have  served  this  congregation  adding  to  its  advancement 
and  prosperity,  namely,  Father  Johnson,  R.  F.  Hurley,  D.  P. 
Roberts,  W.  H.  Thomas,  Sr„  R.  W.  Fickland,  J.  M.  Hender- 
son, W.  H.  Thomas,  Jr.,  and  the  present  incumbent,  Mon- 
trose William  Thornton.  Under  Dr.  Thornton's  adminis- 
tration the  mortgage  had  been  reduced  and  electric  lights 
installed.  Charles  Street  Church  is  considered  the  leading 
church  among  the  Negroes  in  New  England.  Its  present 
trustees  are  Samuel  Griffin,  vice  chairman;  James  H.  Haw- 
kins, secretary;  Dr.  William  Worthy,  treasurer;  William  C. 
Lovett,  S.  M.  Hoxter,  Theodore  Gould,  Jr.,  E.  P.  Tucker,  J. 
D.  Augustine  and  G.  A.  Bisbee.  Its  membership  includes 
some  of  the  leading  and  most  representative  men  and 
women  of  Boston,  many  of  whom  are  in  business  and  profes- 
sional service  and  are  large  property  owners.  Its  present 
membership  is  649,  seating  capacity,  1,140.    It  has  16  classes, 


294 


°s> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


3° 


16  auxiliary  societies,  4  local  preachers,  parsonage,  raised 
in  1914,  $7,100.  It  contains  a  bell  and  has  stood  intact  as 
it  is  on  one  present  foundation  108  years,  owned  and  occu- 
pied by  the  present  congregation  39  years. 

"Both  Kinds." — The  Roman  Catholics  do  not  give  the 
wine  of  the  Lord's  Supper  to  the  laity,  but  only  the  bread; 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  as  most  Protestant  Churches,  gives  it 
in  "both  kinds"  to  laity,  namely,  the  bread  and  wine,  in  ac- 
cordance   with    the   Scriptural   injunction. 

British  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  The,  grew  out  of 
the    A.    M.    E.    Church.     The    preachers    of    the    A.    M.    E. 


and  expenditures  for  six  months.  The  plan  met  with  gen- 
eral favor,  and  the  financial  board  at  its  meeting,  April, 
1881,  ordered  him  to  print  an  annual  report  and  such  other 
matter  as  he  thought  best  for  the  information  of  the 
ministry  and  membership.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the 
"Budgets."  Later  the  budgets  contained  much  information 
of  the  history  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  other  Churches 
under  the  control  of  the  Race,  and  other  facts  relating  to 
the  Race,  Church  and  country,  arranged  in  such  a  form  that 
the  minister  could  convey  them  to  his  congregation.  "Bud- 
gets" appeared  in  1881,  '82,  '83,  '84,  '85,  '86,  '87,  '88,  '91,  1901 
and   1904. 


PASTOR  AND  OFFICERS  OF  BRIDGE  STREET  A.  M.  E  .   CHURCH,  BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


Church  went  early  to  Canada,  where  many  fugitive  slaves 
had  gone,  and  there  the  Church  grew.  In  1840  the  Upper 
Canada  Conference  was  organized  by  Bishop  Morris  Brown 
at  Toronto.  But  the  question  of  difference  in  political  al- 
legiance arose  and  it  was  thought  best  to  form  a  separate 
Church  out  of  the  Canada  societies,  and  in  1855  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  look  into  the  matter.  In  1856  the  B.  M.  E. 
Church  was  set  apart  and  Bishop  Nazrey,  who  was  a  British 
subject,  was  elected  its  bishop.  Bishop  Nazrey  died  in  1875 
and  was  succeeded  by  Bishop  Disney.  In  1884  a  reunion 
with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  took  place  and  Bishop  Disney 
became  one  of  our  bishops.  All  of  the  Canadian  B.  M.  E. 
churches,  however,  did  not  come  with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
and   a   small   British   M.  E.  Church   still   exists. 


Calvinism. — The  system  of  doctrines  taught  by  John 
Calvin  (born  1506,  died  1564),  which  ascribes  all  good  to 
the  free  grace  of  God,  denies  all  natural  free  will  and  all 
power  antecedent  to  grace,  and  excludes  all  merit  from  man 
for  what  he  has  or  does  by  the  grace  of  God. 

Campbell  College,  Jackson,  Miss.,  was  inaugurated  in 
1887.  It  was  headed  by  chartered  trustees  and  located  in 
the  cities  of  Vicksburg  and  Friars  Point,  Miss.  Until  1898 
it  remained  at  the  two  respective  places  as  separate  wings, 
but  during  the  administration  of  Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick, 
it  was  decided  to  unite  these  two  in  one  institution  and 
locate  same  at  Jackson,  Miss.  The  founders  were  Revs. 
T.  W.   Stringer,  W.   R.   Carson,  L.  W.  W.   Manaway,   E.   R. 


Carter,  W.  T.  Anderson,  W.  H.  Coleman,  J.  G.  Johnson  and 
Budgets    of    the    A.    M.    E.    Church.— Rev.    (afterwards      J-  W.  Watson,  and  I^T.  Montgomery,  W.  EL  Reynolds,  ILT. 


bishop)  B.  W.  Arnett,  first  suggested  the  idea  of  a  budget 
and  was  the  first  one  to  publish  the  same.  In  1880  he  was 
elected  financial  secretary,  and  at  the  end  of  six  months 
found  that  there  was  a  need  to  inform  the  Church  of  the 
condition    of    the    treasury.     The    executive    committee    ap- 


Risher,  Granville  Carter  and  Thomas  Richardson.  The 
school  at  Vicksburg  was  started  in  1890  in  Bethel  Church. 
A  large  hall  next  to  the  church  was  built,  and  1,000  acres  of 
the  best  land  in  the  Mississippi  Delta  were  given  by  Collis 
P.    Huntington.     Since    1898    the    following    have    served    as 


proved  of  his  plan  of  sending  out  a  statement  of  the  receipts     presidents :  M.  W.  Thornton,  D.  H.  Butler,  M.   M.   Ponton, 

295 


«& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3° 


P.  W.  Howard,  H.  H.  Buckingham,  W.  T.  Vernon,  J.  L. 
Johnson  and  A.  Henry  Attaway,  the  present  president.  The 
departments  are  theological,  collegiate,  scientific,  academic, 
normal,  musical,  industrial,  commercial  and  grammar  school. 


following  preachers,  all  residents  of  Canada:  William  Ed- 
wards, Samuel  Brown,  James  Harper,  Alexander  Hemsely, 
Jeremiah  Taylor,  Daniel  D.  Thompson,  Peter  O'Banyoun, 
Jacob  Dorsej'  and  Henry  Bullard.     Brother  Weir  was  elect- 


ELLEN  TYREE  HALL,  CAMPBELL  COLLEGE,  JACKSON,  MISS. 


There  were  last  year  230  students  and  11  teachers.  There 
have  been  3,800  students  in  all  since  1890  and  65  graduates. 
The  property  consists  of  two  large  brick  buildings  and 
1,137  acres  of  land,  the  whole  valued  at  $50,000. 

Canada,  African  Methodism  in. — It  would  be  a  difficult 
task  to  tell  who  was  the  first  one  to  plant  African  Meth- 
odism in  Canada.  We  have  traces  of  societies  as  early  as 
1826.  In  May,  1828,  a  petition  was  sent  to  the  Philadelphia 
Conference  from  New  York  State  and  Canada  praying  them 
to  send  them  a  preacher,  which  was  referred  to  the  New 
York  Conference,  as  Canada  was  under  their  jurisdiction. 
The  New  York  Conference  of  1832  sent  Jeremiah  Miller  as 
a  missionary  to  Canada.  African  Methodism  became  very 
popular  in  Canada  and  societies  were  organized  in  nearly 
every  town  and  village  of  any  size  where  our  people  resided. 
June  10,  1837,  a  petition  was  sent  from  St.  Catharines  to 
the  New  York  Conference,  asking  for  pastoral  care.  The 
matter  was  taken  up  by  this  conference  and  a  resolution 
was  passed  to  send  missionaries  into  Canada  to  explore,  and, 
as  far  as  possible,  to  organize  and  regulate  the  societies  in 
these  regions,  with  the  added  provisions  "That  they  shall  be 
subject  to  the  orders  of  the  bishops  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
and  amenable  to  the  annual  conference  of  the  New  York 
District."  Rev.  Richard  Williams,  who  had  been  sent  out 
by  the  previous  conference,  made  his  report,  stating  that 
he  had  had  an  interview  with  the  authorities  of  Canada 
and  had  received  their  sanction  to  plant  churches,  and  that 
he  had  planted  a  church  at  Niagara  Falls  with  21  members, 
one  at  St.  David  with  29  members,  and  one  at  St.  Catharines 
with  40  members,  and  at  this  place  he  had  licensed  two  local 
preachers.  June  15,  1839,  reports  to  New  York  Conference 
showed  that  churches  had  been  planted  during  the  past  year 
at  Toronto,  Maiden,  Hamilton  (Ont.),  and  Brandford  (Ont.). 
In  1840  Willis  Nazrey  was  received  on  probation  at  the  New 
York  Conference.  By  order  of  the  General  Conference  of 
the  same  year,  Bishop  Morris  Brown  was  given  authority 
to  organize  an  A.  M.  E.  Church  Conference  in  Canada,  which 
was  done,  July  21,  1840,  in  Toronto,  Ont.  There  were  12 
members  of  this  first  conference,  namely,  Elder  Edmund 
Grosby,  Deacon  George  Weir  (of  Rochester,  N.  Y.),  and  the 


ed  secretary.  The  appointments  were  as  follows  :  St.  Cath- 
arines, Brandford,  Lordon  and  Toronto,  with  a  membership 
of  265.  The  second  session  of  the  Canadian  A.  M.  E.  Con- 
ference was  held  at  St.  Catharines,  October  2,  1831.  Neither 
Bishop  Brown  nor  Bishop  Waters  was  present.  Rev.  Ed- 
mund Crosby  was  chosen  president,  and  George  Weir  was 
elected  secretary.  The  reports  showed  a  membership  of 
448.  The  third  session  was  held  July  2,  1842,  in  Hamilton, 
Ont.,  with  Bishop  Brown  presiding.  At  this  conference 
Josiah  Henson  the  original  "Uncle  Tom"  was  ordained  a 
deacon.  The  territory  was  enlarged  by  the  organization 
of  a  church  in  The  Queen's  Bush,  Peel  Countv,  and  Detroit, 
Mich.  The  fourth  session  met  in  Toronto,  July  1,  1843.  El- 
der Cannon  was  elected  president,  as  neither  of  the  bishops 
was  present;  the  attendance  was  very  small,  as  there  had 
been  some  local  difference  at  St.  Catharines  and  an  attempt 
had  been  made  to  hold  a  conference  there.  July  18,  1844, 
the  fifth  session  met  again  at  Toronto;  Bishop  Brown  pre- 
sided. The  bishop  was  stricken  with  paralysis  and  had  to 
be  taken  home  to  Philadelphia  by  Rev.  C.  Noah  Cannon. 
Josiah  Henson  was  ordained  elder  at  this  conference.  The 
sixth  session  met  September  13,  1845,  in  St.  Catharines. 
N.  C.  Cannon  was  chosen  chairman  as  neither  of  the  bishops 
was  present,  and  Rev.  Weir  was  elected  secretary.  The 
seventh  session  met  at  The  Queen's  Bush,  Peel  County,  July 
31,  1846,  Bishop  Quinn  presiding.  The  closing  of  the  church 
at  Toronto  against  Rev.  N.  Cannon  was  discussed  at  this 
conference  and  the  actions  of  the  trustees  of  said  church 
were  severely  condemned.  The  minutes  of  1847  to  1850  can- 
not be  found,  but  during  this  time  the  people  of  Canada  had 
thrown  open  their  arms  to  the  slaves  of  the  South  to  come 
and  seek  shelter  and  found  homes.  The  twelfth  session 
met  in  Toronto,  and  found  itself  in  great  difficulty  as  every 
member  was  impeached  for  rebelling  against  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  by  electing  Sam  H.  Brown  to  superintend  the  A.  M. 
E.  Church  in  Canada  until  the  sitting  of  the  next  General 
Conference.  But  after  being  rebuked  they  were  all  for- 
given. The  minutes  of  1852  cannot  be  found.  The  next  ses- 
sion was  held  in  Peel  County,  July  13,  1853,  Bishop  Quinn 
presiding,  assisted  by  Bishop  Willis  Nazrey.  Rev.  W.  H. 
Jones    was    elected    secretary.    The    next    session    met    in 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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Chatham,  July  21,  18S4;  the  three  bishops  (Quinn,  Payne 
and  Nazrey)  presided  alternately.  At  this  conference  the 
Rev.  Benjamin  Steward  was  ordained  elder  and  started  the 
movement  to  have  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  of  Canada  set  apart 
as  the  B.  M.  E.  Church  by  presenting  a  short  resolution  to 
that  effect,  which  was  presented  to  the  General  Conference 
in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  through  a  special  committee.  The  Gen- 
eral Conference,  after  hearing  the  request  of  the  Canadian 
Church,  granted  it,  and  in  order  to  keep  the  fraternal  spirit 
they  were  allowed  to  send  fraternal  delegates  to  the  General 
Conferences  of  the  United  States.  The  General  Conference 
also  appointed  a  special  committee  to  meet  the  Canadian 
Conference,  which  was  to  meet  in  Chatham,  Ont.,  Monday, 
September  29,  1856.  On  Monday  morning  of  said  date,  at 
10  a.  m.,  the  conference  met  in  Chatham  at  the  home  of 
of  Mrs.  Taylor  to  terminate  the  existence  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  Canada.  Bishop  Quinn  rose  and  gave  out  the 
hymn,  "Come,  let  us  join  our  cheerful  songs,"  and  after 
singing  he  called  on  Rev.  Samuel  Brown  to  pronounce  the 
benediction.  Bishop  Payne  announced  the  fact  that  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church  was  extinct  in  Canada  and  said  that  a  conven- 
tion would  open  at  12  o'clock  to  effect  the  new  organization, 
afterwards  known  as  the  British  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  The  convention  opened  at  12  o'clock,  according 
to  appointment,  and  after  a  long  and  tedious  session  with 
many  debates  as  to  what  portions  of  the  A.  M.  E.  discipline 
they  would  adopt  and  what  would  be  the  relation  of  the 
new  Church  to  the  "Mother"  Church,  the  convention  came  to 
a  close  deciding  to  retain  friendly  relationship  with  the 
Mother  Church  in  the  United  States.  This  relationship  was 
kept  up  for  some  time,  as,  we  see  the  names  of  Bishop 
Nazrey,  Josephus  O'Banyoun,  Walter  Hawkins,  Bishop  R.  R. 
Disney,  L.  C.  Chambers,  T.  W.  Stringer  and  others  among 
the  fraternal  delegates  attending  the  different  general  con- 
ferences. The  A.  M.  E.  Church  therefore  withdrew  from 
Canada  and  left  the  field  to  the  British  M.  E.  Church.  In 
1880,  however,  a  petition  was  sent  to  the  General  Conference 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  by  the  B.  M.  E.  Church  asking  for 
organic  union.  A  joint  commission  was  created  and  came 
to  agreement  as  to  terms  of  union.  These  were  confirmed 
by  the  General  Conference  of  1884,  and  the  Canadian 
churches  again  became  a  part  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  the 
Ontario  Conference,  their  bishop,  R.  R.  Disney,  becoming  a 
bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

The  first  session  of  the  Ontario  Annual  Conference 
after  the  reunion  met  in  St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Ham- 
ilton, Ont.,  Tuesday,  June  30,  1885,  Bishop  Disney  presiding. 
Rev.  J.  O'Banyoun  was  elected  secretary.  Twelve  traveling 
elders,  5  traveling  deacons,  2  traveling  licentiates,  2  super- 
annuated elders,  1  local  elder,  3  local  preachers  and  2  local 
deacons  were  enrolled.  Bishops  Campbell,  J.  M.  Brown  and 
R.  H.  Cain,  Dr.  W.  B.  Derrick  (pastor  of  Sullivan  Street 
Church,  New  York  City),  Dr.  B.  T.  Tanner  (editor  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Quarterly  Beview),  and  Prof.  S.  T.  Mitchell  (presi- 
dent of  Wilberforce  University)  visited  the  conference. 
The  afternoon  session  was  presided  over  by  Bishop  R.  H. 
Cain.  Reports  being  called,  there  were  seven  appointments 
that  had  neither  reports  nor  pastors  present,  and  the  pre- 
siding elder  informed  the  conference  that  the  ministers  of 
those  appointments  had  decided  not  to  be  governed  by  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  and  were  determined  to  maintain  the  B.  M. 
E.  Church  against  the  union.  He  stated  that  with  but  few 
exceptions  he  found  the  doors  of  the  churches  closed  against 
him  and  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Bishop  Disney  explained 
about  the  law  suit  at  Chatham,  stating  that  he  went  to  Vic- 
toria Chapel  on  the  second  Sunday  after  the  rise  of  the 
General  Conference  in  September,  1884,  and  found  the  doors 
locked  and  guarded  by  four  men,  who  refused  to  let  him  in, 
in  consequence  of  which  he  entered  a  law-suit  against  them 
for  his  right  of  way  to  the  pulpit  of  said  church.  This  con- 
ference organized  a  missionary  society  and  elected  the 
following  trustees  to  Wilberforce:  N.  Murray  (of  Chatham), 
Amos  Johnson  (of  Hamilton),  Revs.  Miller,  J.  H.  Buckner, 
and  J.  B.  Roberts.  This  conference  raised  $63.60,  of  which 
70  per  cent,  was  sent  to  the  financial  department  and  30  per 
cent,  was  divided  between  the  four  widows  of  the  confer- 
ence. The  second  session  met  at  Amherstburg,  Ont.,  Thurs- 
day, July  1,  1886,  Bishop  R.  R.  Disney  presiding,  and  Rev. 
J.^  Albert  Johnson  secretary.  A  motion  offered  by  Rev.  J. 
O'Banyoun  and  seconded  by  Rev.  J.  Albert  Johnson,  "That 
whereas  Benjamin  Steward,  L.  B.  Anderson,  S.  P.  Hale,  C.  A. 
Washington,  W.  H.  Le'Vant,  J.  Chauncey,  Walter  Hawkins, 
Charles  Mayo,  Peter  Jackson,  Nicholas  James,  Caswell 
Crosby,  who  were  members  of  the  B.  M.  E.  Church  before 
the   union    of   the   A.   M.   E.   and   B.   M.   E.   Churches,   have 


since  the  union,  in  September,  1884,  failed  to  appear  in  per- 
son in  this  conference  or  by  letter  or  by  proxy,  but  evinced 
by  their  actions  a  determination  to  disregard  the  authority 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  Conference,  therefore  be  it  resolved 
that  their  names  be  erased  from  this  conference  roll,  and 
that  this  annual  conference  consider  their  actions,  as  stated 
in  the  above  preamble,  as  equivalent  to  having  withdrawn 
from  this  conference  and  connection,"  was  carried.  The 
sessions  of  the  Ontario  Conference  beginning  with  1887 
have  been  held  in  the  following  places  :  Hamilton,  8  times  ; 
Chatham,  6  times  ;  Amherstburg,  twice  ;  Windsor,  7  times  ;  and 
Toronto,  5  times.  The  presiding  bishops  have  been  :  Bishops 
Disney,  1885-7;  Tanner,  1888-91;  Turner,  1892-95,  also  1913-4; 
Lee,  1896-99;  Smith,  1900,  also  1915-16;  Grant,  1901-03;  Handy, 
1904-7;  Shaffer,  1908-11;  Derrick,  1912.  The  secretaries  have 
been  Revs.  J.  O'Banyoun,  1885,  '87-9;  J.  Albert  Johnson,  1886; 
E.  H.  North,  1890-1  ;  S.  Walton,  1892-4;  T.  T.  Taggart,  1895-6; 
A.  W.  Hackley,  1897-1900,  also  1912;  T.  H.  Henderson,  1901- 
11,  also  1913-15;  A.  R.  Tulsie,  1914.  Rev.  Josephus  O'Ban- 
youn, the  first  secretary,  did  much  to  build  up  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  Canada.  He  died  in  1905,  while  in  charge  of  the 
church  at  Amherstburg.  Rev.  T.  H.  Henderson,  who  has 
been  a  member  of  this  conference  for  the  past  15  years  has 
contributed  no  small  part  in  the  building  up  of  this  con- 
ference. Rev.  R.  Hatchett  is  worthy  of  mention,  as  he  has 
been  a  member  of  this  conference  for  the  past  15  years  as 
financial  agent,  has  collected  many  thousands  of  dollars  to 
assist  in  the  support  of  this  conference.  Rev.  A.  W.  Hack- 
ley,  who  has  been  a  member  of  this  conference  for  the 
past  19  years,  has  contributed  no  small  part  to  the  raising 
of  the  spiritual  and  financial  standard  of  the  Ontario  Annual 
Conference,  being  elected  four  times  to  the  general  confer- 
ence in  that  time  and  serving  on  the  Sunday-School  Union 
Board,  the  C.  P.  A.  and  the  Church  Extension  Boards.  The 
appointments  for  1915  and  1916  are  as  follows  :  Rev.  A.  W. 
Hackley,  presiding  elder,  35  Shudell  Avenue,  Toronto,  Ont.; 
Rev.  R.  Hatchett,  financial  agent,  99  Elgin  Street,  Hamilton, 
Ont.;  Rev.  J.  H.  Williams,  conference  evangelist,  35  Mc- 
Dougal  Street,  Windsor;  Rev.  T.  H.  Henderson,  346j^  College 
Street,  Toronto,  Ont.;  Rev.  William  H.  Jones,  116  John 
Street,  North,  Hamilton,  Ont.;  Rev.  J.  H.  Edgehill,  Oakville, 
Ont.;  Rev.  J.  O.  Morley,  corner  Wellington  and  Princess 
Streets,  Chattanooga,  Ont.;  Rev.  Starling  Harris,  28  Mercer 
Street,  Windsor,  Ont.;  Rev.  Sylvester  Warl,  New  Canaan 
and  Central  Grove;  Rev.  J.  M.  Payne,  Amherstburg,  Ont.; 
Rev.  Thomas  Nelson,  471  George  Street,  Sarnia,  Ont.  (By 
A.  W.  Hackley,  historian.) 

Canonical  Scriptures. — The  Books  in  the  Old  Testament 
and  New  Testament  about  which  there  has  never  been  any 
doubt  in  the  Church  are  called  canonical,  the  standard  for 
Christian  faith  and  practice  containing  all  things  necessary 
to   salvation. 

Catechism,  The,  is  almost  as  old  as  the  organized 
Church.  It  is  a  simple  method  of  teaching  the  young  and 
candidates  for  baptism,  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  by  the 
use  of  questions  and  answers.  The  first  Methodist  cate- 
chism pas  published  in  1768,  entitled  "Instruction  to  the 
Young."  Bishop  Turner  compiled  the  catechism  for  the  A. 
M.  E.  Church,  which  is  published  by  the  Sunday-School 
Union,  Nashville,  Tenn.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to 
gather  the  children  together  for  instruction  in  the  cate- 
chism. 

Central  Park  Normal  and  Industrial  School,  situated 
near  Savannah,  Ga.,  is  the  newest  A.  M.  E.  School,  and  a 
part  of  Morris  Brown  University  system.  Rev.  J.  W.  Max- 
well, a  graduate  of  the  Georgia  State  Industrial  College, 
is  its  president.  The  property  consists  of  one  three-story 
brick  building  and  several  acres  of  land.  Bishop  Flipper  is 
president   of   the  board   of   trustees. 

Charleston,  S.  C. — Emanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church. — This  church 
is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  influential  colored  churches 
in  the  city  of  Charleston,  S.  C.  It  was  organized  in  1865  by 
Rev.  R.  H.  Cain,  D.  D.  It  is  situated  on  the  north  side  of 
Calhoun  Street,  a  few  doors  east  of  Meeting  Street.  The 
corner-stone  was  laid  September  25,  1865.  The  Rev.  R.  H. 
Cain,  D.  D.,  served  as  pastor  for  three  years,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  William  H.  Brown,  who  served  in  the 
same  capacity  for  three  years.  The  third  pastor  was  the 
Rev.  A.  Thomas  Carr,  who  served  three  years  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  M.  B.  Salter,  who  remained  four  years,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  N.  B.  Sterrett,  who  served  four  years. 
The  next  pastor  was  the  Rev.  L.  R.  Nichols,  who  served 
four  years  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  B.  H.  Williams.    After 


297 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


TRUSTEES  OF   EMANUEL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  CHARLESTON,  S.  C. 


STEWARDS  OF   EMANUEL  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH,   CHARLESTON,   S.   C. 


STEWARDESSES  OF  EMANUEL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  CHARLESTON,    S.    C. 

298 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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his  term  of  four  years,  the  Rev.  L.  R.  Nichols  was  returned, 
and  in  1891  laid  the  corner-stone  for  the  new  brick  church 
and  during  his   four  years   of  pastorate   inclosed  the   same. 


EMANUEL-  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH.   CHARLESTON,   S.   C. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  W.  Beckett,  who  remained 
one  year,  and  Rev.  N.  B.  Sterrett  was  returned  and  remained 
five  years  and  was  then  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Welch.  At 
the  completion  of  his  five  years  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
H.  W.   B.   Bennett,  who   served   five   years,   after  which   the 


Rev.  N.  B.  Sterrett  was  again  returned  and  served  five  years, 
being  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  E.  Peets.  In  1882,  when  Rev. 
Sterrett  divided  the  congregation  of  this  church  and  organ- 
ized Mt.  Zion,  it  had  a  total  membership  of  3,878.  The 
church  has  a  basement,  vestry  room  and  ladies'  parlor,  gal- 
leries and  vestibule,  and  has  a  seating  capacity  of  over 
2,000.  It  is  equipped  with  an  organ,  electric  blower  and 
electric  lights  and  is  heated  by  two  large  furnaces.  It  has 
a  beautiful  lawn  on  either  side,  which  causes  the  church  to 
be  cool  and  airy. 

Chester,  Pa. — Asbury  A.  M.  E.  Church,  located  at  Con- 
cord Avenue  and  Patterson  Street,  was  organized  by  Rev. 
Stephen  Smith,  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  year  184S.  On  Octo- 
ber 26  of  the  same  year  the  church  property,  then  located  on 
Second  Street  above  Market,  was  purchased  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  now  known  as  the  Madison  Street  Church,  at  a 
cost  of  $700.  The  deed  was  made  in  trust  to  Stephen  Smith, 
Thomas  Lytle,  Nicholas  Murphy  and  James  Campbell.  The 
first  class  leader  was  Thomas  Lancaster,  the  class  consisting 
of  four  members  who  first  met  and  organized  at  the  home 
of  Nicholas  Murphy.  In  1846  William  Murphy,  the  brother 
of  Nicholas  Murphy,  and  his  wife  came  here  bringing  their 
certificate  from  Bethel  Church,  Baltimore,  Md.  The  same 
year  he  was  licensed  to  exhort  and  was  given  the  charge 
in  the  absence  of  Rev.  Stephen  Smith;  he  was  also  made  a 
class  leader  and  after  two  years  was  licensed  to  preach; 
in  1858  he  was  ordained  deacon.  He  was  also  the  prime 
mover  in  the  A  .M.  E.  Church  in  South  Chester,  known  as 
Murphy  Chapel.  Rev.  Henry  Davis  was  the  first  pastor  ap- 
pointed by  the  conference  in  1849  and  was  followed  by  Rev. 
H.  J.  Young,  1850-1851;  Rev.  J.  G.  Bulah,  1852;  Rev.  James 
Holland,  1854-1855;  Rev.  Adam  Driver  was  appointed  in 
1856,  but  died  before  the  expiration  of  his  term  and  Rev. 
Caleb  Woodyard  was  sent  to  fill  out  and  was  reappointed  in 
1857;  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  G.  Bulah,  1858;  Rev.  E. 
J.  Hawkens,  1859;  Rev.  J.  C.  Cornish,  1860;  Rev.  G.  W.  John- 
son, 1861;  Rev.  W.  D.  W.  Schureman,  1862;  Rev.  J.  C.  Cor- 
nish was  again  appointed  in  1863-64;  Rev.  Peter  Gardner, 
1865;  Rev.  Jeremiah  Young,  1866-68,  during  this  time  the 
church  being  rebuilt;  Rev.  G.  Boyer  was  appointed  in  1869- 
70;  Rev.  G.  T.  Waters,  1871-73;  Rev.  L.  C.  Chambers,  1874- 
76;  Rev.  T.  Gould,  1877-78;  Rev.  J.  S.  Thompson,  1879-80 
Rev.  C.  C.  Felts,  1881-1882;  Rev.  M.  F.  Sulby,  1883;  Rev 
Leonard  Patterson,  1884;  Rev.  C.  E.  Herbert,  1885-1885 
Rev.  William  H.  Bryant,  1887-90;  Rev.  James  Porter,  1891 
Rev.  J.  G.  Yeizer,  1893-94;  Rev.  J.  B.  Stansberry,  1895-1896 
Rev.  C.  H.  Fareira,  1897-99;  Rev.  J.  L.  H.  Watkins,  1900-02 
Rev.  C.  C.  Dunlap,  1903-08;  Rev.  J.  M.  Palmer,  1909-14;  Rev 


INTERIOR  OF  ASBURY  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  CHESTER,  PA. 

299 


s 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


S 


OFFICIAL  BOARD  OF  ASBURY  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  CHESTER,   PA. 


E.  T.  Bruce,  1&14  to  date.     The  following  entered  the  minis-  inson,  Peter   Monk,  John  Warrick,  Clarence  King,  Eldridge 

try  from  this  cnurch  :  Kev.  George  Horsey,  now  in  Kansas;  Davis  (secretary).  J.  P.  Cannon.  Jacob  Carter,  Noah  Barrett, 

Rev.  J.  O.  Mackall,  at  Wayne;  Rev.  William  Daniels  in  Del-  Rev.  W.   S.   Drummond   (pastor), 
aware. 


Chester,  Pa. — Murphy  A.M. E. Church. — In  1870  seventeen 
persons  who  had  been  worsmppmg  in  the  public  school 
house  on  Third  and  Jeffrey  Streets,  through  the  intercession 
of  Rev.  William  Murphy,  secured  as  a  donation  from  Judge 
M.  Broomall,  a  lot  on  which  a  neat  little  chapel  was  built 
in  1871.  The  first  spade  of  ground  was  turned  by  Mother 
Murphy.  The  first  donation,  a  five-dollar  gold  piece,  was 
given  by  Mrs.  Lucretia  Hall,  and  was  put  in  the  corner- 
stone where  it  still  remains.  The  first  services  were  held  in 
May,  1871,  Bishop  Wayman  presiding,  assisting  the  first 
pastor,  Rev.  Gilbert  Waters,  who  served  for  three  years, 
Murphy,  with  Asbury  and  Mt.  Hebron  constituting  a  circuit 
at  that  time.  The  following  pastors  have  since  served  Mur- 
phy: Rev.  Jacob  Watson,  two  years;  Rev.  W.  H.  Davis, 
three  years;  Rev.  Henderson  Davis,  one  year;  Rev.  John 
Davis,  one  year ;  Rev.  John  W.  Morris,  tour  years;  Rev. 
Thomas  Moore,  two  years;  Rev.  Thomas  Cuff,  only  a  few 
•nc.uis;  Rev.  S.  C.  Goosely,  a  few  months  Rev.  J.  T.  Ham- 
mond, a  short  while;  Rev.  J.  H.  Buckner,  three  years;  Rev. 
Amos  Wilson,  one  year;  Rev.  Redmond  Faucett,  Rev.  I.  H.  W. 
West,  three  years;  Rev.  Santee  Birch,  who  built  the  present 
edifice,  five  years;  Rev.  Elijah  Byrd,  two  years;  Rev.  I.  D. 
Jones;  Rev.  J.  G.  Yeiser,  two  years;  Rev.  S.  D.  W.  Smith, 
two  years ;  Kev.  C.  F.  YYarfield,  i\ve  years.  During  Rev. 
Warfield's  pastorate  the  church  was  burdened  with  a  debt 
of  $12,800.  On  February  27,  1<X>9,  the  church  was  sold  by 
the  sheriff  for  $2,750.  Brother  Perry  Wright  paid  $250  the 
day  of  the  sale,  the  money  being  raised  by  the  church  mem- 
bers with  the  promise  to  stand  by  Brother  Wright  if  he 
would  buy  the  church  in  for  them.  The  next  thing  was  to 
find  a  man  who  would  build  up  the  church  all  around  and 
pay  the  debt.  The  members  fixed  on  Rev.  R.  J.  Williams. 
Brother  Perry  Wright  went  to  the  conference  at  Milford, 
Del.,  with  a  petition  for  Rev.  Williams.  Rev.  Williams 
came  and  went  to  work  at  once.  The  church  was  soon  in 
an  excellent  condition.  Rev.  Williams  was  rounding  up  his 
fifth  year  when  he  was  made  presiding  elder  of  the  West 
Philadelphia  District.  Rev.  W.  S.  Drummond,  the  present 
pastor,  is  serving  his  third  successful  year.  The  membership 
is  250,  divided  into  11  classes  with  efficient  leaders.  Of  the 
17  members  who  started  the  work  in  1871  only  5  are  living: 
Brothers  Perry  A.  Wright,  Isaac  Woodfaulk,  Sisters  Lydia 
Woodfaulk,  Elizabeth  Cooper  and  Rebecca  Perrigan.  The 
present  trustee  board  is:   Perry  A.  Wright,   Benjamin   Rob- 


MURPHY  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  CHESTER,  PA. 


300 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


OFFICERS  OF  MURPHY  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  CHESTER,  PA. 


CHOIR  OF  MURPHY  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  CHESTER,  PA. 


Chicago,    III.— Quinn    Chapel    A.    M.    E.    Church    had    its 

beginning  in  1844  in  the  small  hut  of  John  Day  in  the  alley 
near  State  Street,  between  Lake  and  Randolph  Streets. 
A  few  people  used  to  congregate  in  the  hut  to  hold  prayer 
meetings.  Soon  the  hut  became  too  small  and  they  moved 
to  the  house  of  Mrs.  Maria  Parker,  who  lived  near  Day's 
humble  abode.  The  congregation  continued  to  increase  in 
numbers  until  in  1845  it  was  found  necessary  to  move  to 
the  school  house  in  Madison,  near  State  Street.  In  1846 
Madison  Patterson,  an  eloquent  exhorter,  took  the  leader- 
ship of  the  religious  society,  and  transferred  it  over  to  his 
house  on  State  Street,  near  Van  Buren  Street.  A.  T.  Hall, 
then  a  journeyman  barber  in  the  shop  of  Oliver  Henderson, 
was  his  assistant.  The  members  of  the  society  were  am- 
bitious for  a  more  pretentious  place  of  worship  and  they 
bought  one-half  of  the  White  Baptist  Church  at  Washing- 
ton and  La  Salle  Streets,  which  they  hauled  on  to  a  leased 
lot  on  the  east  side  of  Wells  Street,  now  Fifth  Avenue,  be- 
tween Jackson  and  Van  Buren  Streets.  In  1847  William 
Paul  Quinn,  then  bishop  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  sent  Rev.  George  Johnson,  a  missionary,  to  Chi- 
cago, and  on  July  22  of  the  same  year  the  society  was  or- 


ganized under  the  discipline  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and 
was  named  Quinn  Chapel.  The  Quinn  Chapel  Society  was 
the  second  Methodist  church  in  Chicago.  At  that  date  there 
were  St.  Mary's  Cathedral,  the  First  Presbyterian  and  the 
First  Baptist  Churches.  The  first  class  leader  of  the  Quinn 
Society  was  Rev.  A.  T.  Hall,  who  was  also  the  first  colored 
man  licensed  to  preach  in  Chicago.  He  died  May  27  of  this 
year.  During  the  administration  of  Rev.  John  A.  Warren, 
1852-4,  the  society  purchased  the  lot  at  the  southwest  corner 
of  Jackson  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue,  upon  which  the  Mon- 
adnock  Building  is  now  erected.  They  moved  from  the 
Wells  Street  lot  to  this  location  in  18S4,  where  they  had 
erected  a  new  house,  which  was  dedicated  and  paid  for  on 
the  same  day.  But  the  noble  work  of  the  people  was  doom- 
ed to  be  destroyed  by  the  great  fire  that  devasted  the  city 
in  1871.  One  of  the  earliest  buildings  to  succumb  to  the 
quick-spreading  flames  was  the  frame  house  of  worship 
owned  by  the  Quinn  Chapel  Society.  Under  the  leadership 
of  Elder  William  C.  Trevan  the  members  mortgaged  the  old 
lot  for  $11,000  and  purchased  the  old  Mission  Building  on 
Fourth  Avenue,  between  Taylor  and  Twelfth  Streets.  They 
were  again  doomed  to  be  disturbed  by  fire.    On  July  IS,  1874, 


301 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


■9 


the  building  was  reduced  to  ashes  and  the  Methodists  were 
again  without  a  house  of  worship.  They  held  prayer  meet- 
ing for  a  time  at  Union  Hall,  corner  of  Clark  and  Monroe 
Streets,  and  then  moved  into  an  old  store  on  Third  Avenue, 
south  of  Van  Buren  Street.  Having  mortgaged  the  Fourth 
Avenue  and  Jackson  Street  lot,  they  were  compelled  to 
sell  it,  and  with  the  proceeds  they  purchased  a  lot  on  Fourth 
Avenue  near  Van  Buren  Street.  The  members  were  un- 
daunted by  the  catastrophes  of  1871  and  1874.  They  worked 
assiduously  for  a  new  chapel,  and  in  1876  the  corner-stone 
of  the  brick  building  on  Fourth  Avenue  was  laid.  This  was, 
during  the  administration  of  the  eighteenth  pastor,  Rev. 
E.  C.  Joiner.  Rev.  Jenifer  was  appinted  pastor  of  Quinn 
Chapel  in  1889.  The  slumbering  ambitions  of  his  parish- 
ioners were  awakened  to  the  fact  that  better  accommoda- 
tions were  needed  for  their  religious  worship.  The  changes 
on  Fourth  Avenue,  caused  by  business  and  other  interests, 
had  been  such  as  to  render  the  building  as  well  as  its  loca- 
tion wholly  unsuitable  as  a  place  of  worship.  Under  the 
guidance  of  Pastor  Jenifer,  they  sold  the  property  for 
$50,000  and  paid  off  the  debt  of  $11,000,  and  purchased  for 
$29,375  a  lot  75  by  192  feet  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Wabash 
Avenue  and  Twenty-fourth  Street.  The  following  pastors 
have  served  Ouinn  Chapel:  1847-48.  Rev.  Thomas  Farns- 
worth;  1848-50,  Rev.  Aaron  Parker;  1850-51,  Rev.  Elisha 
Weaver;  1852-54,  Rev.  John  A.  Warren;  1854-55,  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Davis;  1855-57,  Rev.  Elisha  Weaver;  1857-58,  Rev.  M.  M. 
Clarke;  1858-61,  Rev.  Dr.  Willis  R.  Revels;  1861-62,  Rev.  Wil- 
liam A.  Dove;  1862-64,  Rev.  Charles  Burch  ;  1864-66,  Rev.  A. 
T.  Hall;  1866-68.  Rev.  William  C.  Trevan;  1868-69,  Rev.  Amos 
Macintosh;  1869-70,  Rev.  William  S.  Langford;  1870-71,  Rev. 
William  C.  Trevan;  1871-74.  Rev.  George  C.  Booth;  1875-76, 
Rev.  E.  C.  Joiner;  1877-79,  Rev.  George  C.  Booth  (second 
term);  1880-84,  Rev.  George  H.  Shaffer;  1884-89,  Rev.  T.  W. 
Henderson;  J.  T.  Jenefer,  1889  to  June,  1893;  George  C. 
Booth,  June  1893  to  October,  1893;  J.  M.  Townsend,  October, 
1893-96;;  George  C.  Booth,  1896-98;  A.  J.  Carev,  1898-1904; 
D.  P.  Roberts,  1904-09;  William  D.  Cook,  1909-13;  J.  C.  An- 
derson, 1913  to   date. 

Children's  Day  was  first  proposed  in  our  Church  by 
Rev.  C.  S.  Smith,  secretary  of  the  Sunday-School  Union,  as 
a  measure  of  aiding  his  department.  It  was  first  celebrated 
in  September,  1883.  The  collections  of  the  day  from  each 
church  and  Sunday  school  are  to  be  divided  as  follows:  25 
per  cent,  to  be  sent  to  the  Sunday-School  Union,  Nashville, 
Tenn.;  25  per  cent,  to  the  Church  Extension  Department, 
Washington,  D.  C. ;  and  50  per  cent,  to  the  secretary-treas- 
urer of  the  annual  conference  for  local  mission  work. 
Special  programs  are  arranged  and  exercises  are  required 
to  be  held  in  all  the  churches.  From  1892  to  1896  the  entire 
Children's  Day  collection  went  to  the  Sunday-School  Union. 
From  1896  to  1908  half  of  it  went  to  the  Sunday-School 
Union  and  half  to  the  Church  Extension  Department;  from 
1908  to  1916  half  went  to  the  Church  Extension  Department 
and  half  to  the  annual  conference.  Since  May  1916,  the 
present  distribution  is  half  to  the  annual  conference,  one- 
fourth  to  the  Church  Extension,  and  one-fourth  to  the  Sun- 
day-School Union.  The  Sunday-School  Union,  for  whom  it 
was  originally  set  apart  has  received  about  $100,000  from 
this  source  which  is  the  largest  amount  given  to  any  de- 
partment,  except   the   missionary,   on   any   general   day. 

Choirs  grew  up  with  the  growth  of  ritualism.  The 
Methodist  Churches  in  the  beginning  had  no  choir.  Johr 
Wesley  believed  in  the  power  of  congregational  singing, 
and  he  and  his  brother,  Charles,  composed  and  published 
hundreds  of  hymns.  Choirs  were  first  with  the  general 
congregation,  those  with  good  voices  and  desire  to  cul- 
tivate music  sitting  together.  Later  they  were  given  by 
consent  of  the  pastor  and  congregation  a  separate  place. 
Richard  Allen  had  no  choir.  The  first  choir  in  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  was  in  New  York  in  1830.  By  our  discipline  the 
pastor  is  the  official  head  of  the  choir,  the  members  of 
which  should  be  persons  of  good  reputation.  While  the 
chorister  may  be  elected  by  the  choir,  he  is  subject  to  the 
approval    of    the    pastor. 

Christian  Recorder,  The,  is  the  oldest  Negro  periodical 
in  America,  and  the  only  one  in  the  Uinted  States  whose 
existence  dates  before  the  Civil  War.  So  far  as  we  know, 
the  first  Negro  newspaper  was  published  in  1826,  and  the 
first  A.  M.  E.  magazine  in  1841.  In  1836  a  resolution  was 
passed  by  the  New  York  Conference  to  establish  a  quarterly 
magazine.    The    first    copy    was    printed    September,    1841, 


and  was  intended  to  be  a  monthly,  but  it  did  not  last  long. 
The  next  literary  venture  was  in  1848,  when  the  newspaper 
edited  by  Dr.  Martin  R.  Delany,  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  was 
purchased  and  conducted  as  the  Christian  Herald.  In  1852 
the  Christian  Herald,  having  had  a  more  or  less  precarious 
existence,  was  moved  from  Pittsburgh  to  Philadelphia,  and 
started  again  under  the  name  of  the  Christian  Recorder. 
Rev.  M.  M.  Clarke,  perhaps  the  only  college  graduate  at 
that  time  in  the  ministry  of  the  Church  who  had  been  editor 
of  the  Christian  Herald,  was  elected  editor  of  the  Christian 
Recorder;  Rev.  W.  T.  Catto,  general  book  steward,  and 
Rev.  W.  H.  Jones,  traveling  agent.  But  the  Recorder  did  not 
come  out  regularly  for  any  length  of  time.  Rev.  Catto 
resigned  after  three  months'  trial,  and  later  Rev.  Clarke 
gave  the  job  up  after  publishing  15  issues  in  two  years. 
In  1854  Rev.  J.  P.  Campbell  was  elected  to  fill  the  dual 
office  of  editor  and  general  steward  and  he  managed  to 
bring  out  24  issues  of  the  Recorder  during  two  years,  up  to 
the  general  conference  from  July  13,  1854,  to  March  4,  1856. 
At  this  conference  Rev.  Campbell  was  continued  as  editor 
and  manager.  In  1860  Rev.  Elisha  Weaver  was  made  general 
book  steward.  But  he  did  not  publish  his  first  issue  until 
June  19,  1861.  Until  July  13,  1861,  he  appears  to  have  been 
both  editor  and  publisher.  At  this  date  A.  L.  Stanford 
appears  as  editor  and  continues  until  December  18,  1861, 
having  received  his  appointment  from  Bishop  Nazrey  as 
pastor  of  Little  Wesley  and  editor.  February  24,  1866,  James 
Lynch  became  editor,  with  Elisha  Weaver  publisher.  He 
continued  as  editor  till  June  15,  1867,  when  he  resigned  to 
go  South  on  missionary  and  political  business.  Again 
Elisha  Weaver  was  both  editor  and  publisher  until  the 
general  conference  of  May,  1868,  when  he  was  succeeded 
as  editor  by  Rev.  Benjamin  Tucker  Tanner,  and  as  manager 
by  Rev.  Joshua  Woodlin,  who  got  out  their  first  issue  June 
26,  1868.  Editor  Tanner  continued  until  May,  1884;  Mr. 
Woodlin  was  publisher  until  May  22,  1869,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  A.  L.  Stanford.  Rev.  W.  C.  Banton  was  as- 
sistant editor  from  October  3,  1868,  to  May  22,  1869,  being 
so  employed  on  account  of  the  frequent  absences  of  Editor 
Tanner.  From  November  25,  1871,  to  Jaunary  27,  1872,  the 
paper  was  not  issued.  At  the  latter  date  B.  T.  Tanner  be- 
came editor  and  publisher  and  carried  the  paper  to  the  gen- 
eral conference  of  1872,  when  Rev.  W.  H.  Hunter  was  made 
business  manager.  Brother  Hunter  was  the  first  general 
officer  called  "general  business  manager" ;  all  before  him 
were  "general  book  stewards."  During  Rev.  Hunter's  time 
the  paper  became  a  fixture.  "Notes  by  the  Way"  were  start- 
ed by  Bishop  Wavman.  In  1876  Rev.  H.  M.  Turner  succeed- 
ed Rev.  W.  H.  Hunter.  In  April,  1877,  Rev.  C.  L.  Bradwell 
was  traveling  agent.  In  1880  Rev.  Theodore  Gould,  who  had 
been  deputy  manager  since  July  18,  1878,  was  chosen  busi- 
ness manager.  In  1884  Rev.  B.  F.  Lee  was  called  from  the 
presidency  of  Wilberforce  to  the  editorship,  and  served 
until  he  was  elected  bishop  in  1892.  He  was  succeeded  by 
the  scholarly  Dr.  H.  T.  Johnson,  who  served  until  1909,  when 
he  was  incapacitated  by  ill  health,  dying  in  1910.  Dr.  John- 
son was  succeeded  by  the  present  incumbent,  R.  R.  Wright, 
Jr.,  who  also  acted  as  business  manager  from  1909  to  the 
general  conference  of  1912.  During  the  time  from  1884  to 
1912  the  business  managers  were:  Rev.  J.  C.  Embry,  1884-96; 
Rev.  T.  W.  Henderson,  1896-1900;  Rev.  R.  H.  W.  Leak,  1900- 
02;  Rev.  J.  H.  Collett.  1902-09;  Rev.  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr.,  1909- 
12;  Rev.  j.  I.  Lowe,  1912  to  August,  1916;  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr. 
since  August,  1916.  The  Recorder  has  not  been  published 
regularly  since  1852.  Many  have  been  the  breaks;  for  quite 
a  while  it  was  published  semi-monthly.  Not  till  Elisha 
Weaver  took  it  in  1861  did  it  appear  weekly.  Then  there 
was  suspension  for  four  weeks,  May  16  to  June  20,  1868; 
also  November  25,  1871.  to  January  27.   1872,  and  December, 

1908,  to  February,  1909.  It  was  suspended  February  8  to 
April,  1868,  on  account  of  fire.  The  size  of  the  paper  has 
varied  from  time  to  time.  Under  J.  P.  Campbell  and  M.  M. 
Clarke  it  was  5  columns,  4  pages,  12x16^2  inches.  From 
1861  to  1879  it  was  4  pages,  20x26^,  7  columns  each.  After 
June  12,  1879,  the  size  was  reduced  to  4  columns,  4  pages, 
12x21,  which,  in  1872,  was  increased  to  8  pages,  but  in  1877 
was  changed  to  4  pages,  8  columns  each,  which  was  in  1880 
reduced  to  7  columns,  4  pages,  and  in  1888  changed  to  8 
pages,  5  columns,  which  continued  the  size  till  1893,  when 
it  was  changed  to  8  pages,  6  columns  each.  In  June,  1908, 
to  November,  1908,  it  was  again  reduced,  but  since  February, 

1909,  has  been  the  size  it  now  is,  8  pages,  6  columns  each. 
The  price  was  $1.50  per  year  in  1852-60;  $2  per  year  and  4 
cents  per  copy  from  1861  to  1863;  $2.25  per  year  in  advance 
and  $2.50  otherwise  and  5  c^nts,  per  copy  from  1863  to  1872, 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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when  it  was  made  $2  per  vear  to  all  except  clergymen,  who 
got  it  for  $1.75.  In  1858  i't  was  again  $2.50,  and  in  1869  $2, 
where  it  remained  until  1896,  when  it  was  reduced  to  $1  per 
year.  In  1854  it  was  published  at  203  Lombard  Street,  from 
1861  to  1866  at  619  Pine  Street,  and  since  March,  1866,  at  631 
Pine  Street.  There  were  many  changes  in  the  physical 
make-up.  The  headline  at  first  was  undecorated.  The  fig- 
ure of  a  globe  with  the  words,  "Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch 
forth  her  hands  unto  God,"  was  first  put  in  the  heading  in 
1869.  This  was  removed  in  1876,  when  the  hand  bearing 
the  torch,  with  the  words,  "God  our  father  and  man  our 
brother"  was  put  in.  During  Editor  Johnson's  time  the 
present  heading  was  made.  The  circulation  has  varied.  Up 
to  Editor  Tanner's  time  it  was  always  very  small.  With  the 
advent  of  Manager  Turner  it  leaped  to  5,000,  but  in  1888 
had  gone  down  below  4,100.  When  the  price  was  lowered 
in  1896,  it  was  about  3,500,  but  gradually  increased  to  7,000 
by  1900.  Then  it  decreased  till  it  reached  4,000  in  1902-03, 
and  increased  to  5,600  in  1908,  only  to  fall  to  3,000  in  1909,  to 
rise  again  to  6,500  in  1912.  Special  issues  in  1910  to  1912 
ranged  from  10,000  to  25,000  papers.  At  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1916  it  was  about  4,500. 

Christmas  Conference,  so  called  because  it  met  during 
the  Christmas  season.  The  first  Methodist  General  Confer- 
ence in  America  was  held  December  24,  1784,  to  January  2, 
1785,  at  Baltimore,  Md.     Richard  Allen  was  present. 

Church   Extension   Society  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  The. 

— The  General  Conference  of  1888,  at  Indianapolis,  Ind., 
adopted  measures  connecting  the  work  of  church  extension 
with  the  Parent  Home  and  Eoreign  Missionary  Society. 
Rev.  W.  B.  Derrick,  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  mis- 
sionary society,  after  two  years'  trial,  found  it  difficult  to 
operate  the  two  societies  together,  and  therefore  appointed 
Rev.  B.  F.  Watson,  of  the  Kansas  Conference,  as  his  assist- 
ant, to  take  charge  of  the  extension  work,  in  which  capacity 
he  served  until  the  meeting  of  the  General  Conference  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  1892.  Dr.  Watson  traveled  at  large, 
meeting  the  conferences  in  the  Southwest,  in  1891,  urging 
the  necessity  of  the  organization  of  a  Church  Extension 
Society  for  the  relief  and  assistance  of  needy  churches 
throughout  the  connection.  He  prepared  the  constitution 
for  the  society  and  submitted  the  same  to  the  general  con- 
ference committee  on  Church  Extension  in  1892,  which  was 
adopted  by  the  general  conference.  The  general  conference 
failed  to  elect  a.  secretary  and  the  law  establishing  this  so- 
ciety was   thought   to  be   a  "dead   letter." 

Bishop  Grant,  however,  at  the  Bishops'  Council,  urged  that 
the  society  be  made  operative  and  requested  that  he  be 
given  the  presidency  of  the  board.  This  was  granted  and 
Rev.  C.  T.  Shaffer,  then  a  presiding  elder  of  the  Philadel- 
phia Conference,  was  appointed  secretary,  and  the  follow- 
ing others  were  appointed  on  the  board  of  directors  for 
1892  to  1896:  J.  H.  Morgan,  A.  J.  Chambers,  W.  H.  Coleman, 
D.  P.  Roberts,  M.  S.  Bryant,  E.  W.  Lee,  B.  H.  Williams, 
B.  W.  Wiley,  P.  W.  Wade,  J.  N.  Abbey  and  B.  W.  Roberts. 
The  total  receipts  for  the  first  quadrennium,  1892-96,  were 
$40,401.30;  total  disbursements,  $34,049.43;  balance,  $6,351.87. 
The  general  board  from  1896  to  1900  was  as  follows  :  Bishop 
Grant,  president;  Rev.  C.  T.  Shaffer,  corresponding  secre- 
tary and  treasurer.  Members :  Revs.  D.  P.  Roberts,  A.  L. 
Gaines,  D.  S.  Bentley,  B.  F.  Watson,  George  H.  Shaffer,  E. 
W.  Lee,  J.  H.  Welch,  E.  W.  Lampton,  J.  M.  Turner,  T.  C. 
Denham  and  J.  E.  Edwards.  Total  receipts  including  bal- 
ance, $70,825.87;  total  disbursements,  $58,800.06;  balance  at 
the  close  of  second  quadrennium,  $12,025.81.  The  general 
board,  1900  to  1904,  was  Bishop  Grant,  president;  Rev.  B.  F. 
Watson,  corresponding  secretary  and  treasurer;  members: 
Revs.  D.  P.  Roberts,  A.  L.  Gaines,  J.  W.  Gazaway,  A.  J.  Bur- 
ton, A.  M.  Ward,  Allen  Cooper,  F.  Y.  Dendy,  J.  I.  Lowe, 
G.  H.  Burk,  T.  C.  Denham,  A.  M.  Green  and  F.  M.  Gow. 
Total  receipts,  $94,528.57;  disbursements,  $84,713.07;  balance, 
March  31,  1904  (in  keeping  with  the  bishops'  suggestion 
that  all  our  departments  close  their  fiscal  year  March  31st 
of  each  year),  $9,815.50.  The  general  board,  1904-1908,  was: 
Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines,  president;  Rev.  B.  F.  Watson,  corre- 
sponding secretary  and  treasurer;  members:  Revs.  W.  D. 
Cook,  R.  H.  W.  Leak,  I.  N.  Ross,  A.  J.  Burton  (deceased), 
P.  C.  Cooper,  W.  W.  S.  Dyett,  W.  W.  Beckett,  S.  P.  Felder, 
J.  I.  Lowe,  T.  C.  Denham  (deceased),  J.  W.  Duke  and  W.  M. 
Simpson.  Total  receipts  including  balance  from  third  quad- 
rennium, $109,999.39;  total  disbursements,  $92,363.03;  balance, 
March  31,  1908,  $17,636.36.    The  general  board,  1908-1912,  was  : 


Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick,  president;  Rev.  B.  F.  Watson,  cor- 
responding secretary  and  treasurer;  members:  Revs.  R.  C. 
Ransom,  R.  H.  W.  Leak,  D.  S.  Bentley,  D.  P.  Roberts,  J.  C. 
C.  Owens,  T.  N.  M.  Smith,  B.  H.  Williams,  S.  P.  Felder, 
J.  I.  Lowe,  F.  F.  Washington,  D.  W.  Gillislee  (deceased), 
R.  B.  Brooks  and  E.  W.  Williams.  Total  receipts  including 
balance  from  fourth  quadrennium,  $139,443.48;  disburse- 
ments,  $117,477.46;    balance,    March    31,    1912,   $20,966.03. 

Summary  of  Beneficient  Service :  During  its  24  years, 
the  society  has  had  six  general  boards,  aggregating  70  mem- 
bers, 5  of  whom  have  died  in  office.  The  longest  service  of 
a  member  was  rendered  by  Dr.  D.  P.  Roberts,  who  served 
16  years.  The  society  has  had  four  presidents  and  two 
corresponding  secretaries  since  its  organization.  It  has 
aided  by  loans  and  donations  2,721  churches;  purchased 
outright,  holding  deeds  in  fee  simple,  43  church  properties, 
estimated  at  a  value  of  $156,800.  It  has  also  aided  9  schools 
and  granted  temporary  loans  to  nearly  every  department 
of  the  Church  at  some  time  during  its  existence.  The  ac- 
complishment of  these  results  is  marvelous  when  consid- 
ered in  the  light  of  the  limited  resources  contributed  to 
make  up  the  revenue,  namely,  10  cents  savings  of  the  gen- 
eral fund  (the  dollar  money)  and  one-half  of  the  free-will 
offering  of  the  Children's  Day  collection,  put  into  business 
Christianity,  tells  the  story.  The  carefulness  with  which 
its  business  integrity  has  been  guarded  is  shown  by  the  fol- 
lowing letter  written  by  the  National  Metropolitan  Bank 
of  Washington,  D.  C.  to  a  prominent  law  firm  in  Maryland, 
in  answer  to  the  latter's  inquiry  as  to  the  standing  of  the 
Extension  Department: 
"Dear  Sir : 

"Replying  to  your  inquiry  of  the  28th  instant,  beg 
to  say  that  we  have  had  an  account  for  several  years 
with  Rev.  B.  F.  Watson,  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Church  Extension  Society  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  and 
that  the  account  has  been  a  splendid  one  at  all  times. 
No  credit  being  asked  and  Mr.  Watson  being  a  man  pe- 
culiarly qualified  to  manage  the  affairs  he  has  in  hand. 
"We  can  best  answer  your  question  as  to  accepting 
a  note  by  saying  that  if  we  were  asked  to  grant  credit  to 
the  society  we  would  feel  no  hesitation  whatever  in  the 
sum  mentioned  by  you. 
"Very  truly  yours, 

"(Signed)  G.  O.  WALSTON,   Cashier." 

Church  Property  in  the  United  States  was  valued  at 
$679,426,489  in  1890,  $1,257,575,876  in  1906  and  is  probably 
$2,000,000,000  in  1916.  Of  the  value  reported  in  1906  the 
Roman  Catholics  owned  $292,638,787,  and  Methodists  $229,- 
450,996,  others  had  less  property.  Property  of  colored  de- 
nominations reported  in  1906  was  valued  at  $56,636,159,  with 
encumbrances  of  $5,005,905.  The  property  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  was  valued  at  $11,303,489,  with  about  $1,191,921  debts. 
The  property  in  churches  now  owned  by  the  race  is  about 
$70,000,000,  and  that  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  approximately 
$14,000,000. 

Circuit. — A  circuit  is  an  appointment  in  which  there 
are  two  or  more  preaching  places.  The  term  is  used  in 
contradistinction  from  station,  which  is  a  single  preaching 
point,  where  the  pastor  is  stationary,  while  on  a  circuit 
he  circulates  from  church  to  church.  Methodism  was  made 
famous  by  the  circuit  and  the  time-limit,  which  give  point 
to  the  idea  of  itinerant  or  traveling  minister.  With  the 
growth  of  population,  circuits  tend  to  diminish,  just  as 
the   time-limit  tends   to   extend  indefinitely. 

Class  Leaders. — Next  to  the  pastor  comes  the  class  leader 
as  a  direct  spiritual  adviser,  for  he  is  a  pastor  of  a  class  of 
12  or  more.  He  should  have  good  judgment,  some  educa- 
tion and  genuine  religion  ;  he  should  be  an  ardent  student 
of  the  Scriptures  and  have  genuine  respect  for  the  ministry 
and  love  for  the  Church.  His  reputation  should  be  without 
spot.  His  duty  is  to  inquire  as  to  the  condition  of  his 
members  both  physically  and  spiritually,  to  instruct  them 
in  Christian  doctrine  and  practice,  to  comfort  and  console, 
and  to  keep  the  pastor  in  direct  touch  with  each  member. 
He  is  also  to  collect  from  each  member  something  for  the 
support  of  the  Gospel  and  turn  the  same  over  to  the  stew- 
ards at  the  official  board  meeting.  He  should  see  that 
every   one   pays. 

Class  Meetings. — A  class  is  composed  of  about  12  per- 
sons and  is  formed  for  the  purpose  of  discerning  whether 
they  are  indeed  working  out  their  own  salvation,  and  to 
receive  what  they  are  willing  to  contribute  to  the  support 


303 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


& 


of  the  Gospel.  One  of  the  persons  assigned  to  each  class 
is  styled  The  Leader.  Class  meetings  are  weekly.  They 
were  started  by  John  Wesley  in  Bristol,  England,  in  1742, 
to  meet  a  financial  necessity.  By  dividing  the  membership 
into  classes  and  making  a  class  leader  responsible  for  seeing 
each  person  in  his  class  once  per  week  and  collecting  at 
least  one  penny  from  him  or  her  the  financial  responsibil- 
ties  were  considerably  lightened.  The  class  meeting  soon 
became  a  great  spiritual  blessing  as  well  as  a  financial 
agency,  and  is  one  of  the  most  effective  departments  of  the 
Methodist  organization.  The  collections  from  class  meet- 
ings in  many  churches  pay  all  the  expense  of  preaching. 

Commentaries  are  books  of  comments,  or  notes,  on  a 
subject,  prepared  by  persons  who  have  given  many  years  to 
the  study  of  the  subject  and  have  become  authorities  on  the 
same  so  that  their  notes  are  helpful  to  others  who  would 
like  to  understand  the  subject.  Commentaries  on  the  Scrip- 
tures are  very  common  and  ver\-  useful.  No  person  who  de- 
sires to  undersand  the  Scriptures  should  be  without  a  com- 
mentary. Perhaps  the  most  popular  Scripture  commentaries 
among  Methodists  is  Adam  Clark's  published  between  1819 
and  1826,  and  Joseph  Benson's,  published  1811  to  1818,  and 
the    Pulpit    Commentary    published    later. 

Conferences  are  gatherings  of  persons  for  purpose  of 
exchanging  opinions  upon  subjects.  In  the  Methodist 
Churches  it  is  for  the  purpose  of  considering  affairs  of  the 
Church.  There  are  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  five  conferences: 
(a)  general  conference,  (b)  annual  conference,  (c)  district 
conference,  (d)  quarterly  conference,  (e)  Church  confer- 
ence. 

Connectional  Schools. — The  following  is  a  list  of  schools 
which  have  connectional  recognition,  receiving  funds  from 
the   financial   and    educational   departments  : 

1.  Wilberforce   University.   Wilberforce,   Ohio — Prof.   W. 

S.    Scarborough,   LL.   D„   president. 

2.  Allen  University,  Columbia,  S.  C. — Rev.  R.  W.  Mance, 

D.   D.,   president. 

3.  Morris     Brown     College.     Atlanta,     Ga  —  Rev.     W.     A. 

Fountain,   D.   D„  president. 

4.  Paul  Quinn  College,  Waco,  Tex.— Prof.  J.  K.  Williams, 

A.    M.,   president. 

5.  Kittrell   College.   Kittrell.   X.   C— Prof.   C.   G.   O'Kelly, 

A.   M.,   president. 

6.  Edward  Waters  College,  Jacksonville,  Fla. — Rev.  John 

A.   Gregg,  D.   D.,  president. 

7.  Western  University.  Quindaro.  Kan. — Rev.  H.  T.  Keal- 

ing,   LL.   D„  president. 

8.  Shorter    College,    Argenta.    Ark.— Dr.    William    Byrd, 

D.    D.,    president. 

9.  Payne     Theological     Seminary,     Wilberforce,     Ohio — 

Rev.    George    F.   Woodson,   dean. 

10.  Campbell   College,   Jackson,   Miss.— Rev.   A.   H.   Atta- 
way,  D.  D.,  president. 

11.  Payne    University,   Selma,   Ala. — Prof.   H.    E.   Archer, 
A.   M.,  president. 

12.  Wayman     Institute.    Harrodsburg,    Ky. — Rev.     C.    H. 

Boone,  D.  D.,  principal. 

13.  Turner    Normal    College,    Shelbyville,    Tenn. — Rev.    J. 
A.  Jones,   D.   D.,   president. 

14.  Payne    Institute,   Cuthbert,    Ga. — Rev.    A.    B.    Cooper, 
D.   D.,   principal. 

15.  Lampton   College,  Alexandria,  La. — Rev.  J.  R.  Camp- 
bell, D.   D.   president. 

Conversion  is  the  turning  around  of  a  sinner  from  the 
ways  of  sin  to  the  ways  of  God.  There  are  two  active  forces 
in  the  conversion  of  a  soul — the  human  choice  of  the  in- 
dividual to  depart  from  the  way  of  sin  and  to  lead  a  new 
life;  and  the  divine  part,  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which 
leads   the   individual   to   the   choice. 

Corporation,  A,  is  an  organization  or  a  body,  set  apart 
as  an  individual  by  a  legal  charter  or  act  of  incorporation. 
Many  of  our  local  churches  are  corporations.  The  advan- 
tage of  corporation  is  that  it  releases  the  individual 
members,  as  such  from  responsibility  for  the  debts  of  the 
church,  and  gives  the  church,  as  such,  a  right  to  hold 
property.  Our  discipline  urges  all  churches  to  incorporate. 
Before  doing  so  the  Church  Extension  Society  secretary 
should  be  consulted,  as  this  will  avoid  some  complications 
into  which  some  of  our  churches  have  unfortunately  fallen. 
Where  possible  women  should  have  voting  power  in  all 
church  corporations,  as  they  support  them  largely,  and 
"taxation  without  representation  is  tyranny"  both  in  Church 
and  State. 


Course  of  Study. — Since  most  of  our  ministers  find  it 
impossible  to  attend  school,  the  general  conference  author- 
ized the  bishops  to  prepare  a  course  for  home  stud}-,  tak- 
ing five  3_ears  to  complete.  Each  person  admitted  to  the 
annual  conference  must  pass  the  examination  for  admission 
and  then  pursue  a  course  for  four  years.  The  course,  if 
conscientiously  pursued  would  make  strong  men;  but,  un- 
fortunately, it  is  not  enforced  in  most  of  the  conferences. 
The  Course  of  Study  was  first  introduced  at  the  instance 
of  Bishop  Payne  in  1844.  The  committee  making  the  course 
were  Revs.  D.  A.  Payne,  H.  C.  Turner,  David  Ware,  R.  Rob- 
inson, A.  D.  Lewis,  W.  R.  Revels,  and  George  Weir. 

Covenant  of  Grace. — All  mankind  are  under  the  cov- 
enant of  grace  from  the  very  hour  that  the  original  promise 
was  made:  "The  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  ser- 
pent's  head." 

Days,  Connectional,  are  days  set  apart  by  the  General 
Conference  for  special  celebration  and  collections. 
The}'  are  as  follows :  Easter  Day,  when  all  the  funds 
are  devoted  to  missionary  work;  Educational  Day,  the  third 
Sunday  in  September,  when  all  collections  are  devoted  to 
our  school  work:  Children's  Day,  the  second  Sunday  in 
June,  when  the  collections  go  to  missions,  Sunday-School 
Union    and    Church    Extension. 

Deacon,  is  an  officer  first  set  apart  to  do  the  secular 
work  of  the  ministn-,  to  look  after  the  poor.  The  term  has 
various  modern  significations  in  different  Churches.  In  the 
Methodist  Churches  a  deacon  is  a  minister  who  has  author- 
ity to  bury  the  dead,  marry,  baptise  and  administer  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  but  he  is  not  allowed  to 
consecrate  the  same.  A  deacon  may  be  local  or  traveling. 
A  local  deacon  must  have  served  at  least  four  years  as  a 
local  preacher  and  must  be  recommended  to  the  annual 
conference  by  the  district  conference  on  request  from  his 
quarterly  conference.  A  traveling  deacon  must  have  served 
a  probation  of  two  years  traveling.  Both  must  pass  exam- 
inations, be  elected  by  the  annual  conference  and  ordained 
by  a  bishop. 

Deaconesses  are  female  lay  helpers  who  attend  to  the 
general  interests  of  the  church,  such  as  visiting  sick,  needy, 
etc.  They  are  set  apart  by  the  bishop  of  the  district  after 
the  election  by  the  pastor  and  official  board.  The  work  of 
deaconesses  has  not  yet  taken  vital  hold  on  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church. 

Delegates  to  General  Conference. — (a)  Ministerial:  must 
be  an  elder  who  has  traveled  four  full  years  next  preceding 
the  general  conference,  must  be  in  good  and  regular  stand- 
ing in  an  annual  conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church ;  (b) 
laymen  are  elected  by  the  electoral  college  and  confirmed 
by  the  annual  conference;  they  must  be  four  years  mem- 
bers of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  members  of  the  electoral 
college  which  elects  them.  Annual  conferences  pay  board 
of  delegates  and  their  traveling  expenses  to  the  general 
conference. 

Deeds  are  legal  documents,  signed,  sealed  and  deliv- 
ered, by  which  certain  rights  and  privileges  are  passed  from 
one  person  to  another.  A  deed  to  property  shows  the  per- 
son who  has  a  right  or  title  to  it.  The  discipline  gives  a 
form  of  deed  which  it  would  be  well  for  every  church  to 
follow  as  closely  as  possible.  All  deeds  must  be  examined 
by  a  competent  attorney,  passed  upon  by  the  annual  con- 
ference and  recorded  in  the  court  records.  Where  possi- 
ble, the  title  should  be  insured  with  a  reliable  trust  com- 
pany. For  information  apply  Church  Extension  Depart- 
ment, 1535  Fourteenth   Street,  X.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Degrees  are  gradual,  successive  steps  by  which  any- 
thing may  be  attained.  Academic  degrees  are  the  titles  by 
which  certain  progress  in  scholarship  is  noted,  and  are  of 
very  ancient  origin.  In  the  United  States  the  use  of  de- 
grees has  been  very  much  abused,  so  much  so  as  to  bring 
them  much  into  disrepute.  The  leading  universities  have 
steadily  fought  these  abuses  with  some  little  success.  The 
wearing  of  an  unearned  degree  is  regarded  more  and  more 
as  the  worst  sort  of  academic  hypocrisy.  The  most  common 
degrees   are : 

A.  B.  or  B.  A.  (Baccalauresus  Artium  '(Bachelor  of  Arts — 
the  lowest  degree,  which  means  that  the  person  wearing 
it  has  had  an  approved  four  years'  college  course,  having 
studied  Latin,  Greek  and  higher  Mathematics  along  with 
other    studies. 


304 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


A.  M.  or  M.  A.  (Artium  Magister)  Master  of  Arts,  means 
that  the  wearer  has  spent  at  least  a  year  in  graduate  study 
after  having  completed  his   college  course. 

B.  S.  (Bachelor  of  Science),  same  as  A.  B.,  except  that 
wearer   has   substituted   scientific   study   for   classical   study. 

Ph.  D.  (Philosophiae  Doctor)  Doctor  of  Philosophy, 
means  that  the  wearer  has  specialized  in  some  form  of 
philosophical  study  and  has  laid  the  basis  of  a  scholarly 
career  in  the  same.  This  means  from  three  to  five  years 
of  special  study  after  the  A.  B.  or  B.  S.  is  received. 

D.  D.  (Doctor  Divinitatis)  Doctor  of  Divinity,  usually 
given  as  an  honorary  degree  to  one  who  has  shown  special 
ability   in   theological   research. 

LL.  D.  (Legum  Doctor)  Doctor  of  Laws,  also  honorary 
to  one  who  has  shown  special  ability  in  scholastic  endeavor. 
While  these  older  degrees  exist,  there  are  more  specialized 
and  professional  degrees  of  bachelor,  master  and  doctor  in 
music,  medicine,  letters,  etc.  A  bachelor  is  a  novitiate;  a 
master  is  experienced;  a  doctor  able  to  impart  instruction 
to  others. 

Denver,  Colo. — Shorter  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Rev. 
Robert  L.  Pope,  B.  D.,  pastor,  was  organized  in  1868  by 
Rev.  J.  M.  Wilkerson  ;  has  a  membership  of  700  and  owns 
property  to  the  amount  of  $40,000,  which  is   absolutely  free 


SHORTER  A.   M.  E.  CHAPEL,  DENVER,   COLO. 
Rev.  R.  L.   Pope,  Pastor. 

of  debt.  Has  the  following  auxiliaries :  stewards,  trustees, 
class  leaders,  stewardesses,  deaconesses,  ladies'  aid,  Woman's 
Mite  Missionary,  graded  Sunday  school,  Allen  Christian  En- 
deavor League,  ushers'  club,  junior  missionary  society,  sew- 
ing circle  and  flower  circle.  It  has  employed  the  envelope 
system  in  making  collections  for  more  than  four  years,  and 
raises  upward  of  $6,000  annually  for  all  purposes.  Its  new 
parsonage  is  considered  one  among,  if  not  the  most  durable, 
modern  and  commodious  to  be  found  in  the  entire  Church. 

Dollar  Money  is  the  name  applied  to  the  annual  one 
dollar  which  each  pastor  is  required  to  collect  from  or  for 
each  member  of  his  church  and  report  to  the  annual  confer- 
ence. This  "dollar  money"  is  the  chief  item  in  the  general 
fund  of  the  Church.  It  was  originated  in  1872  when  the 
Financial  Department  was  started,  and  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful, the  collections  having  increased  from  an  average 
of  $22,000  per  year  during  1876-80  to  $210,000  per  year  during 
1912-16.  The  dollar  money  is  reported  to  the  Dollar  Money 
Committee  of  the  annual  conference,  and  by  it  paid  to  the 
Finance  Committee  and  divided  as  follows  :  40  per  cent,  is 
paid  to  the  Financial  Department  for  general  purposes, 
support  of  bishops,  general  officers,  needy  churches,  colleges, 
theological  seminaries,  widows  and  children  of  bishops,  etc.; 
8  per  cent,  is  sent  to  the  Educational  Department  for  sup- 
port of  schools;  8  per  cent,  to  the  Church  Extension  Depart- 
ment for  needy  churches  ;  8  per  cent,  to  the  Missionary  De- 
partment for  home  and  foreign  missions  ;  and  36  per  cent, 
retained  in  the  conference  and  distributed  as  follows  by 
the  Committee  on  Disbursements :  14.4  per  cent,  to  super- 
annuated preachers,  9  per  cent,  for  support  of  widows  and 

20  305 


orphans  of  deceased  ministers,  9  per  cent,  for  the  underpaid 
preachers,  and  3.6  per  cent,  for  contingent  expenses  of  the 
annual  conference.  (See  "Financial  Department.") 
The  following  is  presented  by  Secretary  Hawkins  : 
"The  study  of  our  Dollar  Money  system  shows  that  there 
is  possibly  no  dollar  handled  that  is  divided  into  as  many 
parts  and  appropriated  to  serve  in  as  many  different  ways 
as  the  single  dollar  paid  by  our  individual  members  as  Dollar 
Money.  It  is  particularly  interesting  when  compared  with 
the  single  dollar  used  by  the  United  States  Government. 
The  New  York  American  says  :  'Out  of  every  dollar  Uncle 
Sam  receives  63  cents  goes  to  maintain  the  army  and  navy, 
S  cents  goes  for  rivers  and  harbors,  4  cents  goes  for  fisheries 
and  forestry,  3  cents  goes  for  the  Panama  Canal,  1J4  cents 
cents  goes  for  the  Indians,  1  cent  goes  for  Congress.  The 
remainder  of  every  dollar  goes  to  meet  the  miscellaneous 
expenses  of  the  Government  and  to  maintain  a  surplus  in 
the   Treasury.' 

"The  division  of  each  dollar  the  Church  gets  as  Dollar 
Money  is  as  follows  :  Eight  cents  to  the  Church  Extension 
Department,  8  cents  to  the  Missionary  Department,  8  cents 
to  the  Educational  Department,  36  cents  for  each  of  the 
annual  conference  appropriations,  40  cents  for  the  Finan- 
cial Department.  The  8  per  cent,  to  the  Church  Extension 
Department  is  sub-divided  into  several  parts  so  as  to  make 
loans  and  appropriations  to  help  needy  churches  and  to 
extend  the  Church  work  in  each  and  all  of  the  districts 
throughout  the  world.  The  8  per  cent,  to  the  Missionary 
Department  is  subdivided  and  distributed  so  as  to  help  open 
new  mission  fields,  carry  on  our  mission  work  and  maintain 
our  several  missionaries  throughout  the  Connection  with  the 
special  direction  that  one-half  of  this  fund  is  to  be  applied 
to  the  work  in  foreign  mission  fields  and  the  other  one-half 
to  home  mission  work.  The  8  per  cent,  to  the  Department 
of  Education  is  subdivided  and  distributed  so  as  to  maintain 
our  24  Church  schools,  employing  210  teachers,  with  an  en- 
rollment of  over  5,000  pupils.  The  36  per  cent,  to  each  an- 
nual conference  is  appropriated  at  and  by  each  conference 
in  meeting  the  expenses  of  said  conference  and  providing 
an  allowance  for  superannuated  ministers,  widows  and  or- 
phans of  deceased  ministers,  for  ministers  serving  mission 
points,  and  granting  contributions  for  various  charitable 
objects.  The  40  per  cent,  to  the  Financial  Department  is 
subdivided  "into  120  different  parts  and  applied  so  as  to  cover 
the  salary  of  bishops,  general  officers,  allowance  for  widows 
and  orphans  of  deceased  bishops,  the  general  expenses  of  all 
meetings  of  the  bishops  in  council,  expenses  of  all  special 
committees  representing  the  Connection  in  any  and  all 
capacities,  special  appropriations  to  our  schools  and  colleges, 
and  for  all  emergency  claims  of  a  general  nature  not  other- 
wise provided  for.  Each  bishop  gets  a  stipulated  annual  al- 
lowance, to  make  which  takes  about  1  cent  out  of  each 
dollar  of  Dollar  Money  collected.  The  salary  allowance 
for  each  general  officer  is  less  than  five  eighths  of  1  cent  of 
each  dollar,  while  the  allowance  for  each  bishop's  widow  is 
but  one-eighth  of  1  cent  out  of  each  dollar. 

"The  latest  reports  show  that  calculating  on  a  basis  of 
640,000  members  as  accredited  to  us  by  the  secretary  of  the 
Federal  Council  of  Churches  in  America,  we  collected  last 
year  about  33  cents  from  or  for  each  member.  In  other 
words,  we  have  not  yet  collected  a  full  dollar  from  or  for 
but  one-third  of  our  membership.  If  we  will  increase  this 
proportion  and  collect  from  a  greater  number  we  will  so 
increase  our  revenue  as  to  enable  us  to  meet  all  of  our 
obligations  for  current  expenses,  extend  our  Church  work 
in  new  fields,  do  far  more  for  the  cause  of  missions,  free  all 
of  our  schools  of  debt,  equip  them  for  better  work,  provide  a 
regular  monthly  pension  or  stipend  for  all  our  superannu- 
ated ministers,  widows  and  orphans."  (By  J.  R.  Hawkins, 
financial  secretary.) 

Doxology  (from  Greek  doxologia — "doxa"  meaning  glory 
and  "logia,"  speech,  or  "legein,"  to  speak),  is  a  speaking  of 
praise  or  glory  to  God.  It  is  usually  sung  at  the  beginning 
or  at  the  close  of  the  service.  The  most  popular  doxology 
in  our  Church  and  Protestant  Churches  generally  is — 

"Praise  God    from   whom    all   blessings    flow, 

Praise  Him   all   creatures   here   below, 

Praise  Him   above,  ye   heavenly  host, 

Praise  Father,   Son   and  Holy  Ghost." 

This  was  written  by  Bishop  Thomas  Ken  (1637-1711),  of 
the  Church  of  England.  "Gloria  in  Excelsis"  (Glory  in  the 
highest)  is  called  the  greater  doxology,  and  "Gloria  Patri" 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


the  lesser,  and  used  in  Episcopal  and  Catholic  service  more 
than   in   Protestant. 

Dress. — Many  Christian  societies  urge  plainness  of  dress, 
and  none  more  than  the  original  Methodists.  Our  discipline 
still  enjoins  against  putting  on  gold  and  costly  apparel,  and 
if  this  would  be  carried  out  it  would  be  to  our  moral  and 
financial    benefit. 

Drew  Theological  Seminary,  Madison,  N.  J.,  a  Metho- 
dist theological  seminary  of  first  rank,  which  has  been 
attended  by  many  African  Methodists,  was  founded  by 
Daniel  Drew,  of  New  York,  who  gave  a  half  million  dollars 
for  that  purpose.  Among  its  presidents  have  been  some 
of  the  leading  scholars  of  Methodism. 

Ecumenical  Conference  of  Methodism,  The,  is  a  meeting 
of  representatives  of  Methodist  Churches  of  the  world 
held  every  10  years,  to  consider  the  growth  of  the  Church, 
federation  and  fraternity.  The  general  conference  of  the  M.  E. 
Church  started  the  movement  in  1876  and  the  first  confer- 
ence was  held  in  London,  September  7-20,  1881  ;  the  second 
in  Washington,  D.  C,  in  1891;  the  third  in  London,  1901;  and 
the  fourth  in  Toronto,  Canada,  in  1911.  On  the  joint  com- 
mission which  called  the  first  conference  were  Revs.  B.  F. 
Lee,  R.  A.  Johnson  and  John  G.  Mitchell,  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church.  The  following  were  the  delegates  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  to  the  first  Ecumenical  Conference :  Bishop  Daniel 
A.  Payne,  D.  D.,  Baltimore,  Md. ;  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown,  D.  D., 
D.  C.  L.,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Bishop  James  A.  Shorter,  Wil- 
berforce,  Ohio;  Bishop  William  F.  Dickerson,  D.  D. ;  Colum- 
bia, S.  C. ;  Rev.  B.  F.  Lee,  D.  D.,  Wilberforce,  Ohio;  Rev. 
James  M.  Townsend,  Richmond.  Ind. ;  Rev.  Augustus  T.  Carr, 
Charleston,  S.  C. ;  Rev.  James  C.  Embry,  Leavenworth,  Kan.; 
Alexander  Clark,  Esq.,  Iowa  City,  Iowa;  Prof.  Joseph  P. 
Shorter,  A.  M.,  Wilberforce,  Ohio;  Mr.  Nelson  T.  Gant, 
Zanesville,  Ohio;  Joseph  W.  Morris,  Esq.,  Cokesbury,  S.  C. 
Bishop  Payne  presided  September  17  and  read  an  essay 
on  the  12th  entitled  "The  Relation  of  Methodism  to  the 
Temperance  Movement."  Prof.  J.  P.  Shorter  read  a  paper 
on  the  subject  "The  Catholicity  of  Methodism." 

Editors  of  Church  Periodicals  are :  Rev.  R.  R.  Wright, 
Jr.,  Ph.  D.,  of  the  Christian  Recorder;  Rev.  G.  W.  Allen, 
D.  D.,  Southern  Christian  Recorder;  Rev.  J.  Frank  McDon- 
ald, D.  D.,  Western  Christian  Recorder;  Rev.  R.  C.  Ransom, 
D.  D.,  A.  M.  E.  Review;  Rev.  J.  W.  Rankin,  D.  D.,  the  Voice 
of  Missions;  Mrs.  W.  D.  Chappelle  (chief)  and  Mrs.  N.  D. 
Temple  (assistant),  The  Women's  Missionary  Recorder.  Be- 
sides these  there  are  many  unofficial  papers  published  by 
ministers  and  laymen  of  the  Church. 

Educational    Department    of    the    A.    M.   E.    Church,   The, 

was  organized  in  1884,  although  the  Church  had  been  in 
the  educational  work  many  years  before.  In  1884  it  pro- 
posed a  manual  labor  school  in  Ohio  near  Columbus ;  in 
1856  cooperated  with  the  M.  E.  Church  in  founding  Wilber- 
force University,  and  in  1863  became  the  sole  owners  of 
Wilberforce.  In  1876  the  general  conference  passed  reso- 
lutions establishing  an  education  department  and  appoint- 
ed Rev.  J.  C.  Embry  as  commissioner  of  education,  who  was 
a  general  officer.  In  1880  Dr.  B.  F.  Watson  was  elected 
commissioner  of  education.  In  1884  the  department  was 
permanently  organized.  Rev.  W.  D.  Johnson  was  elected 
secretary  of  education,  and  in  1896  Prof.  J.  R.  Hawkins,  of 
Kittrell,  N.  C,  was  elected,  serving  until  1912  when  the 
present  incumbent.  Prof.  A.  S.  Jackson,  was  elected.  The 
department  is  managed  by  a  Board  of  Education  consisting 
of  one  member  from  each  Episcopal  district  appointed  by 
the  Bishops'  Council  and  confirmed  by  the  general  confer- 
ence and  a  secretary  of  education  elected  by  the  general 
conference.  The  powers  of  the  board  are  largely  advisory, 
except  that  it  appropriates  according  to  law  the  funds 
which  come  into  its  hands,  arising  chiefly  from  8  per  cent,  of 
the  dollar  money.     The  headquarters   are   at  Waco,  Tex. 

Edward  Waters  College,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  was  founded 
in  1884  by  Revs.  W.  P.  Ross,  who  was  pastor  of  Mt.  Zion 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  and  who  became  the 
first  president,  W.  W.  Sampson,  who  was  first  traveling 
agent,  and  Jno.  R.  Scott,  who  was  the  first  principal.  The 
following  have  served  as  presidents  since  Rev.  Ross:  J.  E. 
Lee,  J.  H.  Welch,  B.  W.  Arnett,  Jr.,  Jno.  R.  Scott,  Jr.,  J.  P. 
Q.  Wallace, Watson,  D.  J.  Jordan,  A.  St.  George  Rich- 
ardson, R.  J.  Holloway,  A.  H.  Attaway  and  Jno.  A.  Gregg,  at 
present.  The  first  quarters  were  Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E. 
Church,   1881-85;   from   1885-89  the   6chool  trustees   rented   a 


building  from  the  trustees  of  Mt.  Zion  ;  in  1889  this  build- 
ing and  ground  were  purchased  for  $10,000.  In  1901  the 
building  was  destroyed  and  the  school  was  conducted  in 
rented  halls  till  1901,  when  it  again  moved  into  its  own 
building.  The  property  now  consists  of  4  buildings,  6yi  acres 
of  ground  valued  at  $85,000.  The  special  rally  of  1915 
brought  $10,760.50  and  cleared  the  mortgage  indebtedness. 
The  courses  given  are  theological,  college,  college  prepara- 
tory, normal,  music,  sewing,  tailoring,  business  and  gram- 
mar. Four  hundred  and  four  students  were  enrolled  last 
year;  129  persons  have  graduated,  among  the  most  dis- 
tinguished of  whom  are  Rev.  S.  T.  Tice  (deceased),  E.  C. 
Deas,  Dr.  W.  W.  Schell,  Lucinda  B.  Stewart  and  Attorney 
S.  D.  McGill.  There  are  20  teachers,  among  whom  are  grad- 
uates of  Kansas,  Wilberforce,  Fisk,  Biddle  and  Morris 
Brown  Universities,  New  England  Conservatory  of  Music, 
Oberlin  College  and  Gammon  Seminary.  The  school  term 
js   eight   months,   number   of   theological   students   28. 

Electoral  College  is  a  meeting  of  lay  delegates  elected 
from  each  mission,  circuit  and  station,  at  a  place  appointed 
by  the  annual  conference,  for  the  purpose  of  electing  two 
lay  delegates  to  the  general  conference.  It  must  assemble 
at  least  three  months  before  the  annual  conference  which 
elects   ministerial   delegates. 

Episcopal  Address. — An  address  delivered  at  the  opening 
of  general '  conference  from  the  bishops  to  the  delegates, 
reviewing  the  work  of  the  Church  and  making  recommenda- 
tions for  legislation     It  is  of  late  usually  in  printed  form. 

Epworth  League  is  the  young  people's  society  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  modeled  after  the  Christian 
Endeavor  Society;  named  Epworth  from  Epworth,  England, 
the  place  where  John  Wesley,  the  founder  of  Methodism, 
was   born. 

Episcopacy. — (Latin:  episcopatus,  from  episcopus ; 
Greek  :  episkopos,  overseer,  bishop)  means  oversight,  watch, 
careful  inspection.  Government  of  Church  by  bishops.  The 
A.  M.  E.  Church  has  been  governed  by  bishops  from  the 
beginning.  These  bishops  are  elected  for  life,  and  assigned 
to  work  by  an  Episcopal  Committee  at  general  conferences. 

Episcopal  Committee. — A  committee  of  one  member 
from  each  annual  conference  appointed  by  the  general  con- 
ference at.  its  session  whose  duty  is  to  examine  each  bishop 
concerning  his  administration  and  decisions,  and  to  make 
assignments  of  the  bishops  to  their  Episcopal  districts. 
Usually  the  first  man  elected  on  each  delegation  of  ministers 
represents  his  annual  conference  on   this   committee. 

Evangelists. — This  term  is  applied  to  persons  doing  re- 
ligious work  in  the  communities  where  they  live  and  are 
members  of  the  quarterly  conference  according  to  assign- 
ment of  the  bishop  and  presiding  elder.  Evangelists  are 
specifically  recognized  by  the  Scripture  and  taken  for  grant- 
ed by  the  discipline  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  ;  they  are  mem- 
bers of  the  quarterly  conference  to  which  they  must  report. 
A  large  number  of  women  who  are  unordained  but  who 
have  success  in  revival  meetings  are  termed  evangelists  for 
the  want  of  a  better  designation. 

Evangelical  Bureau,  officially  recognized  by  the  general 
conference  in  1912  but  not  continued  in  1916.  Its  purpose 
was  to  systematize  the  work  of  holding  revivals,  to  give 
status  to  those  styling  themselves  as  evangelists,  and  to 
promote   spiritual   awakening   throughout   the   Church. 

Exhorter  is  a  lay  helper  to  the  preacher.  His  office  is 
regarded  by  some  as  the  first  step  in  the  ministry,  a  license 
"to  exhort"  being  given  by  the  presiding  elder  upon  vote 
of  the  quarterly  conference  which  receives  the  candidate 
upon  recommendation  of  his  class  leader  and  pastor.  Ex- 
horters  are  supposed  to  use  their  talents  wherever  they  can. 
The  difference  between  the  exhorter  and  preacher  is  that 
the  exhorter  is  not  supposed  to  take  a  Biblical  text  and 
treat  it  systematically,  while  the  preacher  is  supposed  to 
do  so. 

Experience,  as  used  in  Methodist  parlance,  concerns  the 
events  of  one's  religious  life,  such  as  conviction,  conversion, 
and  general  religious  progress  including  the  temptations  met 
and  overcome,  etc.  Meetings  at  which  Christians  tell  of 
their  experience  in  public  are  called  "experience  meet- 
ings," and  are  helpful  in  stimulating  Christian  fidelity  and 
fortitude,  ._, 


306 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


EDWARD  WATERS  COLLEGE  HALLS— JACKSONVILLE,  FLA. 


Financial  Department,  The,  1541  Fourteenth  Street,  N.  W., 
Washington,  D.  C. :  One  of  the  most  interesting  feat- 
tures  of  the  history  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  as  an 
organization  is  that  which  pertains  to  the  provision  made 
for  the  support  of  its  ministry,  care  of  widows  and  orphans 
and  the  development  of  its  various  general  departments. 
The  fathers  who  laid  the  foundation  of  our  Church  were 
not  insensible  to  the  needs  of  a  great  organization  and 
showed  wonderful  foresight  in  their  plans  for  development 
and  growth.  First,  they  provided  for  the  temporal  affairs 
by  selecting  qualified  persons  to  look  after  collecting  money 
for  the  support  of  the  preacher,  the  poor  and  the  sick,  and 
required  that  they  should  keep  and  give  an  accurate  account 
of  the  same.  Second,  they  encouraged  the  missionary  spirit 
by  providing  for  quarterly  and  annual  collections  to  be  taken 
in  each  charge  and  carried  to  the  annual  conference  as  a 
"general  fund  to  be  applied  toward  extending  the  work  of 
the  Church."  The  first  tangible  evidence  of  the  virtue  of 
such  provision  was  the  organization  of  annual  conference 
missionary  societies,  the  establishing  of  the   Book  Concern 

307 


at    Philadelphia    and    the    appointment    of    a    general    book 
steward  with  authority  to  publish  a  monthly  magazine. 

The  General  Conference  of  1832  made  provision  for  the 
support  and  expenses  of  the  general  superintendents,  or 
bishops,  and  also  provided  for  the  traveling  expenses  of  the 
assistant  general  superintendents,  or  presiding  elders.  The 
General  Conference  of  1840  increased  this  provision  for  the 
bishops  so  as  to  enable  them  to  employ  all  their  time  in 
traveling  throughout  the  connection.  In  1844  a  plan  was 
adopted  under  which  each  preacher  having  a  charge  was  re- 
quired to  raise  "two  cents  a  month  from  each  member 
for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  general  fund,  half  of  which 
was  to  be  applied  to  the  relief  of  the  distressed  itinerant, 
superannuated  and  supernumerary  preachers  and  bishops' 
salaries.  The  other  half  to  be  used  to  create  a  fund  for 
capital  for  carrying  on  the  Book  Concern."  This  two-cent 
assessment  continued  in  vogtie  until  1868,  with  some  slight 
modifications  as  to  the  manner  and  ratio  of  disbursements 
for  the  various  interests  of  the  Church.  The  General  Con- 
ference of   1868,  which   met   in  Washington,  D.  C,  provided 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


that  each  preacher  should  collect  "One  Dollar  from  or  for 
each  member  annually,  and  that  25  cents  of  this  one  dollar 
be  sent  to  the  general  book  steward  at  Philadelphia,  25 
cents  to  Wilberforce  University,  and  that  50  cents  be  carried 
to  the  annual  conference  and  turned  over  to  the  financial 
commttee."  This  was  the  beginning  of  what  was  known 
as  our  "Dollar  Money  System."  In  1872  the  Financial  De- 
partment was  organized  as  such  by  the  general  conference 
which  met  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  the  Rev.  J.  H.  W.  Burley 
was  elected  as  financial  secretary.  The  "Dollar  Money"  pro- 
vided for  under  the  law  of  1868  was  made  a  "general  fund" 


the  Northeast  South  Carolina  Conference,  with  an  occasion- 
al  contribution   from   the    Educational   Department. 

Florida  Conference  was  organized  June  8,  1867,  and  in- 
cluded the  whole  State  of  Florida.  Since  that  time  the 
State  has  been  set  apart  as  the  Eleventh  Episcopal  District, 
and  includes  the  Florida,  East  Florida,  West  Florida,  South 
Florida  and  Middle  Florida  Annual  Conferences,  and  has  a 
membership  of  nearly  40,000. 

Florida  Annual  Conference,  Central,  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  South  Florida  Conference,  and  was  set  apart  in 
1900  at  Tampa,  Bishop  Gaines  presiding,  by  a  resolution 
offered  by  Rev.  B.  W.  Miley,  presiding  elder.  February  25, 
1901,  Bishop  Handy  presiding  at  Ocala,  Fla.,  this  conference 
was  organized,  Rev.  John  L.  Jackson  secretary.  The  Cen- 
tral Florida  Conference  has  the  distinction  of  having  held 
a  Christmas  conference  in  the  church  where  it  was  organ- 


FINANCIAL   DEPARTMENT,   WASHINGTON,   D.   C. 

under  the  control  of  a  general  financial  board.  The  "Dollar 
Money  Law"  as  approved  then  has  been  subject  to  some 
slight  changes,  principally  as  it  relates  to  the  manner  and 
ratio  of  distribution.  The  following  table  shows  the  total 
amount  of  Dollar  Money  reported  under  the  different  sec- 
retaries  in   charge   of  the  department : 

1872-1876,  4  years,  Rev.  J.  H.  W.   Burlev $95,554.11 

1876-1880,  4  years,  Rev.   J.   C.   Embry 99,925.68 

1896-1900,  4  years,  Rev.   M.    M.    Moore 406,074.26 

1880-1888,  8  years,  Rev.    B.    W.    Arnett 368,895.86 

1888-1892,  4  vears,  Rev.  J.  A.   Handy 313,341.44 

1892-1896.  4  years,  Rev.    J.    H.    Armstrong 351,942.09 

1900-1902,  2  years,  Rev.    P.    A.    Hubbard 229,417.38 

1902-1908,  6  years,  Rev.  E.  W.  Lampton 1,199,488.48 

1908-1912,  4  years,  Rev.   John   Hurst 790,088.50 

1912-1916,  4  years,  Prof.    J.    R.    Hawkins 850,214.04 

Total     4,521,486.83 

The  headquarters  of  the  Financial  Department  were  first 
at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  where  it  was  incorporated,  then  in 
Washington,  D.  C.  first  at  1535  Fourteenth  Street,  N.  W., 
now   at   1541   Fourteenth   Street,  N.  W. 

Finance  Committee. — This  committee  in  an  annual  con- 
ference receives  all  conference  monies  and  disburses  them 
as  directed  by  law,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  confer- 
ence. The  members  of  the  finance  committee  are  elected  by 
the   annual   conference. 

Flegler  High  School,  Marion,  S.  C,  named  in  honor  of 
Rev.  S.  F.  Flegler,  of  South  Carolina,  was  organized  in  1899 
by  Rev.  E.  J.  Gregg  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  of  Marion.  Miss 
Watt-'e  E.  White  was  the  first  teacher.  In  1891  Rev.  Flegler 
n  ted  the  building  in  which  the  school  is  now  operated. 
It   derives   its   support   chiefly  from  the   Marion   District  of 

308 


BETHEL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  CLEARWATER,  FLA. 
Built   by   Rev.   J.   W.    Dukes%  D.   D. 
(See  his  sketch,  Page  85.) 
ized,  Mt.  Zion,  Ocala.     This  was  in  1903,  December  23  to  29, 
Bishop    James    A.    Handy    presiding.     The    following-named 
bishops   have    served   this    conference :   James   A.   Handy,   B. 
T.   Tanner.    M.   B.   Salter   and   John    Hurst,   and   under   each 
great   increases   were   made.     The    following-named   persons 
have    served    as    secretaries    since    the    organization    of    this 


MT.    ZION   A.    M.    E.    CHURCH.   OCALA,    FLA. 
Built  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Dukes,  D.  D. 
(See  his  sketch,  Page  85.) 
conference:    Revs.    John    L.    Jackson,   N.    W.    Bagley,    R.    D. 
McLin,  S.  D.  Stewart.     Amount  paid  pastors  for  salary  and 
support    in    1914    was    $25,285.25.     Collected    by    trustees    for 
building     and     repairs,     1914,    $lW    Tola      number    M 
Church   houses   in   the   conference   145.     Since   1901,  $1^,997.48 
has    been    collected    for    educational    purposes,    the    largest 
amount,  $4,985,  in   1913. 

When  Bishop  Hurst  was  assigned  to  the  State,  he  found 
Edward  Waters  College  burdened  with  a  mortgage  of  $10,000 
and  a  floating  debt  of  $8,000.    Within  one  year  and  six  months, 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Q 


through  his  plans,  every  cent  of  indebtedness  was  paid 
and  a  heating  plant  installed,  also  12  rooms  added  to  the 
boys'  dormitory,  with  $7,000  cash  in  the  bank  to  the  school's 
credit  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  centennial  building.  The 
following-named  ministers  of  the  conference  have  died : 
Allen  Jones,  J.  J.  Newton,  R.  S.  Quarterman,  G.  W.  Jenkins, 
D.  L.  Williams,  J.  S.  Archie,  Solomon  Dancel,  H.  H.  Harden, 
C.  L.  Cloie,  Walter  Glymp,  Jacob  Williams,  J.  H.  Thomas, 
N.  H.  C.  Frazier,  J.  J.  Player,  S.  D.  Stewart,  William  Jones, 
P.  G.  Gowens,  T.  T.  Goines,  B.  W.  Miley,  E.  D.  McDonald, 
A.  B.  Osgood,  J.  A.  Quarterman,  Cato  R.  Hill,  Anthony 
Bellamy,  J.  H.  Thomas,  Moses  S.  Green,  Reuben  Anderson, 
J.  J.  Warner,  G.  W.  Powell,  James  Dean,  Zancy  Stary,  S.  P. 
Livingston   and  others. 

When    organized,    this    conference    had    three    presiding 


Florida  Conference  (East),  held  its  first  session  at 
Palatka,  Fla.,  February  28,  1878.  Bishop  Campbell'  pre- 
sided; Rev.  J.  H.  Armstrong  secretary.  Presiding  elders: 
Revs.  M.  J.  Johnson,  T.  W.  Long,  J.  H.  Armstrong,  John  R. 
Scott,  Sr.,  and  B.  W.  Roberts.  Traveling  elders:  W.  W. 
Sampson,  J.  J.  Sawyer,  Francis  Carolina,  J.  C.  Waters,  J.  I. 
Lowe,  J.  Thomas,  S.  Jackson,  T.  C.  Denham,  T.  T.  Thomp- 
son, W.  R.  Wood,  Peter  Crooms,  Allen  Jones,  Jr.,  Wash- 
ington Jones,  Richard  Brigadier,  W.  C.  Coles,  A.  Fort,  David 
Hamilton,  Alfred  Brown,  J.  C.  La  Cruse  and  P.  G.  Gowens. 
Traveling  deacons:  Revs.  R.  J.  Brookens,  W.  Glymp,  R. 
Epton,  J.  S.  Robinson,  T.  Higginbottom,  J.  Sutton.  Simon 
Boggs,  E.  Smith,  King  Stockton,  James  Edwards,  Alexander 
Chambers  and  C.  A.  Hadley.  Local  elders  :  Revs.  Cupid 
Wilson  and  Dennis  Wood.     Local  deacons  :  Alexander  Lof- 


INTERIOR   OF    FINANCIAL    DEPARTMENT,    WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 


elder  districts — Gainesville,  Ocala  and  Leesburg — presided 
over  by  Revs.  S.  H.  Hadley,  T.  T.  Gaines  and  B.  W.  Miley. 
To-day  there  are  in  this  conference  six  presiding  elder  dis- 
tricts presided  over  by  Revs.  G.  W.  Hawkins,  S.  M.  Gibbs, 
R.  D.  McLin,  A.  Jackson,  P.  R.  Roberts  and  G.  W.  Archie. 
When  organized  there  were  5,565  full  members  in  the  bounds 
of  this  conference  territory;  to-day  there  is  a  full  mem- 
bership within  the  bounds  of  the  conference  of  6,350.  The 
conference  membership  in  the  organization  was  104;  to-day 
there  is  a  conference  membership  of  250.  The  total  amount 
of  dollar  money  reported  at  the  first  session  of  the  con- 
ference was  $1,979.50 ;  at  the  last  session  held  in  St.  Peters- 
burg, February  16-24,  1916,  the  total  dollar  money  was 
$3,448.50.     (By  Rev.  G.  W.  Hawkins,  historian.) 


ten  and  Dennis  Fuller.  Licentiates  :  W.  S.  Stewart  and  R.  J. 
Brookens.  Of  this  number  all  are  dead  except  Rev.  T.  W. 
Long,  J.  I.  Lowe  and  King  Stockton.  Membership  was  up- 
ward of  8,000.  Duval  County,  Fla.,  then,  as  now,  was  the 
great  A.  M.  E.  stronghold.  The  second  session  held  at 
Ocala,  Fla.,  February  7,  1879,  showed  a  period  of  activity 
in  church  and  parsonage  building.  Successful  revivals  were 
held  and  one  or  two  camp  meetings  had  taken  place. 
In  1880  the  conference  convened  at  Madison,  Fla.  Being 
near  the  boundary  line  of  the  "mother"  conference,  there 
came  many  brethren  from  the  West.  Bishop  Campbell's 
term  expired  at  the  rise  of  the  conference,  and  he  received 
the  thanks  of  the  members  for  having  presided  with  father- 
ly consideration  during  the  quadrennium.     January  19,   1881, 


309 


€!> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<e 


conference  met  at  Lake  City.  Bishop  Wayman's  second  com- 
ing was  hailed  with  approval.  The  Church  in  Florida  regarded 
the  bishop  as  a  spiritual  father  and  his  sermon  "I  seek  my 
brethren"  still  lingered  in  their  memory.  The  work  called 
for  expansion.  Rev.  J.  J.  Sawyer  was  secretary,  serving 
from  1880  to  1883.  In  1882  the  fifth  session  was  held  at 
Fernandina,  and  the  work  continued  to  grow.  Sixth  ses- 
sion, Gainesville,  February  23,  1883.  Seventh  session,  Jack- 
sonville, February  24,  1884.  Eighth  session,  Ocala,  February 
24,  1885.  Bishop  Payne  assumed  Episcopal  authority  and 
at  once  impressed  all  that  he  was  sincere  and  did  much  to 
raise  the  standard  of  the  Christian  ministry.  The  Rev. 
Joseph  E.  Lee,  D.  D.,  served  as  secretary  in  1883  and  1884. 
The  ninth  session  at  Jacksonville,  February  24,  1886.  Tenth, 
Lake  City,  1887.  Eleventh  at  Palatka,  1888.  There  were  re- 
grets that  the  great  man  had  to  be  changed,  but  his  admin- 
istration was  as  a  strong  piercing  light,  scattering  ignor- 
ance and  superstition  as  never  before.  Revs.  R.  B.  Brook- 
ins,  secretary,  1885-86.  Rev.  S.  H.  Coleman,  secretary,  1887-88. 
Bishop  Payne  at  the  Ocala  conference  appointed  the  Rev.  C. 
J.  Crooms,  presiding  elder  of  the  Lake  City  District,  remark- 
able from  the  fact  that  Elder  Crooms  when  appointed  was 
only  25  years  of  age.  He  served  well  for  two  years  and 
died  during  1887. 

Bishop  Arnett,  the  organizer  and  historian,  assumed 
Episcopal  authority,  1889,  at  Madison,  Fla.  The  keynote 
"You  Must"  became  a  motto  for  the  brethren.  Rev.  D.  W. 
Gillislee  first  came  into  the  public  eye  b\-  his  ability  as 
secretary.  Thirteenth  session  at  Gainesville,  February, 
1890.  Fourteenth  session  at  Jacksonville,  February,  1891. 
Fifteenth  session  at  Orlando,  February,  1892;  Rev.  John  R. 
Scott,  a  graduate  of  Wilberforce,  served  as  secretary,  1890- 
1896.  Sixteenth  session  was  at  Fernandina,  when  Bishop 
Ward  came.  His  term,  however,  was  cut  short,  for  he 
died  at  the  episcopal  residence  on  Florida  Avenue,  Jack- 
sonville. Bishop  Grant  delivered  the  funeral  oration  at  Mt. 
Zion,  Jacksonville.  The  seventeenth  session  met  at  Lake 
City,  Fla.,  February,  1894.  Bishop  Grant  succeeded  Bishop 
Ward.  Eighteenth  session,  St.  Augustine,  1895.  Nineteenth 
session  at  Jacksonville,  1896.  Live  Oak  entertained  the  con- 
ference February  10,  1897,  when  Bishop  Embry  assumed 
episcopal  authority.  For  some  cause  not  yet  fully  under- 
stood, there  was  much  bitterness  during  the  conference.  The 
result  was  a  slight  break  resulting  in  what  is  known  as 
the  "Independent  Church."  The  Rev.  J.  J.  Sawyer,  M.  A. 
Stark,  B.  W.  Phillip,  J.  W.  Griffin  and  a  few  others  withdrew 
from  the  connection.  Elder  Sawyer,  however,  returned  at 
the  Lake  City  Conference  in  1906.  Bishop  Embry  died  1897 
and  was  succeeded  by  Bishop  Gaines.  Rev.  A.  J.  Carey  was 
secretary,  1897-98.  The  twenty-first  session  was  at  Jack- 
sonville, February  16,  1898.  Twenty-second  session  at  Lake 
City,    February,     1899.     Twenty-third     session,    Jacksonville, 

1900.  Twenty-fourth     session     at    Live    Oak,    February    24, 

1901,  Bishop  James  A.  Handy  presiding.  Twenty-fifth  ses- 
sion at  Jacksonville,  February,  1902.  Twenty-sixth  session, 
Madison,  1903.  Twenty-seventh  session,  Jacksonville,  1904. 
Rev.  A.  Dixon  was  secretary  all  through  this  quadrennium. 
Mrs.  Mary  F.  Handy,  the  bishop's  wife,  accompanied  him, 
and  her  strong  appeals  aroused  the  women  of  the  Church  to 
greater  effort.  May  3,  1901,  the  great  fire  at  Jacksonville 
destroyed  Mt.  Zion  and  Grant's  Chapel.  The  twenty-eighth 
session  found  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner  in  charge  at  Fernandina 
in  January,  1905.  Twenty-ninth  session,  Lake  City,  1906. 
Thirtieth  session,  St.  Augustine,  1906.  Thirty-first  session 
at  Jacksonville,  December  18,  1907.  Thirty-second  session 
in  Live  Oak,  December,  1908,  Bishop  Salter  presiding.  Thir- 
ty-third session  at  Jacksonville,  1909.  Thirty-fourth  ses- 
sion at  Madison,  1910.  Thirty-fifth  session  at  Jacksonville, 
December,  1911.  During  his  term  the  educational  question 
was  paramount.  Edward  Waters  College  was  built.  Bishop 
Salter  was  in  feeble  health,  but  was  persistent.  Through  his 
influence  Hon.  J.  H.  Blodgett,  of  Jacksonville,  gave  thousands 
of  feet  of  lumber  for  building  of  Edward  Waters  College. 
Bishop  Coppin  assisted  Bishop  Salter  during  his  last  year. 
Bishop  Salter  was  succeeded  by  Bishop  John  Hurst.  The 
thirty-sixth    session    met    at    St.    Augustine,    December    18, 

1912.  Thirty-seventh   session    at   Jacksonville,   December   17, 

1913.  Thirty-eighth  session  at  Live  Oak,  December  16,  1914. 
Thirty-ninth  session,  Lake  City,  December  15,  1915.  Bishop 
Hurst's  administration  may  well  be  known  as  the  "Golden 
Age"  for  in  all  departments  there  were  marked  increases 
and  greater  activity  than  ever.  Education  and  experience 
made  him  a  great  leader.  Hundreds  were  added  to  the 
Church  and  upwards  of  $60,000  collected  for  Edward  Waters 
College.    Upon    his    advent   the   college   was    in   debt   about 


$20,000.  In  a  short  period  one  rally  alone  brought  $15,000. 
He  freed  the  school  of  debt,  raised  another  $6,000  and  built 
the  Bo3's'  Dormitor\',  paid  the  interest  together  with  the 
principal  on  bills  past  due.  In  September,  1915,  he  raised 
$10,000  under  the  special  call  and  at  the  close  of  his  first 
term  is  preparing  to  erect  a  three-story  brick  building.  He 
has  traveled  practically  over  all  of  the  territory  within  the 
Eleventh  Episcopal  District.  The  General  Conference  of 
1916  returned  him  to  Florida  on  account  of  the  good  work 
he  had  done  and  the  almost  universal  demand  for  his  return. 
Sharing  his  work  and  responsibilities  is  Mrs.  K.  B.  Hurst, 
his  wife,  who  has  become  a  great  favorite  for  her  acts  of 
kindness    and   words   of   cheer. 

In  1903  the  Georgia  Conferences,  through  Bishop  Turner, 
submitted  propositions  for  uniting  the  Edward  Waters  Col- 
lege with  Morris  Brown  College,  at  Atlanta,  Ga.  The  con- 
ference accepted  the  proposition  and  requested  Bishop 
Handy  to  appoint  seven  commissioners  to  cooperate  with 
similar  commissioners  from  the  other  Florida  conferences 
and  Georgia  with  full  power  to  effect  a  consolidation.  But 
they   failed   to    consolidate. 

Mt.  Zion  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  has  kept 
the  lead  upon  all  material  and  spiritual  lines.  Revs.  E.  J. 
Gregg,  D.  D.,  A.  J.  Carey,  D.  D.,  Joseph  E.  Lee,  D.  D.,  S.  A. 
Williams,  D.  D.,  John  R.  Scott,  D.  D.,  L.  Thomas,  D.  D., 
Charles  H.  Pearce,  D.  D.,  William  Bradwell,  D.  D.,  W.  P. 
Ross,  D.  D.,  J.  C.  Waters,  D.  D.,  J.  H.  Welch,  D.  W.  Gillislee, 
D.  D.,  James  Dean,  D.  D.,  D.  M.  Baxter,  D.  D.,  and  James  A. 
Long,  D.  D.,  the  present  pastor,  have  held  the  appointment 
from  1867  to  1915.  Under  Dr.  Baxter's  five-year  pastorate 
the   collections   were:   stewards,   $26,000;    trustees,   $36,000.. 

The  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League  flourished  in  Flor- 
ida. There  have  been  two  State  superintendents — Rev.  J. 
W.  Dukes  and  Prof.  D.  S.  D.  Belliny,  P.  E.  L.  Prof.  Belliny 
traveled  over  the  State  in  the  interest  of  the  work  and 
thousands  enrolled  beneath  the  banner  of  1904-1915.  Rev. 
Dukes's  term  was  very  successful  also.  Two  hundred  and 
sixty-seven  A.  M.  E.  ministers  have  died  throughout  Flor- 
ida, from  1867  to  1915.  All  died  natural  deaths  except  Rev. 
W.  W.  McGriff  (suicide).  Rev.  J.  Jones  (assassinated),  Rev. 
William  Mitchell  (assassinated),  Rev.  A.  C.  Thomas  (assass- 
inated), Rev.  J.  A.  Hogans  (found  dead).  Rev.  Anthony 
Stephens  (crushed  by  barrel  of  rosin),  Rev.  S.  H.  Coleman 
(train  wreck),  while  Revs.  W.  L.  Livingston,  B.  F.  Brockin- 
boro,  M.  G.  Price,  A.  B.  Osgood  suffered  paralytic  strokes. 
All  died  in  the  faith  except  one  Landy  Tyler,  who  is  said  to 
have  cursed  the  day  he  was  born.  Rev.  R.  O.  Sydney,  the 
first  fiscal  agent  of  our  educational  interests  is  said  to  have 
drowned  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  1878  or  9.  Bishop  Abram 
Grant  was  born  in  an  ox  cart  near  Lake  City,  Fla.  Bishop 
M.  M.  Moore  was  born  in  a  log  hut  near  the  "G"  tract  in 
Gadsden  County,  Fla.  The  Rev.  R.  A.  Grant  is  an  effective 
preacher.  Trained  in  science,  literature  and  the  classics, 
a  student  of  civil  and  Church  law,  as  well  as  a  patient 
searcher  of  Holy  Writ.  He  is  indeed  a  strong,  able  leader 
of  religious  forces.  A.  D.  1911-15,  canceled  $3,000  debt  against 
St.  Paul's  Church,  Jacksonville.  The  Bishop's  Council  was 
held  at  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  in  1909 — once  within  the  past  25 
years.  Rev.  R.  B.  Brooks.  D.  D.,  was  a  former  school 
teacher  and  United  States  Inspector  of  Customs  during  his 
career,  and  for  a  number  years  was  styled  the  "Dollar 
Money  King"  from  1904  to  1912.  He  was  a  presiding  elder 
for  12  years.  Rev.  E.  W.  Bvrd.  D.  D.,  Rev.  R.  L.  Brown, 
D.  D.,  Rev.  R.  T.  Gordon,  D.  D.,  Rev.  W.  D.  Certain,  D.  D., 
Rev.  H.  Y.  Tookes,  A.  B.,  are  among  the  prominent  mem- 
bers of  this  conference.  A.  M.  E.  ministers  honored  by  the 
voters  and  by  the  executives  as  legislators  and  other  offi- 
cers, 1867-1912:  Revs.  C.  H.  Pearce,  William  Bradwell,  John 
R.  Scott,  Sr.,  John  R.  Scott,  Jr.,  T.  W.  Long,  Major  Johnson, 
G.  W.  Witherspoon,  Robert  Meecham;  Rev.  Joseph  E.  Lee, 
legislator  and  judge  and  collector  of  internal  revenue,  1878- 
1912;  R.  L.  Brown,  John  R.  Scott,  Jr.,  legislators;  James 
Dean,  judge;  Revs.  R.  M.  Perrin,  John  W  Jones,  R.  B. 
Brooks,  deputy  collectors  and  inspectors  ;  A.  H.  Attaway, 
Internal  Revenue  Department;  Rev.  A.  B.  Osgood,  post- 
master. 

The  success  attained  is  due,  in  a  great  measure,  to  the 
devotion  and  patriotism  of  the  women  of  the  Church.  In 
every  community,  whether  in  city  or  country  or  town,  there 
are  found  women  of  sterling  qualities  as  pure  as  the  purest 
and  who,  like  the  celebrated  women  mentioned  in  the  Bible, 
would  lay  down  their  life  for  their  Lord.  Many  of  the 
ministers  wives  have  been  and  are  foremost  leaders  on  this 
line.  Mrs.  M.  E.  C.  Smith,  Mrs.  A.  B.  Thompson,  Mrs.  W. 
P.  Ross,  Mrs.  Mary  Scott,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Waller,  Mrs.  E.  J. 
Gregg,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Welch,  Mrs.  E.  F.  Williams,  Mrs.  Georgia 

21Q     _  - 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


Gilyord,  Mrs.  H.  E.  Brown,  Mrs.  M.  M.  Moore,  Miss  Minnie 
Young,  Mrs.  Jessie  Wiggins,  Mrs.  Laura  Acosta,  Mrs.  D.  M. 
Baxter,  Mrs.  Allie  Collier,  Mrs.  E.  L.  Anderson,  Mrs.  Phoebe 
Murray,  Mrs.  Fred  Burke,  Mrs.  R.  A.  Grant,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Ran- 
dolph, Mrs.  A.  B.  Osgood,  Mrs.  T.  D.  Tyson,  Mrs.  Temper- 
ance Coleman,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Scott,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Williams,  Mrs. 
Jane  Taylor,  Mrs.  Cora  Walker,  Mrs.  G.  C.  Heard,  Mrs.  E.  C. 
Long,  Mrs.  Jennie  L  Brooks,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Arnold,  Mrs.  Ada- 
line  Broadie,  Mrs.  W.  L.  Livingston,  Mrs.  Mary  Gillislee, 
Mrs.  W.  H.  Alexander,  Mrs.  INora  Williams,  Mrs.  Anna 
Jones,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Jones,  Mrs.  H.  Y.  Tookes,  Mrs.  W.  D. 
Certain,  Mrs.  R.  T.  Gordon,  Mrs.  R.  L.  Brown,  Mrs.  S.  G. 
Baker,  Mrs.  G.  C.  Bledsoe,  Mrs.  W.  A.  Dozier,  Mrs.  L.  B. 
Robinson  (of  California),  Mrs.  Maggie  B.  Thompson,  Mrs. 
Pollie  Duval,  Mrs.  Ada  Braddock,  Mrs.  D.  B.  Williams,  Mrs. 
G.  N.  Barnes,  Mrs.  Pollie  Wetherspoon,  Mrs.  Bishop  Riley, 
Mrs.  J.  E.  Smith,  Mrs.  A.  J.  Bennett,  Mrs.  A.  W.  Bolden, 
Mr.  T.  D.  Tyson,  Mrs.  Maria  Andrews,  Mrs.  Susan  Brown, 
Mrs.  E.  V.  Merritt,  Mrs.  D.  J.  Jones,  Mrs.  Henrietta  Daniels, 
Mrs.  E.  C.  Fludd,  Mrs.  E.  J.  Madison,  Mrs.  Lavinia  Arm- 
strong, Sarah  F.  King,  Miss  Susie  Austin,  Mrs.  Mary 
Wiggins,  Mrs.  R.  A.  Butler,  Mrs.  R.  H.  Dames,  Mrs.  Lucy 
Kemp,  Mrs.  Sarah  Sawyer,  Mrs.  Anna  Graham,  Mrs.  M.  F. 
Powers,  Mrs.  Hattie  Nellum,  Emma  Blake,  Patsie  Jones, 
Janie  Williams,  Mrs.  Winnie  Burroughs,  Mrs.  Ella  Sangor, 
Francis  Sherman,  Mrs.  Lucy  Garey,  Mrs.  Sallie  Lee,  Mrs. 
Rosa  B.  Lee,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Attaway,  Miss  Dricilla  Lowe,  Mrs. 
Betsey  Williams,  Lizzie  Billups,  Maggie  Young,  Mrs  E.  S. 
Shrouden,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Scott,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Fleming,  Mrs.  Cath- 
arine Chaney,  Mrs.  S.  Darns,  Mrs.  Lear  Mansfield,  Mrs. 
Randall  Farnell,  Mrs.  Jack  Farnwell,  Mrs.  Susan  Nelson, 
Mrs.  Emma  Williams,  Mrs.  Annie  Jefferson,  Mary  Morbin, 
Rosa  Smith,  Mary  Willis,  Ida  Johnson,  Ollie  Madison,  Mrs. 
Sarah  West,  Henrietta  Davis,  Mrs.  Olivia  Patterson,  Mrs. 
Ella  Bolden,  Mrs.  M.  M.  Young,  Mrs.  Clara  Reed,  Mrs. 
W.  R.  Roundtree,  Mrs.  Rachel  Patterson,  Mrs.  Addie  Mc- 
Laughlin, Mrs.  Joseph  E.  Sanks,  Mrs.  Anna  Billings,  Mrs. 
Alice  L.  Anderson,  Mrs.  Melisa  Johnson,  Mrs.  Annis  Gray, 
Mrs.  Frank  Brockenton,  Mrs.  Alice  Brewer,  Mrs.  M.  E. 
Green,  Mrs.  J.  E.  Parker,  Mrs.  Belle  Roman,  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Baker,  Mrs.  C.  B.  Kitchen,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Jones,  Mrs.  Sarah 
Bagley,  Mrs.  Estelle  E.  Jerry,  Mrs.  Octavia  Wallace,  Mrs. 
Bessie  E.  Gorden,  Molly  Cary,  S.  E.  Brown,  Miss  Geneva 
Braswell,  Mrs.  W.  P.  Wilson,  Miss  E.  W.  Byrd,  Mrs.  Julia 
Munroe,  Mrs.  Nettie  Madison,  Mrs.  J.  McClain  and  Mrs. 
Adele  Clayton  are  among  the  shining  array  of  the  thousands 
of  good,  faithful  ones  who  were  mighty  in  the  battle.  But 
some  of  the  above  have  fallen  asleep  and  are  at  rest.  We 
are   sending   their   names   down   the   line   of   history. 

The  quarto-centenary  of  the  Church  was  held  at  Jack- 
sonville, Fla.,  May  22,  1890.     Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett, 

D.  D.,  presided,  and  visitors  came  from  far  and  near  to 
see  and  hear  of  the  success  and  of  victories  won  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord.  The  presiding  elders  of  the  East  Florida  Con- 
ference were:  Drs.  S.  H.  Coleman,  M.  M.  Moore,  T.  W.  Long 
and  P.  B.  Braddock.  Dr.  J.  W.  Dukes,  D.  W.  Gillislee,  D.  D., 
P.  G.  Gowen,  D.  D.,  T.  T.  Gaines,  D.  D.,  Rev.  B.  W.  Wiley, 
Dr.  J.  H.  Welch,  Rev.  John  R.  Scott,  A.  B.,  together  with 
the  presiding  elders,  constituted  the  committee  on  the  part 
of  the  East  Florida  Annual  Conference.  These  ministers 
arranged  in  detail  the  program.  Hundreds  were  there,  and 
after  listening  to  the  addresses  which  told  of  how  we  had 
come,  stood  amazed.  Dr.  John  R.  Scott  told  of  the  work 
in  East  Florida,  1867-90;  Mrs.  M.  E.  C.  Smith  (nee  Miss  May 

E.  Day,  formerly  of  Tallahassee,  Fla.),  extolled  the  women 
of  East  Florida;  Dr.  Moore's  theme  was  "The  rise  and 
progess  of  our  educational  work";  Dr.  S.  H.  Coleman,  ser- 
mon, "The  triumph  of  Christianity,"  was  a  model  sermon, 
and  carrying  with  it  the  fire  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  convinc- 
ing. Great  crowds  heard  him  gladly.  The  annual  address 
by  Bishop  Handy  and  the  annual  or  principal  sermon  by 
Bishop  Arnett  gave  new  vigor  and  strength  to  the  cause. 
Drs.  R.  B.  Brookins  and  D.  W.  Gillislee  reviewed  the  Sunday 
school  and  made  the  young  people  know  that  they  too, 
boys  and  girls  of  the  race,  had  a  right  to  the  tree  of  life. 
The  conferences  were  all  represented  at  the  centenary. 
Florida  Conference  Committee  were  Drs.  A.  J.  Kershaw,  W. 
G.  Stewart  and  W.  A.  Bird,  Rev.  Henry  Call,  Thomas  Moorer, 
Cuff  Brown  M.  A.  Trapp  and  J.  T.  Mark.  "Methodism  in 
West  Florida"  by  Dr.  Kershaw,  was  a  paper  in  which  hith- 
erto unknown  historical  facts  were  brought  to  light,  while 
the  Rev.  J.  J.  Sawyer's  paper,  "The  pioneer  workman,"  told 
of  the  fathers  in  general.  Mrs.  S.  V.  Stewart's  paper  was 
"The  pioneer  woman  of  West  Florida."  The  program  was 
rendered   at   Mt.   Zion   A.   M.   E.   Church,   Dr.   J.   H.   Welch 


pastor.  All  the  participants  at  this  recording  are  dead,  ex- 
cept Revs.  Bird,  Long,  Dukes,  Scott,  Kershaw,  Call,  Moorer, 
Lee,  Mark,  Brookins  and  Mrs.  Stewart.  (By  Rev.  John  W. 
Jones,   historian.) 

Florida  Conference  (South),  was  organized  by  Bishop 
Ward  in  Tampa,  Fla.,  March  2,  1893.  It  contained  all  that 
part  of  the  peninsula  of  Florida,  south  of  the  line  running 
due  east  and  west,  leaving  Palatka  on  the  north  and  Starke 
on  the  south.  The  bishops  who  have  presided  from  its  or- 
ganization to  the  present  are  as  follows:  Ward,  1893-1894; 
Grant,  1895-1896;  Embry,  1897;  Gaines,  1898-1900;  Handy,  1900 
-1904;  Tanner,  1904-1908;  Salter,  1908-1912;  Hurst,  1912  to 
date.  Sessions  have  been  held  in  the  following  places : 
Tampa,  1893,  J.  H.  Dickerson  secretary;  Sanford,  1894,  R.  S. 
Quarterman  secretary;  Ocala,  1895;  Tampa,  1896;  Palatka, 
1897;  Gainesville,  1898,  R.  B.  Brooks  secretary  from  1895-98; 
Orlando,  1899,  J.  L.  Moore  secretary;  Tampa,  1900,  C.  S. 
Long  secretary;  Daytona,  1901,  C.  S.  Long  secretary;  Bar- 
tow, 1902,  J.  D.  Hill  secretary;  Palatka.  1903;  Tampa,  1903; 
Sanford,  1905,  C.  S.  Long  secretary  1903-5;  Miami,  1906,  T.  J. 
Williams  secretary;  Orlando,  1907;  Tampa,  1908,  M.  D.  Pot- 
ter secretary,  1907-8;  Palatka,  1909;  Sanford,  1910,  T.  J.  Wil- 
liams secretary  1909-10;  Tampa,  1911;  Miami,  1912,  M.  D. 
Potter  secretary,  1911-2;  Palatka,  1913;  Daytona,  1914,  T.  J. 
Williams  secretary,  1913-4;  Orlando,  1915;  Tampa,  1916,  S. 
W.  Adair  secretary,  1915-6.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
honored  dead:  Rev.  John  Thomas,  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown, 
Bishop  D.  A.  Payne,  Rev.  Samuel  Morgan,  Rev.  R.  L.  Spen- 
cer, Bishop  A.  W.  Wayman,  Rev.  T.  T.  Thompson,  Rev.  Y.  H. 
Young,  Bishop  J.  C.  Embry,  Rev.  W.  T.  Thomas,  Rev.  M.  T. 
B.  Thomas,  Rev.  Alfred  Brown,  Bishop  J.  H.  Armstrong,  Rev. 
H.  Hankins,  Rev.  M.  S.  Green,  Rev.  C.  Hayes,  Bishop  M.  M. 
Moore,  Rev.  W.  H.  Hall,  Rev.  G.  W.  Vaughn,  Rev.  J.  J.  John- 
son, Rev.  R.  B.  Hightower,  Rev.  R.  S.  Quarterman,  Rev.  J. 
H.  Johnson,  Rev.  B.  W.  Wiley,  Rev.  J.  L.  Moore,  Rev.  S.  P. 
Pettis,  Rev.  S.  Timothy  Tice,  Rev.  L.  D.  Davis,  Rev.  E.  F. 
Williams,  Rev.  A.  M.  Thomas,  Rev.  R.  Foster,  Rev.  W.  H. 
Brown,  Rev.  C.  Hill,  Rev.  E.  P.  Jackson,  Rev.  G.  C.  Davis, 
Rev.  J.  D.  Hill,  Rev.  J.  W.  B.  Jackson,  Rev.  J.  H.  Hector, 
Rev.  T.  T.  Gaines,  Rev.  Wyatt  Nelson,  Rev.  J.  W.  Terry,  Rev. 
A.  Scott,  Rev.  H.  F.  Chisolm.  Bishop  M.  M.  Moore  was 
elected  financial  secretary  from  this  conference  in  1896, 
and  to  the  bishopric  in  1900.  There  are  136  appointments, 
200  ministers  and  6,000  lay  members.  During  the  year  1915 
$29,262.40  was  raised  for  pastors'  salaries  ;  $4,716.65  for  pre- 
siding elders'  salaries;  $5,577.98  for  dollar  money;  $3,053.51 
for  education ;  for  other  general  purposes,  $3,091.61.  The 
past  four  years  have  been  very  eventful  for  Florida,  which 
is  the  Eleventh  Episcopal  District.  Bishop  John  Hurst  has 
succeeded  in  paying  off  all  the  out-standing  debts  against 
Edward  Waters  College  amounting  to  over  $13,000,  and  in 
the  pre-centennial  rally  over  $12,000  was  raised  for  the 
erection  of  a  centennial  building.  Dr.  John  A.  Gregg,  A.  B., 
president  of  Edward  Waters  College,  has  raised  the  stand- 
ard of  the  school  from  an  educational  standpoint,  and  the 
South  Florida  Conference  has  faithfully  upheld  the  up- 
building of  the  school  in  these  parts.  (By  D.  A.  Perrin, 
historian.) 

Florida  Conference  (West),  was  set  apart  on  motion  of 
Rev.  E.  W.  Johnson  from  the  Florida  Conference,  Decem- 
ber, 1906.  The  first  session  was  held  in  the  city  of  Pen- 
sacola,  December  6,  1906,  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner  presiding. 
Since  the  organization  the  following-named  bishops  have 
presided:  1906-7,  B.  T.  Tanner,  D.  D. ;  1908-11,  M.  B.  Salter, 
D.  D. ;  1912-6,  John  Hurst.  Associate  bishops:  December  6, 
1906,  Abraham  Grant,  D.  D. ;  December  7,  1910,  W.  H.  Heard, 

D.  D. ;  December  6,  1911,  L  J.  Coppin,  D.  D..  For  the  tenth 
consecutive  session  Rev.  A.  W.  Watson,  D.  D.,  has  been 
elected  chief  secretary.  Revs.  L.  Z.  Robinson,  P..  T.  Cren- 
shaw, S.  H.  Betts,  D.  C.  Eutsay  and  J.  R.  Davis  have  served 
as  assistant  secretaries,  and  the  following  as  presiding  el- 
ders :  E.  W.  Johnson,  S.  S.  Herndon,  Henry  Call,  A.  B. 
Spencer.  The  following  are  now  the  presiding  elders:  Revs. 
N.  Z.  Graham,  G.  B.  Williams,  S.  H.  Betts,  J.  M.  Wise.  Ses- 
sions have  been  held  annually  from  1906  to  1915  in  Pensa- 
cola,  Marianna,  Apalachicola,  Carabelle,  Campbellton,  Pensa- 
cola,  Marianna,  Apalachicola,  Pensacola  and  Campbellton, 
respectively.  Among  the  dead  are  Rev.  Milton  A.  Trapp 
(died  September  21,  1907),  Rev.  J.  J.  Jones  (died  in  defense 
of  his  Church,  at  Ponce  de  Leon,  Fla.,  by  the  cruel  hands 
of  assassins,  September  13,  1908),  Rev.  A.  C.  Corker,  Rev. 
Silas   Marshall,   Rev.  J.  J.   Mason,   Rev.  H.   M.   Martin,   Rev. 

E.  W.  Johnson,  Rev.  I.  S.  Stevenson,  Rev.  J.  M.  Griggs,  Rev. 
W.  A.  Neal,  Rev.  G.  W.  Tanner,  Rev.  S.  B.  Wilgus,  Rev.  J.  S. 
Crawford  Rev.  Henry  Call,  Rev.  J.  H.  Lyons,  Rev.  John  Hill 


m 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


and  Rev.  J.  W.  Jones.  Statistics:  Number  of  churches,  99; 
ministers  and  preachers,  145;  number  of  church  members, 
5,675;  amount  raised  for  pastors'  salaries  (1915),  $12,110.80; 
amount  raised  (1915)  for  presiding  elders,  $3,251.36.  The 
Pre-Centennial  Rally  and  Jubilee,  September,  1915,  under 
the  administration  of  Bishop  Hurst,  A.  M.,  D.  D.,  for  the 
erection  of  a  Pre-Centennial  Building  at  Edward  Waters 
College,  resulted  in  raising,  bv  the  West  Florida  Conference, 
of  $1,229.87;  Florida  Conference,  $716.75;  East  Florida  Con- 
ference, $3,752.96;  Central  Florida  Conference,  $1,959.20; 
South  Florida  Conference,  $3,101.77;  total  from  the  five  con- 
ferences, $10,760.55.  The  amount  of  dollar  money  raised  by 
the  West  Florida  Conference  from  December  6,  1906,  to 
December  8,  1915,  has  been  more  than  $18,620.37.  (By  A.  W. 
Watson,    historian.) 

Founders  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  The,  were  Richard 
Allen,  James  Tapsico,  Thomas  Durham,  James  Champion 
and  Thomas  Webster,  of  Philadelphia;  Daniel  Coker,  Rich- 
ard Williams,  Henry  Harden,  Stephen  Hill,  Edward  Wil- 
liamson, and  Nicholas  Gailliard,  of  Baltimore ;  Peter  Spen- 
cer, of  Wilmington,  Del.;  Jacob  Marsh,  Edward  Jackson 
and  William  Andrew,  of  Attleborough,  Pa. ;  and  Peter  Cuff, 
of  Salem,  N.  J.  They  met  in  Philadelphia  April  9,  1816,  and 
organized   the   African    Methodist    Episcopal   Church. 

Foundry  Chapel  was  the  first  building  occupied  by  the 
Methodists.  It  was  in  Moorfields,  London,  England,  and 
was  opened  November  11,  1739.  It  was  a  place  formerly 
used  for  molding  cannon.  It  served  as  the  chief  place  for 
Methodists  until  1779,  when  it  gave  way  to  City  Road  Chapel. 

Fraternal  Delegates. — A  very  pleasant  custom  has  grown 
up  among  the  Methodist  and  other  Churches  of  sending 
representatives  from  one  to  the  general  conferences  of 
others  to  bear  Christian  greetings.  These  Christian  mes- 
sengers are  called  fraternal  delegates.  The  A.  M.  E.  Church 
now  sends  fraternal  delegates  to  the  M.  E.  Church,  A.  M.  E. 
Zion  Church,  C.  M.  E.  Church,  and  has  received  delegates 
from  the  same.  At  the  Centennial  General  Conference,  Rev. 
A.   P.    (now   bishop)    Camphor   was    delegate    for   the    M.   E. 

Church;  Rev.  Brown  for  the  A.   M.  E.  Zion   Church; 

and  Rev.  J.  W.  McKinney  for  the  C.  M.  E.  Church.  Out  of 
these  fraternal  meetings  have  grown  the  Ecumenical  Con- 
ference of  Methodism,  and  various  movements  of  Church 
federation.  In  the  twentieth  century  we  will  send  fraternal 
delegates  not  only  to  Methodist  bodies,  but  Baptist,  Epis- 
copalian, Catholic  and  others,  we  trust. 

General  Conference,  The,  is  the  highest  legislative  and  ju- 
dicial body  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  It  meets  on  the  Wed- 
nesday next  after  the  first  Sunday  in  May,  every  fourth 
year,  counting  from  1816,  when  the  first  conference  was  held. 
The  general  conference  determines  its  own  composition. 
At  present  its  members  are  all  bishops,  general  officers, 
college  presidents,  deans  of  theological  seminaries,  two  min- 
isterial delegates  from  every  annual  conference,  and  an 
additional  ministerial  delegate  for  every  30  ministerial  mem- 
bers or  final  fraction  over  15  of  eacti  annual  conference  of 
more  than  60  ministerial  members,  and  also  two  lay  dele- 
gates. The  General  Conference  hears  reports  of  all  general 
departments,  which  are  referred  to  committees  and  later 
acted  upon,  examines  the  bishops  and  assigns  them  through 
its  episcopal  committee,  revises  the  discipline,  considers  the 
condition  of  the  Church,  country  and  race,  fixes  and  decides 
appeals  from  annual  conferences,  and  does  such  other  work 
as  it  may  choose  for  the  good  of  the  Church,  only  it  shall 
not  change  the  articles  of  religion  or  the  episcopacy,  or 
privilege  of  trial  and  appeal,  or  the  general  rules.  The  Gen- 
eral Conference  has  met  in  Philadelphia,  including  the  1816 
meeting,  nine  times,  namely,  1816,  '20,  '24,  '28,  '36,  '48,  '64, 
'92  and  1916;  in  Baltimore  three  times,  viz.,  1832,  '40  and  '84; 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  twice,  1844  and  '60,  and  once  each  in  New 
York,  1852;  Cincinnati,  1856;  Washington,  1868;  Nashville, 
1872;  Atlanta,  1876;  St.  Louis,  1880;  Indianapolis,  1888;  Wil- 
mington, N.  C,  1896;  Columbus,  Ohio.  1900;  Chicago,  1904; 
Norfolk,   1908;   and  Kansas   City,   1912. 

General  Conference,  The  Composition. — At  first  it  seems 
that  all  elders  and  deacons  were  members  of  the  general 
conference  and  probably  traveling  licentiates.  In  1836  all 
ministers  who  had  traveled  not  less  than  two  full  years 
and  local  preachers  elected  from  the  annual  conferences 
on  the  basis  of  not  more  than  one  for  every  five  nor  less 
than  one  for  every  seven  members  of  the  annual  conference. 
As  the  Church  grew  it  became  necessary  to  discontinue  the 


indiscriminate  attendance  of  ordained  men  and  to  increase 
the  basis  of  representation.  In  1844  the  number  of  local 
preachers  was  changed  to  one  for  every  400  local  members 
within  the  conference  bounds.  In  1852  the  rule  was  made 
that  one  out  of  every  three  preachers  who  had  traveled  four 
full  years  shoud  be  elected  delegates  and  that  one  local 
preacher  should  be  elected  upon  nomination  of  the  quar- 
terly conference  for  every  800  lay  members.  In  1856  the 
general  conference  adopted  the  rule  that  all  preachers  who 
had  traveled  six  full  years  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  should 
be  members  of  the  general  conference  and  one  local  preach- 
er of  four  years'  standing  for  every  800  lay  members.  In 
1868  the  rule  was  made  for  all  bishops,  general  officers  and 
one  ministerial  delegate  for  every  seven  members  of  the 
annual  conference,  and  two  laymen  (not  necessarily  a  local 
preacher)  from  each  annual  conference,  elected  by  an  elec- 
toral college  of  laymen.  Lay  rpresentation  has  remained 
the  same  since  1868,  while  the  basis  of  representation  for 
ministerial  delegates  was  raised  in  1872  to  1  to  every  11 
members  of  the  annual  conference,  and  in  1876  to  1  to  every 
15  members,  since  1888,  1   to  30. 

General  Rules  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  are  the  same  as 
were  drawn  up  by  John  and  Charles  Wesley,  in  1743,  for  the 
government  of  the  Methodist  societies.  They  deal  particu- 
larly with  the  kind  of  conduct  Christians  ought  to  pursue. 
The  only  addition  to  them  is  with  regard  to  slavery.  They 
are   required  to   be   read   in   the   churches. 

Georgia  (Augusta)  Annual  Conference  was  formed  by 
the  presiding  elders  at  Morris  Brown  College,  June,  1914, 
and  comprised  the  following  districts  :  Augusta  and  Sanders- 
ville  Districts,  taken  from  the  Macon  (Ga.)  Conference;  and 
the  Dublin  and  Swainsboro  Districts  taken  from  the  Geor- 
gia Conference.  On  December  9,  1914,  at  Sandersville,  the 
Augusta  Conference  was  organized  and  held  its  first  session. 
There  were  9,285  members  in  the  territory.  The  presiding 
elders  appointed  were  :  Augusta  District,  Rev.  John  Harmon  ; 
Dublin  District,  Rev.  F.  R.  Simms ;  Sandersville  District, 
Rev.  C.  J.  Jones ;  Swainsboro  District,  Rev.  B.  S.  Hannah. 
The  Augusta  Conference  is  in  Southwest  Georgia  and  is 
composed  of  some  of  the  best  farming  section  of  the  South- 
land; it  has  a  large  colored  population  and  the  colored  peo- 
ple own  many  farms  and  much  real  estate.  In  Augusta, 
Dublin,  Sandersville,  Tennille  and  smaller  towns  the  col- 
ored people  own  many  fine  homes  and  are  doing  well.  With- 
in the  bounds  of  this  conference  is  Louisville,  the  first 
capital  of  Georgia  and  the  great  slave  auction  counter  of 
Georgia  where  thousands  of  human  beings  were  sold  as 
chattel.  Bethel,  Augusta,  and  Butler  Creek  are  the  two  old- 
est appointments  in  this  conference.  At  the  adjournment 
of  the  first  session  of  the  South  Carolina  Conference,  May, 
1865,  Rev.  James  Lynch  went  to  Augusta  and  received  into 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  a  Protestant  Church,  S.  W.  Drayton, 
pastor,  with  about  200  members,  which  church  to-day  is 
Bethel,  now  having  over  700  members  and  property  worth 
$20,000.  The  first  brick  church  which  stands  to-day  was 
built  by  Rev.  A.  W.  Lowe.  Bethel  has  had  as  pastors,  among 
others,  Samuel  W.  Drayton,  Charles  L.  Bradwell,  H.  M. 
Turner,  A.  W.  Lowe,  R.  V.  Smith,  William  C.  Gaines  and 
W.  J.  Gaines.  Augusta  is  a  strong  Baptist  and  Catholic 
center  and  has  the  Walker  Baptist  College  (C.  M.  E.), 
Haynes  Institute  (Presbyterian),  and  two  Catholic  schools 
for  colored.  Hence  African  Methodism  has  had  from  the  be- 
ginning and  even  now  a  hand  full  to  hold  its  own,  and  yet 
we  hold  second  place  in  church  membership,  having  more 
than  a  thousand  members  with  Bethel,  Ward,  St.  James 
and   three   missions. 

Georgia  Conference  (North),  The,  was  organized  in  Beth- 
el Church,  Augusta,  January  8,  1874,  Bishop  T.  M.  D.  Ward 
presiding.  It  was  at  this  conference  that  the  echo  was 
advanced  and  action  taken  to  operate  a  denominational 
school  in  Georgia  and  at  the  South  Georgia  Conference 
that  convened  at  Thomasville,  January  22,  1874,  a  committee 
of  fifteen  was  appointed  to  act  upon  the  same.  There  are 
many  interesting  events  that  took  place  from  the  organiza- 
tion of  our  Church  in  this  section  that  would  be  thrilling 
and  inspiring,  but  the  records  are  lost  and  many  of  the 
men  who  were  pioneers  and  active  workers  have  passed  to 
their  reward ;  there  are  a  probable  half  dozen  living,  but 
they  failed  to  keep  any  record  or  even  a  minute  of  the 
conferences  of  those  old  days.  According  to  Bishop  Flipper 
Rev.  Samuel  W.  Drayton,  the  first  pastor  of  Bethel,  was  at 
the  South  Carolina  Conference  held  by  Bishop  Daniel  A. 
Payne,  in  St.  Andrew's  Church,  Savannah,  Ga.,  May  14,  1866, 


312 


°s> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


and  was  ordained  a  local  elder;  at  the  South  Carolina  Con- 
ference which  met  in  Wilmington,  N.  C,  May  30,  1867,  he 
was  admitted  on  trial  and  his  first  appointment  was  Darien, 
Ga.,    1867     He   was    appointed   pastor    of   Albany    Station    in 


|  1 

1' 


BETHFX  A.   M.   E.  CHURCH,  GEORGETOWN,  S.   C. 
Rev.   J.   H.   Chestnut,   Pastor. 


1874,  and  was  pastor  of  Thomasville  Station  in  1877.  At  the 
session  of  the  Georgia  Conference  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  Jan- 
uary, 1881,  he  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  Sanders- 
ville  District.  At  the  session  of  the  Georgia  Conference  at 
Thomasville,  Ga.,  1882,  he  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of 
the  Macon  District.  This  year  the  Georgia  Conference  was 
divided  and  the  Macon  (Ga.)  Conference  was  organized  at 
Sandersville,  Ga.,  in  January,  1883,  and  in  the  division  he  fell 
into  the  Macon  (Ga.)  Conference  and  at  this  session  he  was 
again  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  Macon  District.  At 
the  session  of  the  Macon  (Ga.)  Conference  held  at  Colum- 
bus, Ga.,  November  19,  1884,  he  was  appointed  missionary 
agent  of  the  Macon  Conference,  which  position  he  held 
until  his  death,  1885.  The  minutes  do  not  give  the  date  of 
his  death.  This  was  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Me- 
moirs :  "Rev.  Samuel  W.  Drayton  united  with  the  African 
M.  E.  Church  at  the  conference  held  in  May,  1866,  at  Savan- 
nah, Ga.,  and  brought  into  the  denomination  Bethel  Church 
and  its  membership  at  Augusta,  Ga.  Brother  Drayton  had 
the  honored  distinction  of  being  the  longest  ordained  min- 
ister of  African  descent  in  the  State  of  Georgia,  of  which 
State  he  was  a  native,  he  having  been  ordained  both  deacon 
and  elder  in  the  days  of  slavery.  He  was  an  effective  work- 
er for  many  years.  Most  of  the  societies  now  constituting 
the  circuits  in  the  vicinity  of  the  station  at  Sparta  were 
organized  by  him.  He  was  a  presiding  elder  for  eight  years. 
At  the  time  of  his  death,  January,  1885,  he  was  the  confer- 
ence missionary  agent.  A  sorrow-stricken  widow  mourns 
her   loss."     (By   Jno.   Harmon.) 

Georgia  Conference  (Macon),  The,  was  organized  and 
held  its  first  session  in  Sandersville, Ga.,  January  31,  1883, 
Bishop  Dickerson,  presiding,  Bishop  Campbell,  associate, 
Rev.  W.  C.  Banton,  chief  secretary.  The  boundaries  of  the 
conference  included  the  following  five  presiding  elder  dis- 
tricts :  Americus,  Augusta,  Forsyth,  Macon  and  Columbus, 
which  were  in  the  following  counties,  to  wit :  Stewart  (on 
the  Chattahoochie  River),  Webster,  Sumpter,  Dooley, 
Twiggs,  Lawrence,  Johnson,  Jefferson,  Washington,  Har- 
rison   (on    the    Chattahoochie),    Tolbert,    Monroe,    Putnam, 


TRUSTEES,   BETHEL  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH,   GEORGETOWN,  S.  C. 


STEWARDS.  BETHEL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  GEORGETOWN,  S.  C. 

313 


s 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


Hancock,  Columbia,  Barnesville  Station  (in  Pike  County), 
all  of  Richmond  County,  and  the  northeast  portion  of 
Burke  County.  Thus  is  embraced  all  the  middle  portion  of 
the  great  State  of  Georgia  and  was  commonly  called  the 
"Middle  Georgia  Conference."  It  originally  embraced  in  its 
boundary  three  of  the  largest  cities  in  Georgia,  viz.:  Macon, 
Columbus  and  Augusta,  and  therefore  has  always  held  a 
very  conspicuous  place  in  the  annals  of  Georgia  African 
Methodism.  Bishop  Dickerson  presided  at  the  first  and 
second  sessions  in  1883;  Bishop  Shorter  from  1884-6;  Bishop 
Disnev  in  1887;  Bishop  Gaines  from  1888-91;  Bishop  Grant 
from  "1892-5;  Bishop  Turner  from  1896-1907;  Bishop  Smith 
from  1908-11;  Bishop  Flipper  from  1912  to  date.  The  secre- 
taries have  been  Revs.  W.  C.  Banton,  from  1883-92;  C.  C. 
Cargile,  1893-5;  P.  W.  Greatheart,  1896-1901;  C.  H.  Williams, 
1902-12;  A.  S.  Bailey,  1913  to  date.  Sessions  have  been  held 
in  Sandersville,  January  31,  1883;  Forsyth,  November  28, 
1883,  and  each  year  thereafter  in  Columbus,  Eatonton, 
Barnesville,  Talbotton,  Americus,  Milledgeville,  Columbus, 
Unknown,  Forsyth,  Columbus.  Augusta,  Eatonton,  Ameri- 
cus, Sparta,  Dublin,  Macon,  Milledgeville,  Cordele,  Augusta, 
Forsyth,  Warrenton,  East  Macon,  Sandersville,  Macon, 
Dublin,  Eatonton,  Augusta,  Macon,  Forsyth,  Cordele,  Spar- 
ta and  Macon.  All  sessions  have  been  in  November  ex- 
cept the  first  and  twenty-second. 

When  the  Southwest  Georgia  Conference  was  formed, 
the  Columbus  and  Americus  Districts  of  the  Macon  Confer- 
ence were  included  in  its  boundary.  The  Macon  (Ga.)  Con- 
ference then  divided  up  the  remainder  of  its  territory  and 
formed  the  Macon,  Forsyth,  Augusta,  Sandersville,  Dublin 
and  Fort  Valley  Districts.  When  the  South  Georgia  Con- 
ference was  formed,  the  Dublin  District  was  attached  to  the 
Georgia  Conference  and  the  Americus  District  was  re- 
attached to  the  Macon  Conference.  In  1914  the  Augusta 
Conference  was  organized.  The  Augusta,  Sandersville  and 
Dublin  Districts  were  given  to  it  from  the  Macon  Confer- 
ence. Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines  was  elected  from  the  Macon 
(Ga.)  Conference.  Other  connectional  characters  produced 
in  this  conference  have  been  :  Revs.  E.  W.  Lee,  W.  A.  Foun- 
tain, C.  C.  Cargile,  F.  F.  Boddie,  C.  G.  Jones,  L.  A.  Towns- 
ley,  John  Cooper,  E.  P.  Holmes,  L.  H.  Smith,  C.  H.  Williams, 
J.  O.  Iverson,  A.  M.  Jordan.  (By  Rev.  L.  H.  Smith,  Sr.,  his- 
torian.) 

Georgia  Conference  (South),  The,  was  organized  De- 
cember 10,  1912,  at  Thomasville,  Ga.,  Bishop  J.  S.  Flipper 
presiding.  The  officers  elected  were  ;  Rev.  A.  K.  Woods, 
chief  secretary;  Rev.  G.  W.  Williams,  assistant  secretary; 
Rev.  I.  D.  Davis,  statistical  secretary.  The  honored  dead  are  : 
Revs.  A.  J.  White,  I.  T.  Epton,  O.  N.  Finnegan.  Number  of 
churches  in  South  Georgia  Conference,  175;  number  of 
ministers,  168;  number  of  lay  members.  11,232;  amount  raised 
for  pastors'  salaries  (1914),  $21,491.06;  amount  raised  for 
presiding  elders'  salaries  (1914).  $4,885.99;  amount  raised  for 
all  other  purposes   (1914),  $47,648.62.     (By  W.  G.  Alexander.) 

Georgia  Conference  (Southwest),  The,  was  set  apart  from 
the  Georgia  and  Macon  (Ga.)  Conferences  in  1897,  and  the 
first  session  was  held  in  Cuthbert,  Ga.,  beginning  October 
27  of  the  same  year;  was  organized  by  Bishop  Turner.  The 
devotional  exercises  were  conducted  by  Rev.  P.  T.  M.  Brook- 
ins.  Rev.  G.  R.  Bass,  being  the  oldest  itinerant  present, 
offered  the  following  prayer:  "O,  Thou,  the  Supreme  Head 
of  the  Universe,  God,  high  over  all  and  Maker  of  all  things, 
we  come  to-day  to  tender  to  Thee  our  heartfelt  thanks  for 
all  that  Thou  hast  done  for  us  and  art  still  doing.  Since  we 
assembled  last,  many  of  us  have  been  tossed  and  thrown 
about  upon  the  tempestuous  seas.  Lift  up,  we  pray  Thee, 
the  light  of  Thy  countenance  upon  our  dear  bishop;  let  it 
be  lifted  up  upon  him  that  he  may  preside  upon  this  oc- 
casion, this  annual  conference;  God  bless  the  chief  of  this 
conference.  We  pray  Thy  blessings  also  upon  those  we 
have  left  behind  us.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  water  Thou 
hast  given  us  and  the  bread  we  have  been  enabled  to  pro- 
cure, though  often  tossed  and  thrown  about  upon  the  tem- 
pestuous and  troublesome  seas  of  this  life.  Go  with  us  to- 
day and  guide  us  over  this  life's  tempestuous  seas,  until  the 
warfare  is  over.  We  thank  Thee  for  the  providence  which 
we  have  and  enjoy;  many  have  passed  out  of  this  life  since 
we  came  into  the  conference  and  many  who  were  with  us 
are  now  no  more.  Fill  us'  with  the  fire  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
finally  save  us.  When  this  life  is  done,  admit  us  into  that 
House  not  made  with  hands,  into  the  beautiful  world  with- 
out end,  through  Christ.  Amen."  Revs.  R.  R.  Downs  and 
W.  D.  Johnson,  Jr.,  were  elected  secretaries.  The  following 
were  the  presiding  elders:  Allen  Cooper,  Columbus  District; 


D.  W.  Moore,  Bainbridge  District;  S.  C.  Powell,  Thomas- 
ville District;  E.  Lowery,  Albany  District;  Richard  Graham, 
Americus  District;  F.  F.  Boddie,  Talbotton  District;  J.  B. 
Lofton,  Cuthbert  District.  The  original  borders  of  the  con- 
ference extended  from  the  northwestern  corner  of  Harris 
County  along  the  northern  boundary  of  Harris  Talbot  to 
the  Flint  River,  down  Flint  River  to  the  point  where  said 
river  enters  Macon  County,  thence  along  the  northern 
boundary  of  Macon  County  to  its  northeastern  corner,  down 
its  eastern  boundary  to  Flint  River ;  down  Flint  River  to 
the  northeastern  corner  of  Dougherty  County,  thence  down 
the  eastern  boundaries  of  Dougherty,  Mitchell  and  Thomas 
Counties  to  the  line  of  Florida,  thence  due  west  to  the 
Chattahoochee  River,  thence  up  the  Chattahoochie  River  to 
the  starting  point.  The  following  bishops  have  presided 
over  this  conference:  H.  M.  Turner,  from  1897-1907;  C.  S. 
Smith,  1908-12;  J.  S.  Flipper,  1912-6.  The  conference  has  had 
but  two  chief  secretaries,  viz.:  R.  R.  Downs  and  William 
D.  Johnson.  The  following  persons  have  served  as  assistant 
secretaries:  Lona  Rice,  1898-9;  A.  C.  Linton,  1900-3 ;  W.  B. 
L.  Clarke,  1908-14;  H.  E.  Davis,  1913-6;  S.  P.  Adams,  1914-6. 
The  sessions  have  been  held  at  follows:  Cuthbert,  1897; 
Talbotton.  1898;  Columbus,  St.  John  A.  M.  E.  Church,  1899; 
Fort  Gaines,  1900;  Thomasville,  1901;  Blakely,  1902;  Colum- 
bus, St.  James,  1903;  Buena  Vista,  1904;  Dawson,  1905;  Bain- 
bridge, 1906;  Americus,  1907;  Arlington,  1908;  Albany,  1909; 
Cuthbert,  1910;  Columbus,  St.  James,  1911;  Blakely,  1912; 
Buena  Vista,  1913;  Fort  Gaines,  1914;  Columbus,  St.  John, 
1915.  The  following  ministers,  after  having  served  faith- 
fully, have  answered  to  roll  call  from  the  conference  and 
are  now  resting  beyond  the  river  with  the  tried  and  the 
true,  to  wit :  Richard  Ford,  Giles  D.  Jordan,  Richard  Gra- 
ham, Alexander  Glover,  G.  A.  Mitchell,  Haley  Hardie,  E.  D. 
Wood,  Andrew  Bingham,  Alfred  Dunlap,  Elijah  Falls,  Abram 
Purdy,  Andrew  Monroe,  N.  L.  Holmes,  H.  W.  Williams,  S.  P. 
lackson,  A.  R.  Oliver.  H.  M.  Miller,  Aaron  Reid,  D.  W. 
Moore,  E.  C.  Russell,  W.  J.  Mullen,  E.  J.  Bush,  H.  H.  King, 
J.  D.  Jordan,  D.  O.  Mills,  Wesley  Foreman,  G.  H.  Neeley, 
C.  D.  McBride,  W.  H.  Roseborough,  E.  J.  Fairfax,  J.  T. 
Jackson,  R.  M.  Passmore,  D.  J.  Frazier,  A.  P.  Perkins,  Z. 
McDonald,  Samuel  George,  H.  P.  Andrews,  W.  Mack,  H.  A. 
Williams,  Gardner  Williams,  Wright  Newman,  J.  W.  Wynn, 
A.  Z.  Fields,  A.  B.  Banks,  H.  C.  Duhart,  A.  S.  Brown,  E.  D. 
Jefferson,  J.  O.  Matthews,  E.  W.  Lee,  J.  H.  Hall,  C.  H. 
Light,  J.  B.  Hutchins,  L.  A.  Maunds,  L.  D.  Hill,  Joseph 
Collier,  A.  L.  Reid,  N.  W.  Williams,  W.  F.  Harris,  A.  C. 
Linton,  P.  R.  Hunter,  H.  R.  Turner,  T.  Mclver,  J.  S.  Simon, 
L.  C.  Rowland,  W.  D.  Thomas,  L  L.  Reynolds,  A.  W.  Wil- 
liams, C.  H.  Hall.  In  1914  a  part  of  the  territory  of  this 
conference  was  taken  off  and  used  in  the  formation  of  the 
South  Georgia  Conference  and  a  part  was  placed  in  the 
Macon  Conference.  Rev.  William  D.  Johnson,  a  member  of 
this  conference,  was  elected  one  of  the  assistant  secretaries 
of  the  general  conference  in  1900  and  in  1904.  In  1908,  1912 
and  1916  he  was  elected  secretary  in  chief  of  the  general 
conference.  Statistics:  201  churches;  287  ministers  in  the 
conference;  20,003  members  in  the  conference;  paid  pastors 
in  1915,  $24,470.40;  paid  presiding  elders,  $5,666.02;  amount 
raised  for  other  purposes  not  available  at  this  time..  (By 
William   D.  Johnson,   historian.) 

Gloria  Patri. — "Glory  be  to  the  Father  and  to  the  Son 
and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,"  etc.,  one  of  the  oldest  doxologies. 
This   is   at   the  end  of  our  decalogue  ritualistic  services. 

Gulfport,  Miss. — St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church  was  organized 
in  1906  and  is  located  at  the  corner  of  Twenty-first  Street 
and  Thirty-second  Avenue.  This  illustration  shows  a  view 
of  the  founders  and  faithful  workers.  From  left  to  right, 
sitting:  Sisters  Bertha  Lawson,  stewardess  and  faithful 
worker,  for  30  years  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church ; 
Lizzie  Johnson,  stewardess  and  secretary  of  board;  C.  Mc- 
Gogan,  one  of  the  founders  and  in  whose  home  some  of  the 
first  meetings  were  held,  vice  chairman  of  trustees  sisters' 
board,  member  of  A.  M.  E.  Church  21  years  and  the  product 
of  Atlanta  University ;  Eliza  Bracy,  member  of  stewardess 
board,  financier  and  a  life  member  of  A.  M.  E.  Church  ;  M. 
L.  James,  vice  chairman  of  stewardess  board,  in  whose  home 
the  first  meeting  was  held,  an  officer  28  years,  life  member 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Standing,  left  to  right:  W.  E.  Simp- 
son, vice  chairman  of  stewardess  board,  president  building 
club,  organizer  and  representative  of  the  Home  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Society,  treasurer  of  Sunday  school,  and  takes 
part  in  all  services;  W.  H.  Smith,  organist,  chorister  and  in- 
structor of  music.    In  the  center  is  the  pastor,  Rev.  Wallace 


314 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Jones,  B.  D.,  serving  his  eleventh  appointment,  ordained 
deacon  in  1906  by  Bishop  M.  B.  Salter,  entered  Lampton 
Theological  Seminary,  one  of  the  two  first  regular  grad- 
uates from  that  department  receiving  the  degree  of  B.  D., 
president  of  Alumni  Association  of  Campbell  College,  and 
has  pastored  some  of  the  leading  charges — Port  Gibson, 
Hattiesburg  and  Woodville — and  is  now  at  Gulfport.  He  is 
one  of  the  alternate  delegates  to  the  general  conference. 


of  its  early  baptism  are  not  all  realized.  The  minister  is  to: 
see  that  the  parents  or  guardians  carry  out  their  obligations, 
and  as  soon  as  convenient  he  is  himself  to  form  classes  and 
give    instruction. 

Itinerancy  is  a  sj'Stem  by  which  pastors  and  presiding 
elders  are  appointed  for  a  limited  time,  and  are  expected 
to   move   to   another   appointment   at   the   end   of   that   time. 


FOUNDERS  OF  ST.  PAUL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  GULFPORT,  MISS. 


History,  The  Bureau  of,  is  the  official  department  of  his- 
tory of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  is  located  at  3430  Ver- 
non Avenue,  Chicago.  It  was  mooted  in  1848,  when  the 
general  conference  elected  Rev.  D.  A.  Payne  the  historiog- 
rapher of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  He  held  this  office  until 
his  death,  November,  1893,  during  which  period  he  gathered 
much  valuable  data  relating  to  the  early  history  of  African 
Methodism;  out  of  which  he  compiled  Vol.  I  of  "History 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,"  covering  the  period  1787  to  1856; 
which  was  published  by  the  Sunday  School  Union.  He  also 
compiled  historic  data  for  Vol.  II,  which  has  not  been  pub- 
lished. At  the  death  of  Bishop  Payne,  Bishop  Benjamin 
W.  Arnett  became  his  successor  and  published  the  "Budget 
Series,"  extending  to  1904.  The  general  conference  at  Nor- 
folk, Va.,  1908,  elected  Bishop  Turner  historiographer,  which 
position  he  held  till  1912.  Bishop  Turner  gathered  some 
data,  but  published  no  volume  of  church  history.  He  re- 
signed the  position  at  the  general  conference  at  Kansas  City, 
May,  1912,  nominating  Dr.  John  T.  Jenifer  to  fill  his  posi- 
tion. The  general  conference  elected  Dr.  Jenifer,  who  has 
collected  and  compiled  Vol.  Ill,  "The  Centennial  Retrospect 
History  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,"  published  by  the  A.  M.  E. 
Sunday  School  Union.  He  has  another  Volume  IV  in  pro- 
cess of  preparation. 

"Holiness,  considered  as  an  attribute  of  God,  is  His  per- 
fect moral  purity.  It  is  that  perfection  of  His  nature  by 
which  He  is  infinitely  averse  to  all  moral  evil,  and  inclined 
to  love  all  that  is  good  and  right.  The  holiness  of  God, 
then,  implies  the  absence  of  all  moral  impurity  and  imper- 
fection, and  the  possession,  in  an  infinite  degree,  of  all  that 
is  morally  pure,  lovely  and  excellent."  This  is  the  teaching 
of  Scripture.  Holiness  in  man  is,  like  holiness  in  God,  the 
possession  in  human  degree  of  all  that  is  morally  pure, 
lovely  and  excellent  in  the  human  character,  the  result  of 
the  complete  victory  over  sin  so  that  one  is  not  only  not 
under  the  dominion  of  sin,  but  that  he  is  not  touched  by 
the  influence  of  sin. 

Infant  Baptism  is  the  baptism  of  young  children  upon  pre- 
sentation of  their  parents  or  guardians,  before  they  are 
old  enough  to  make  a  profession  of  Christ  for  themselves. 
The  practice  is  almost  as  old  as  the  Christian  Church,  and 
has  the  direct  approval  of  Jesus  in  His  invitation  to  the 
children  to  come  to  Him,  His  blessing  them  and  His  warn- 
ing to  the  grown  people  to  "forbid  them  not,"  Paul,  in 
baptising  the  Phillippian  jailer  and  his  household,  Peter 
in  baptising  Cornelius  and  his  household,  and  others  of  the 
apostles  and  early  fathers  very  probably  baptised  children. 
When  a  child  is  baptised,  its  parents  or  guardians  take  an 
obligation  to  teach  it  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  and  bring 
it  up  under  religious  influence.    If  they  do  not  the  benefits 


The  itinerancy  as  a  system  is  peculiar  to  Methodism.  Ap- 
pointments are  only  for  one  conference  year,  at  the  end 
of  which  any  pastor  may  be  legally  moved.  In  the  interim 
of  conferences  one  may  be  moved  for  cause.  The  facility 
with  which  changes  can  be  made  for  the  benefit  of  both 
pastor  and  people  makes  the  itinerancy  of  great  value.  The 
itinerancy  grew  up  out  of  necessity  and  not  upon  any  par- 
ticular  scriptural   theory. 

John  Street  Church  in  New  York  was  the  first  church  built 
by  the  Methodists  in  the  United  States.  It  was  built  in 
1768  and  dedicated  October  30,  the  same  year.  Philip 
Embury,  Barbara  Heck,  the  pioneer  Methodists  of  New  York, 
were  the  prime  movers,  and  very  probably  the  colored  peo- 
ple associated  with  them  not  only  contributed,  but  with 
their  own  hands  helped  to  build  this  first  Methodist  struc- 
ture  in   this   country. 

Justification  is  b}'  faith.  The  burden  of  Luther's  preach- 
ing was  that  "the  just  shall  live  by  faith,"  which  was  the 
doctrine  of  St.  Paul,  especially  set  forth  in  the  letter  to 
the  Galatians.  Justification  is  the  work  of  God,  who  by 
His  own  mercy,  because  of  the  atoning  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  without  any  desert  on  the  part  of  sinful  man, 
their  own  hands  helped  to  build  this  the  first  Methodist 
structure   in   this   country. 

Kittrell  College,  Kittrell,  N.  C,  was  established  February 
7,  1886,  and  was  incorporated  by  the  legislature  of 
North  Carolina,  March  7,  1887.  The  North  Carolina 
Conference,  presided  over  by  Bishop  Dickerson,  at  its  ses- 
sion in  1885,  had  authorized  the  establishment  of  the  school 
and  purchase  of  property.  Leading  spirit  was  Rev.  R.  H. 
W.  Leak,  and  associated  with  him  were  Revs.  George  D. 
Jimmerson,  J.  E.  C.  Barham,  George  Hunter,  W.  D.  Cook, 
W.  H.  Giles,  F.  F.  Giles,  Henry  Eppes,  Cornelius  Sampson, 
W.  H.  Bishop,  R.  Lucas,  J.  G  Fry.  The  first  teachers  were 
Prof.  B.  B.  Goines  (principal),  Mrs.  M.  A.  Goines  (matron), 
and  Prof.  J.  R.  Hawkins  (business  manager).  In  1888  the 
Virginia  Conference  agreed  to  aid  Kittrell.  The  following 
have  served  as  principals  since  Prof.  Goines  :  J.  R.  Hawkins, 
C.  G.  O'Kelly,  J.  S.  Williams,  P.  W.  Dawkins,  John  L.  Wheel- 
er, W.  H.  Giles,  D.  J.  Jordan  and  C.  G.  O'Kelly  (second  time), 
but  to  no  man  does  it  owe  more  than  to  Prof.  Hawkins, 
who  has  been  in  intimate  touch  with  it  since  the  beginning. 
The  courses  given  are  theological,  classical,  academic,  nor- 
mal, grammar,  musical  and  commercial.  Last  year  there 
were  311  pupils  and  12  teachers;  290  have  graduated,  among 
whom  are  Rev.  G.  W.  Adams,  Drs.  L.  E.  McCauley,  S.  L. 
Warren  and  J.  L.  Mills,  J.  M.  Avery  and  W.  S.  King.  There 
are  6  buildings,  62  acres  of  land,  the  property  valued  at 
$75,000.  The  income  is  about  $15,000  per  year,  the  term, 
eight  months. 


315 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Lampton  College,  Alexandria,  La.,  was  the  outgrowth  of 
a  school  started  at  Delhi,  La.,  in  1890,  by  Bishop  Grant, 
Revs.  J.  Joins,  J.  W.  Rankin,  P.  W.  Williams  and 
J.  H.  Martin,  Handy  Walton  and  L.  H.  Harris.  The  first 
teacher  at  Delhi  was  Prof.  William  Jennifer.  There  was  one 
building  and  20  acres  of  land.  In  1907  this  building  was  des- 
troyed by  fire  and  the  school  was  practically  abandoned. 
With  the  coming  of  Bishop  Lampton  the  school  was  re- 
vived at  Alexandria  and  called  Lampton  College.  Prof.  P. 
W.  Rogers  was  made  president.  Bishop  Conner,  from  1912 
to  1916,  did  much  to  develop  it,  erecting  two  frame  buildings. 
The  presidents  have  been  Revs.  P.  W.  Rogers,  J.  G.  Monroe, 
M.  M.  Ponton,  S.  L.  Green  and  J.  R.  Campbell,  the  present 
president.  There  were  210  students  and  7  teachers.  The 
departments  are  primary,  intermediate,  industrial  and  col- 
legiate. Rev.  A.  H.  Mitchell  is  one  of  the  most  distinguish- 
ed graduates.  The  propertv,  including  eight  acres,  is  valued 
at  $11,000. 


Layman,  as  used  by  the  Church,  is  a  term  used  to 
describe  all  members  of  the  Church  who  are  not  ministers, 
i.  e.,  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  persons  not  members  of  annual 
conference.     Women    are   la3rmen. 

Local  Deacon,  is  a  local  preacher  who  has  been  or- 
dained a  deacon,  or  a  traveling  deacon  who  has  been  lo- 
cated and  assigned  to  a  quarterly  conference.  The  duties  of 
a  local  deacon  are  the  same  as  any  other  deacon  except 
that  he  does  not  travel.  A  local  preacher  must  serve  as 
such  for  at  least  four  years  and  his  ordination  be  requested 
by  his  church  before  he  can  be  ordained  a  deacon. 

Local  Elder,  is  an  elder  who  has  been  ordained  such  for 

local  purposes  on  request  of  the  quarterly  conference  to 
which  he  is  attached;  or  an  elder  who  has  traveled  but  has 
been  located.  A  local  deacon  must  serve  as  such  at  least 
four  years  before  he  can  be  ordained  an  elder. 


DUKE    MEMORIAL   HALL,    KITTRELL,    N.    C. 


BETHEL   A.    M.    E.   CHURCH,   LA    MOTT,   PA. 
Rev.   J.    A.    Browne,    Pastor. 

Built  by  Rev.  H.  D.  Brown.  D.  D. 
(See  his  sketch,  Page  47) 


Louisiana  Annual  Conference,  The  North,  of  the  Af- 
rican Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  December 
28,  1882,  by  Bishop  Cain,  in  St.  Matthew  Chapel  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Shreveport,  with  the  following  members,  viz.:  Revs. 
G.  B.  Taylor,  D.  Logan,  M.  S.  Mavo,  P.  W.  Williams,  J.  B. 
Webb,  John  Haves,  N.  Henden,  W.  N.  Childress,  R.  S.  Lovett, 
E.  E.  Makeil,  J.  R.  Grimes,  R.  Walker,  J.  R.  Lee,  and  J.  H. 
Martin.  E.  E.  Makeil  was  first  secretary.  It  comprised 
all  of  the  State  of  Louisiana  north  of  the  thirty-first  degree. 
North  latitude.  There  were  14  charges  and  less  than  1,000 
members — $400  dollar  money.  Lake  Providence.  Lind  Grove 
(now  known  as  Bonita),  Jones  and  St.  Mary,  Delhi  and  St. 
Matthew  and  Shreveport  were  the  principal  charges.  From 
1884  to  1888  this  conference  was  presided  over  by  Bishop 
Wayman  and  steps  were  taken  by  Rev.  P.  W.  Williams, 
presiding  elder  of  the  Lake  Providence  District,  for  the 
establishment  of  the  Wayman's  Memorial  Agricultural  In- 
stitute. From  1888  to  1892  Bishop  Grant  presided;  revivals 
flourished,  membership  increased,  new  churches  were  built 
and  new  fields  opened.  In  April,  1890,  Wayman's  Normal 
Agricultural  Institute  was  chartered,  having  31J/>  acres  of 
land  and  a  building  with  13  rooms.  From  May,  1892,  to  May, 
1896,  Bishop  Lee  presided.  May,  1896,  Bishop  Armstrong,  the 
great  financier,  was  assigned  as  presiding  bishop,  but  his  stay 
was  short ;  he  died  March  23,  1898,  being  succeeded  by  Bish- 
op Handy  who  held  only  one  conference,  on  account  of  the 
small  pox.  May,  1900,  the  general  conference  detached  the 
North  Louisiana  Conference  from  the  Tenth  Episcopal  Dis- 
trict and  attached  it  to  the  Thirteenth  District  under  Bishop 
M.  M.  Moore,  who  died  November  17,  1900,  without  meeting 
the  conference.  Bishop  Grant  held  the  conference  in  De- 
cember, when   the   dollar  money  ran   up  to  $1,751.05.     From 


316 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


the  mid-winter  Council  of  Bishops  at  Philadelphia,  in  1901, 
Bishop  Smith  was  sent  to  preside  over  this  conference  and 
served  from  December,  1901,  to  May,  1904.  From  May,  1904, 
to  May,  1908,  Bishop  Salter  presided  ;  Bishop  Lampton  pre- 
sided in  1908  and  1909;  Bishop  Turner  in  1910  and  1911; 
Bishop  Conner  from  May,  1912,  to  May,  1916;  and  Bishop 
Heard,  the  present  bishop,  since  May,  1916.  The  conference 
has  grown  from  14  appointments  to  70,  and  from  about  17 
ministers,  licentiates  and  all,  to  more  than  100;  from  less 
than  1,000  lay  members  to  about  4,000.  It  has  church  prop- 
erty valued  at  $86,034.65;  raised  in  1913  nearly  $15,000  for 
pastors'  support;  $2,637.57  for  presiding  elders'  support,  and 
for  all  purposes,  $29,443.34.  Revs.  J.  W.  Rankin  and  J.  I. 
Lowe,  missionary  secretary  and  business  manager,  respec- 
tively, were  members  of  this  conference,  though  it  has 
never  had  any  bishops  or  general  officers  elected  directly 
from  it.  Rev.  E.  E.  Makeil,  the  first  secretary,  was  succeed- 
ed by  Rev.  J.  H.  Martin,  February,  1884;  J.  W.  Rainkin,  De- 
cember, 1884-6;  I.  J.  Williams,  January,  1888-December,  1888; 
J.  H.  Martin,  1889-90;  S.  Martin,  1891;  I.  J.  Williams,  1892-3; 
E.  L.  Crumwell,  1894;  J.  H.  Martin,  1895;  T.  W.  Lampton, 
1896-9;  J.  H.  Martin,  1900-2;  J.  W.  Reese,  1903;  H.  M.  Mick- 
ens,  1904;  I.  F.  Walker,  1905;  W.  V.  Meeks,  1906-8;  W.  Willis, 
1909-12;  D.  B.  Reynolds,  1913;  J.  R.  Powe,  1914.  Sessions 
have  been  held,  up  to  and  including  1914,  in  Shreveport, 
eight  times ;  Lake  Providence,  five  times ;  Alexandria,  four 
times;  Delhi,  four  times;  Minden,  twice;  Monroe,  twice; 
Mansfield,  twice  ;  and  in  Sweet  Home,  Homer,  Bonita,  Rey- 
ville,   Natchitoches.     (By    Rev.   W.   V.    Meeks,    historian.) 

Love  Feast  was  a  social  meal  which  the  early  Christians 
held.  It  was  usually  a  secret  meal  to  which  none  but  true 
believers  took  part.  And  this  caused  a  great  deal  of  specu- 
lation on  the  part  of  outsiders  as  to  its  real  nature,  and 
many  unjust  accusations  were  therefore  made  against  the 
Christians  on  its  account.  Of  it  Tertullian,  one  of  the  early 
Church  fathers,  said,  "We  do  not  sit  down  and  eat  until 
we  have  first  tasted  of  prayer  to  God;  we  eat  to  satisfy 
our  hunger;  we  drink  no  more  than  befits  the  temperate; 
we  feast  as  those  who  recollect  that  they  are  to  spend  the 
night  in  devotion  ;  we  converse  as  those  who  know  that  the 
Lord  is  a  near  witness."  It  seems  that  the  custom  of  love 
feasts  died  out  during  the  middle  ages,  until  revived  in  the 
early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  by  the  Moravians,  from 
whom  John  Wesley  learned  their  value,  and  when  he 
established  the  Methodist  Church  he  provided  for  love  feasts. 
In  early  Methodism  love  feasts  were  behind  closed  doors, 
and  none  but  those  in  good  standing  were  permitted  and 
then  only  by  ticket.  We  do  not  now  sit  at  table,  but  break 
bread  and  drink  water,  shake  hands,  tell  our  Christian  ex- 
perience and  sing  and  pray,  making  it  a  feast  of  love  of  one 
to  another.  Love  feast  usually  precedes  the  quarterly  or 
monthly  communion,  giving  all  a  chance  to  settle  any  dif- 
ferences   with    their    brethren    in    this    feast    of    love. 

Liberia  is  a  Republic  situated  on  the  West  Coast  of 
Africa;  contains  about  40,000  square  miles.  It  lies  south 
of  Sierra  Leone,  has  about  350  miles  of  coast,  and  runs 
back  as  far  as  150  miles  ;  the  population  is  12,000  Americo- 
Liberians  (the  ruling  class),  50,000  civilized  natives,  and 
about  1,500,000  to  2,000,000  uncivilized  natives.  There  are 
but  very  few  whites.  The  Republic  was  started  as  a  refuge 
for  free  Negroes  by  the  American  Colonization  Society,  and 
was  settled  in  1822;  in  1847  it  was  declared  a  republic,  and 
has  been  maintained  as  such  ever  since.  Its  government 
is  modeled  after  the  United  States  of  America.  The  A.  M. 
E.  Church  has  several  churches  there.  The  present  presi- 
dent is  Hon.  David  Howard,  who  was  elected  January,  1912. 

Marriage  is  the  joining  of  a  man  and  a  woman  together 
as  a  basis  for  the  family.  This  is  done  by  a  minister 
or  magistrate  as  a  rule  upon  license  from  the  local  gov- 
ernment. The  ceremony  used  by  our  Church  will  be  found 
in  the  discipline.  In  our  ministry  only  deacons  and  elders 
are  permitted  to  perform  the  same.  Marriage  should  be 
encouraged,  yet  before  marriage  due  caution  should  be 
used.  Hasty  marriage  should  always  be  discouraged,  for 
marriage  should  be  sacred,  and  a  contract,  not  alone  civil, 
but  divine,  not  to  be  broken  except  for  reasons  specifically 
given  in  Scripture.  All  minister  should  marry  wherever 
possible  and  present  an  example  of  pure  family  life  to  the 
community. 

Masonry. — In  1836  the  general  conference  passed  a  reso- 
lution  "that   no  preacher  should   be  permitted   to  graduate 


with  ministerial  functions  who  is  and  continues  to  be  a 
member  of  any  Free  Masons'  Lodge."  In  1844  two  petitions 
with  86  names  were  presented  to  the  general  conference 
against  Masonry,  but  the  general  conference  stated  "that 
inasmuch  as  the  petitioners  did  not  specify  the  evils  com- 
plained of,  that,  said  petitions  be  returned  to  them  again 
without  action."  Another  petition  came  up  in  1848,  but 
the  general  conference  resolved  to  take  "no  further  action 
on  the  subject."  Since  that  time  there  has  been  no  great 
opposition  to  Masonry  in  the  Church.  On  the  contrary, 
many  of  the  leading  Churches'  bishops  and  elders  have  been 
also  leaders  in  Masonry. 

Methodist,  The  Term,  as  applied  to  a  religious  body, 
was  first  applied  to  those  who  followed  John  Wesley. 
When  John  Wesley  was  a  student  at  Oxford  University,  he 
and  a  few  others  saw  the  looseness  with  which  other  stu- 
dents and  those  about  them  lived,  how  careless  even  the 
clergy  were  with  regard  to  things  which  ought  to  be  held 
sacred  to  the  Church  and  how  rapidly  formalism  seemed 
to  be  supplanting  the  real  spiritual  worship,  and  therefore 
formed  a  sort  of  club  and  met  together  to  read  the  Bible, 
to  tell  their  experiences  and  to  help  one  another  in  the 
effort  to  live  in  accordance  with  the  Bible.  They  fasted  once 
a  week,  and  abstained  from  other  things  usually  indulged 
in  by  students,  for  which  they  soon  became  objects  of 
derision  among  their  fellows.  This  began  in  1729.  They 
were  called  the  "Holy  Club,"  "Bible  Bigots,"  "Sacramentar- 
ians,"  the  "Godly  Club,"  "The  Methodists,"  etc.  This  did 
not  deter  them;  but  they  kept  steadily  and  systematically 
to  their  purpose.  Other  students  came,  and  the  group  grew, 
and  of  all  the  names  the  one  of  "Methodist"  persisted  and 
in  time  was  the  only  one  aplied  to  them,  for  as  one  said 
they  seem  to  do  everything  by  a  method. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Colored,  was  oranized  in 
December,  1874,  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  For  many  years  before 
the  Civil  War  most  of  the  colored  people  who  were  Meth- 
odists were  members  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  later  the  M.  E. 
Church,  South.  But  after  the  war,  the  M.  E.  Church, 
South,  desired  to  set  its  colored  membership  apart  into  an 
independent  denomination.  The  first  bishops  elected  were 
W.  H.  Miles  and  R.  H.  Vanderhorst. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  The,  is  the  first  American 
Methodist  Church.  It  was  formally  started  Christmas,  1784. 
Richard  Allen  and  Harry  Hosier,  colored  men,  were  in  this 
first  American  Methodist  Conference,  which  was  held  in 
Baltimore,  Md.,  in  the  Lovely  Lane  Chruch.  John  Wesley 
had  organized  the  first  Methodist  Society  in  London  in 
1739.  He  had  no  idea  of  starting  a  separate  Church,  but  of 
starting  a  reform  movement  in  the  Established  (Episcopal) 
Church.  But  his  movement  grew.  Ameica  was  being  col- 
onized by  the  English.  Wesley  had  himself  1734)  came  here 
as  missionary  preacher  before  he  started  the  Methodist 
societies.  When  Methodism  started  in  England,  it  natur- 
ally came  to  America.  Sir  N.  Gilbert  and  two  Negro  women 
first  brought  it  to  Antigua  about  1759;  Philip  Embruy  and 
Barbara  Heck  brought  it  to  New  York,  where  the  first 
converts  on  the  mainland  of  this  country  were  probably 
Negroes.  Robert  Strawbridge  brought  it  to  Mao'land.  In 
1769  Wesley  sent  special  preachers  to  the  country.  In  1771 
Francis  Asbury  and  Richard  Wright  came,  and  from  that 
time  Methodism  grew  rapidly.  Then  came  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  1775-83,  when  lines  between  England  and  America 
were  closely  drawn.  The  independent  government  had  been 
set  up  and  the  people  wanted  an  independent  Church.  Wes- 
ley recognized  this  and  sent  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  Coke  to  be- 
come superintendent  of  the  American  Church.  He  came 
in  company  with  Elders  Richard  Whatcoat  and  Thomas 
Vasey  and  organized  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Francis  Asbury  was  elected  bishop  and  ordained.  From 
that  time  to  this  this  branch  of  the  Christian  Church  has 
not  ceased  to  grow,  and  all  other  branches  of  American 
Methodism  have  grown  out  of  it.  In  1914  there  were  report- 
ed 4,217,771  members  and  30,453  churches  with  17,316  preach- 
ers in  charge,  14,426  parsonages,  4,186,766  Sunday-school 
pupils,  825,823  Epworth  League  members,  653  districts  ;  value 
of  churches,  $205,759,871;  value  of  parsonages,  $34,916,539; 
sarlaries  of  ministers,  $17,504,114;  average  pastors'  salary, 
$960;    average    district    superintendents'    salary,   $2,081. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  (South),  The,  grew  out  of 
the  difference  between  the  Southern  Methodists  who  upheld 
slavery  and  the  parent  M.  E.  Church  who  opposed  it.  The 
occasion   for   separation   came  chiefly   in   the   condemnation 


317 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


and  practical  suspension  by  the  General  Conference  of  1844, 
of  Bishop  Andrew,  of  Georgia,  who  had  married  a  wife  who 
owned  slaves,  and  who  would  not  set  them  free.  The 
Southern  delegates  declared  that  "the  continued  agitation  on 
the  subject  of  slavery  and  abolition  *  *  *  proceeding 
against  Bishop  Andrew  *  *  *  must  produce  a  state  of 
things  in  the  South  which  renders  the  continuance  of  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  general  conference  over  these  conferences 
inconsistent  with  the  success  of  the  ministry  in  the  slave- 
holding  States."  May  1,  1845,  a  convention  of  Southern 
delegates  was  called  and  the  "Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
South"  was  organized,  and  Bishop  Joshua  Soule  and  James 
Osgood  Andrew,  who  had  been  bishops  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  were  made  bishops  and  a  general  conference  was 
called  the  next  year.  Soon  most  of  the  white  Methodists 
in  the  South  were  in  the  M.  E.  Church,  South.  During  the 
war  the  Church  suffered  much,  but  has  recuperated.  Its 
latest  statistics  showed  2,045,577  church  members,  1,615,646 
Sunday-school  pupils,  17,068  churches,  330  presiding  elder 
districts,  5,363  parsonages,  6,539  preachers,  value  of  churches, 
$57,677,908;  of  parsonages,  $11,127,545;  salaries  of  preachers, 
$4,795,841.  Efforts  are  now  being  made  to  reunite  the  M.  E. 
and   M.  E.  Church,   South. 

Michigan  A.  M.  E.  Conference  was  organized  at  Battle 
Creek,  Mich,  August  24,  1887,  Bishop  Campbell  presiding, 
including  all  of  the  State  of  Michigan  and  Northern  Indiana. 
W.  H.  Brown,  of  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  preached  the  annual 
sermon.  The  conference  was  divided  into  three  presiding 
elder  districts.  The  presiding  elders  also  holding  pastoral 
charges  were  R.  Jeffries,  Ypsilanti ;  J.  H.  Alexander,  Grand 
Rapids,  J.  McSmith,  Lansing.  The  dollar  money  reported 
was  $337.67.  The  death  of  Bishops  Cain  and  Shorter  and 
Rev.  R.  Titus  were  reported  at  the  conference.  The  roster 
of  the  first  Michigan  Conference  contains  the  following 
names:  traveling  elders:  J.  H.  Alexander,  T.  McSmith,  W.  H. 
Pope,  C.  H.  Thomas,  C.  F.  Hill,  Benjamin  Roberts,  D.  A. 
Brown,  G.  W.  Benson,  H.  B.  Gordon,  Robinson  Jeffries,  G.  B. 
Graham.  James  M.  Henderson,  W.  H.  Saunders,  J.  H.  Miller, 
G.  W.  Brown  ;  traveling  deacons  :  Henry  Parker,  David  Sis- 
coe  ;  traveling  preachers:  Abraham  Cotman,  E.  E.  Gregory. 
Of  these  only  J.  M.  Henderson  (the  first  secretary),  R.  Jef- 
fries, B.  Roberts,  C.  F.  Hill  and  E.  E.  Gregory  are  yet  in  the 
conference.  J.  McSmith  and  J.  H.  Miller  were  elected  to  the 
general  conference.  The  second  session  of  the  conference 
was  held  at  Grand  Rapids,  September  5-10,  1888.  Bishop  John 
M.  Brown  presiding;  annual  sermon  by  J.  McSmith,  of 
Lansing;  educational  sermon  by  G.  W.  Brown,  of  Detroit. 
The  third  session  of  the  conference  was  held  at  Kalamazoo, 
September  11-16,  1889.  Bishop  John  M.  Brown  presiding; 
annual  sermon  by  J.  H.  Alexander;  educational  sermon  by 
R.  Jeffries.  Rev.  C.  S.  Smith,  who  is  now  the  presiding 
bishop  was  present  at  this  session  of  the  conference  as  the 
secretary  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Sunday-School  Union.  The 
ladies  of  the  Mite  Missionary  Society  held  an  interesting 
meeting,  over  which  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Harper  presided.  The 
fourth  session  of  the  conference  was  held  at  East  Saginaw, 
September  10-15,  1890,  Bishop  John  M.  Brown  presiding. 
The  new  Bethel  Church,  at  Detroit  was  reported  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $18,000  by  Rev.  James  M.  Henderson,  and  dedi- 
cated by  Bishop  Brown;  also  a  parsonage  erected  by  Rev. 
William  Collins  at  St.  Joseph  and  the  church  at  Benton  Har- 
bor, dedicated  by  Bishop  Brown.  Mrs.  Frances  E.  Preston, 
who  had  been  appointed  by  Rev.  W.  B.  Derrick  secretary  of 
missions,  as  an  agent  of  the  Missionary  Department,  sub- 
mitted an  excellent  report  of  her  work  at  this  conference. 
The  annual  sermon  was  delivered  by  J.  I.  Hill ;  the  educa- 
tional sermon  by  James  M.  Henderson.  An  episcopal  resi- 
dence was  established  at  this  conference  and  James  M. 
Henderson,  R.  Jeffries  and  William  Allen  were  elected  trus- 
tees. Rev.  James  M.  Henderson  was  appointed  presiding 
elder.  The  fifth  session  was  held  at  Bethel  Church,  Detroit, 
August  13-19,  1891.  In  the  absence  of  Bishop  Brown,  on 
account  of  the  death  of  Bishop  Campbell,  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  conference,  Rev.  J.  H.  Alexander,  presided,  assist- 
ed by  Rev.  C.  S.  Smith,  secretary  of  the  Sunday-School 
Union.  Bishop  Brown  returned  September  16  and  com- 
pleted the  work  of  the  conference.  John  M.  Henderson 
and  Robinson  Jeffries  were  elected  delegates  to  the  general 
conference.  The  sixth  session  convened  in  Jackson,  Sep- 
tember 1-6,  1892,  Bishop  Turner  presiding;  annual  sermon 
by  Rev.  Collins,  of  Lansing;  educational  sermon  by  Rev. 
H.  E.  Stewart.  The  seventh  session  was  held  at  South  Bend, 
Ind.,  September  6-10,  1893.  The  eighth  session  was  held  in 
Lansing,  September  5-10,  1894.  Bishop  Turner  presiding; 
James    M.   Henderson,   secretary.     Rev.   John  A.   Collins,   of 


Grand  Rapids,  preached  the  annual  sermon.  Mrs.  G.  T. 
Thurman  submitted  an  excellent  report  as  conference  evan- 
gelist. James  M.  Henderson  was  elected  fraternal  dele- 
gate to  the  West  Michigan  M.  E.  Conference.  The  ninth 
session  was  held  in  Ebenezer  Church,  Detroit,  September 
4-9,  1895,  Bishop  Turner  presiding;  B.  F.  Watson  and  J.  D. 
Barksdale  were  elected  delegates  to  the  general  conference. 
The  tenth  session  was  held  at  Ann  Arbor,  August  26-30,  1896, 
Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett  presiding.  The  eleventh  session  was 
held  at  Flint,  August  25-29,  1897;  Bishop  Arnett  presiding; 
Mrs.  Lillian  F.  Thurman,  superintendent  of  missions,  sub- 
mitted a  report.  Bishop  Arnett  presided  at  the  twelfth  ses- 
sion, which  was  held  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  August  24-28, 
1898.  The  thirteenth  session  was  held  in  Bethel  Church, 
Detroit,  August  24-28,  1899,  Bishop  Arnett  presided;  Revs. 
R.  F.  Hurley  and  Sandy  Simmons  were  elected  delegates  to 
the  general  conference.  Bishop  Abraham  Grant  presided  at 
the  fourteenth  session  at  Grand  Rapids,  August  29-Septem- 
ber  2,  1900;  the  conference  was  divided  into  two  presiding 
eder  districts — the  Detroit  and  Grand  Rapids  Districts — 
with  Revs.  G.  W.  Brown  and  J.  H.  Alexander,  presiding 
elders,  respectively ;  the  death  of  Rev.  Robert  Miller  at 
Jackson,  Mich.,  January  13,  1900,  was  reported  at  this  con- 
ference. The  fifteenth  session  was  held  at  South  Bend,  Ind., 
September  11-15,  1901,  Bishop  Grant  presiding;  the  church 
at  Benton  Harbor  was  destroyed  by  fire  during  this  year; 
the  death  of  Rev.  G  W.  Benson,  December  1,  1900,  at  Jack- 
sonville, Fla.,  was  reported.  The  sixteenth  session  met  at 
Ypsilanti,  September  10-14,  1902,  Bishop  Grant  presiding; 
Sister  P.  V.  Wright,  the  evangelist,  reported.  The  seven- 
teenth session  convened  in  Bethel  Church,  Detroit,  Septem- 
ber 9-13,  1903,  Bishop  Grant  presided,  assisted  by  Bishop 
Smith;  Revs.  G.  W.  Brown  and  J.  W.  Sanders,  presiding 
elders  ;  Revs.  Sandy  Simmons  and  R.  Seymour  were  elected 
delegates  to  the  genera!  conference.  The  eighteenth  session 
was  held  at  Benton  Harbor,  September  14-19,  1904,  Bishop 
Handy  presiding;  the  two  presiding  elder  districts  were 
made  one  at  this  conference;  the  death  of  Rev.  George  R. 
Collins,  December  7,  1903,  was  reported.  The  nineteenth 
session  of  the  conference  was  held  at  Ypsilanti,  September 
21-25,  1905, Bishop  Handy  presiding;  Rev.  D.  A.  Graham  was 
elected  trustee  to  represent  the  conference  on  the  State 
Board  of  the  Anti-Saloon  League;  the  Mite  Missionary 
Society  elected  Sister  Anna  Lawson  president.  The  twen- 
tieth session  convened  in  Pontiac,  September  26-October  1, 
1906.  Bishop  Handy  presided;  two  churches  were  dedicated 
during  the  year,  two  new  churches  were  built  and  a  home 
for  worn-out  preachers,  their  wives  and  other  worthy  per- 
sons was  purchased.  The  twenty-first  session  of  the  confer- 
ence met  in  Ebenezer  Church,  Detroit,  September  11-16,  1907, 
Bishop  Handy  presided,  assisted  by  Bishop  Smith;  the  arti- 
cles of  incorporation  of  the  Handy  Home  at  Jackson,  Mich., 
were  adopted  at  this  session ;  the  deaths  of  Revs.  W.  H. 
Brown  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  May  12,  1907,  and  C.  M.  Crosby 
who  died  at  South  Bend,  Ind.,  January  12,  1907,  were  reported. 
Bishop  Shaffer  held  the  twenty-second  session  at  South 
Bend,  Ind.,  September  2-6,  1908;  Rev.  C.  E.  Allen  reported 
Ebenezer  Church,  Detroit,  remodeled,  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Allen, 
President  of  the  Mite  Missionary  Society,  submitted  an 
excellent  report.  The  twenty-third  session  was  held  at 
Grand  Rapids,  September  1-5,  1909,  Bishop  Shaffer  presiding; 
Rev.  Alexander  Smith  of  South  Bend,  Ind.,  preached  the 
annual  sermon  ;  a  temporary  advisory  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  confer  with  the  original  incorporators  of  the 
Handy  Home,  and  Revs.  James  M.  Henderson,  C.  Emery 
Allen  and  C.  J.  Dean  were  appointed  a  committe  on  re-incor- 
poration ;  Bishop  Smith  assisted  the  presiding  bishop.  The 
twenty-fourth  session  was  held  at  Kalamazoo,  August  31- 
September  4,  1910,  Bishop  Shaffer  presiding;  the  fortieth 
anniversary  of  Bishop  Shaffer's  ministerial  life  was  fittingly 
observed  by  the  conference;  the  Mite  Missionary  Society 
reported  raised  during  the  year  $228.20;  the  report  of  the 
committee  on  the  re-incorporation  of  Handy  Home  was 
adopted.  The  twenty-fifth  session  was  held  at  Jackson, 
August  30-September  3,  1911,  Bishop  Shaffer  presiding; 
Revs.  C.  Emery  Allen  and  W.  P.  Q.  Wallace  were  elected 
delegates  to  the  general  conference.  The  twenty-sixth  ses- 
sion was  held  at  Flint,  September  4-9,  1912.  Bishop  Derrick 
presided,  Bishop  Heard  assisting.  The  annual  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  James  M.  Henderson.  Dr.  J.  W.  Cann,  of 
Bermuda,  visited  this  session  of  the  conference  and  brought 
greetings.  The  Mite  Missionary  Societ}'  reported  $202.86. 
The  deaths  of  Rev.  A.  H.  Alexander,  at  Jackson,  Mich.,  May 
16,  1913,  and  Rev.  George  W.  Brown,  at  Jackson,  Mich.,  Sep- 
tember 28,  1911,  were  reported.  The  twenty-se  -enth  session 
met    at    Battle    Creek,    September   3-7,    1913,    Bi.  hop   Turner 


318 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


/ 


Q  yYisV 


<3 


presiding.  The  Mite  Missionary  Society  raised  during  the 
year  $206.25.  The  twenty-eighth  session  met  at  Lansing, 
September  2-6,  1914,  Bishop  Turner  presiding;  Bishop  C.  S. 
Smith,  associate.  The  Women's  Mite  Missionary  Society 
raised  during  the  year  $335.28.  Revs.  W.  T.  Artis  and  F.  A. 
Hartford  were  reported  dead.  The  twenty-ninth  session 
was  held  in  Ebenezer  Church,  Detroit,  September  1-5,  1915. 
Bishop  C.  S.  Smith  presided,  filling  the  unexpired  term  of 
Bishop  Turner,  who  died  in  Windsor,  Canada,  May  8,  1915. 
James  M.  Henderson  and  J.  W.  Saunders  were  elected  dele- 
gates to  the  general  conference.  (By  J.  M.  Henderson,  his- 
torian.) 

Minister  is  one  who  serves  the  Church  and  is  a  member 
of  an  annual  conference.  According  to  the  discipline  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  making  regulations  for  voting  for 
ministerial  delegates,  all  members  of  the  annual  conference 
are  regarded  as   ministers. 

Missionary  Department,  The. — That  the  Missionary  Pro- 
paganda of  the  African  Methodist  Church  was  begun  with 
the  rise  and  progress  of  the  Church  is  quite  evident  when 
we  consider  that  the  Church  in  itself  was  born  out  of  a 
missionary  struggle  for  Christian  manhood  liberty.  It  was 
that,  and  that  only,  which  made  Richard  Allen  and  his  com- 
peers walk  out  from  under  oppression  and  stand  up  in  the 
light  of  Christian  manhood  for  a  more  recognizable  religious 
life,  and  thus  the  missionary  operation  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  began.  In  May,  1817,  Daniel  Coker,  of  Baltimore, 
Md.,  one  of  the  prominent  men  who  had  worked  with  Rich- 
ard Allen  in  the  organization  of  the  Church,  sailed  for 
Africa,  as  our  foreign  missionary  to  that  field.  He  was  not, 
however,  officially  sent  by  the  Church.  But,  nevertheless, 
he  carried  the  unanimous  consent  and  good  will  of  his 
brethren.  In  the  adoption  of  the  book  of  discipline  at  the 
first  general  conference,  in  1816,  a  missionary  requirement 
of  each  church  was  made,  thereby  making  it  the  duty  of  all 
pastors  of  congregations  to  take  an  annual  missionary  col- 
lection from  all  of  their  charges,  to  be  reported  at  the  en- 
suing annual  conference.  In  1824  the  first  A.  M.  E.  church 
was  started  in  Hayti  by  many  persons  who  had  emigrated 
from  this  country  during  the  first  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  They  had  called  upon  Bishop  Richard  Allen  to 
send  them  an  ordained  missionary  or  missionaries  "to  care 
for  their  moral  and  spiritual  education."  And,  accordingly, 
he  (the  bishop)  commissioned  Rev.  Scipio  Bean  as  the  first 
missionary  to  labor  in  that  field.  He  was  assisted  by  Broth- 
er H.  Roberts,  and  they  sailed  early  in  that  same  year  for 
the  Republic  of  Hayti,  where  they  labored  for  10  years. 
/The  first  general  missionary  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  was 
William  Paul  Quinn,  who  was  appointed  general  missionary 
by  the  general  conference  of  1840.  Rev.  William  Paul  Quinn 
had  been  doing  work  in  the  West,  that  is,  in  Pittsburgh 
(Pa.),  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois,  since  1832>^He  was  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  Indiana  Conference  in  1840,^and/ was 
at  one  time  presiding  elder  over  the  States  of  Indiana,  ITlin- 
ois  and  Missourpvjn  his  report  to  the  general  conference 
in  1844  he  told  of  his  missionary  work  in  the  West;)  He  had 
assisted  in  carrying  African  Methodism  into  Kentucky,  es- 
tablishing what  is  now  Quinn  Chapel,  in  Louisville,  also  a 
church  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.  He  also  made  a  report  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  colored  people  of  the  West^>  His  work  in  that 
section  has  its  lasting  monument  in  some  of  the  most  thriv- 
ing churches  of  our  connection  to-day,  many  of  which  are 
named  for  him — "Quinn  Chapel. "LSo  impressive  was  Elder 
Quinn's  report  of  his  missionary  work  that  the  next  day 
he  was  elected  a  bishop  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Churchy  and  a  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was 
formed/ 

The  result  of  the  Civil  War  was  the  freedom  of  the 
4,000,000  slaves,  consisting  of  our  fathers  and  mothers,  who 
were  unorganized.  There  was  no  African  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  anywhere  in  the  South,  except  in  New  Orleans, 
Washington  and  Charleston.  The  whole  colored  population 
of  the  South  was  thus  a  new  field  for  operation  for  all 
Churches.  The  A.  M.  E.  Church  entered  this  field  in  a 
vigorous  campaign  of  organization.  In  these  new  fields  the 
bishops  took  the  lead — Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne  (who  was 
originally  of  South  Carolina),  Bishop  Wayman  and  others. 
In  April,  1863,  the  New  York  Conference  voted  upon  a 
motion  made  by  A.  W.  Wayman  to  send  a  minister  to  the 
Southland.  And,  accordingly.  Bishop  Payne  appointed  Revs. 
James  D.  S.  Hall,  of  New  York,  and  James  Lynch,  of  Bal- 
timore. They  sailed  from  New  York  May  20,1863,  on  the 
steamship  "Argo,"  arriving  at  Hilton  Head,  S.  C,  a  few 
weeks  after.  As  a  result  of  the  Emancipation  many  of  the 
colored  people  were  left  by  their  white  pastors,  and  they 


received  the  colored  preachers  gladly.  The  first  annual 
conference  to  be  organized— rtWh-is  new  field  was  established 
in  Charleston,  S.  C,  May|l6,'M866^nd  others  in  a  very  short 
time  followed.  Our  minrs-tefs  went  in  wherever  the  Union 
Army  had  made  an  opening.  Some  time  in  1863  we  entered 
the  State  of  Tennessee.  Not  only  our  preachers  went,  but 
our  teachers  also.  So  by  the  time  the  war  was  over  our 
missionaries  were  well  distributed  over  the  Southeast  sec- 
tion of  the  country.  Arnett's  budget  says  :  "Revs.  J.  D.  S. 
Hall  and  James  Lynch  were  the  pioneer  missionaries  to  the 
Southland.  They  were  soon  followed  by  Revs.  James  A. 
Handy,  J.  H.  A.  Johnson  and  T.  G.  Steward.  As  the  work 
progressed  Rev.  Henry  M.  Turner  took  charge  of  affairs 
in  Georgia;  Rev.  R.  H.  Cain,  in  South  Carolina;  Rev.  G.  W. 
Brodie,  in  North  Carolina  ;  Rev.  Charles  H.  Pearce,  in  Flor- 
ida ;  and,  under  the  leadership  of  Bishop  J.  A.  Shorter,  the 
work  spread  into  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  Bishop  J.  P. 
Campbell  carried  the  seed  of  African  Methodism  and  planted 
it  at  the   Golden   Gate,  on   the   shores   of  the   Pacific." 

Aside  from  the  facts  of  our  first  missionaries  sent  to 
West  Africa  and  Hayti  in  1817  and  1824,  respectively,  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  through  God,  fostered  its  existence  as  a 
Missionary  Propaganda  in  Sierra  Leone  and  its  protector- 
ate. West  Africa,  June  30,  1885.  The  advent  of  this  move- 
ment was  in  answer  to  an  appeal  from  the  trustees,  leaders, 
pastors  and  members  of  "Zion  Chapel"  of  the  Countess 
Huntingdon's  connection  in  Freetown,  Sierra  Leone,  to  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,  to  bring 
about  a  union  or  an  amalgamation.  Arrangements  having 
been  made  by  Bishop  J.  A.  Shorter,  Secretary  James  M. 
Townsend,  Bishop  J.  P.  Campbell,  Dr.  D.  P.  Roberts  and 
Prof.  Outland,  executive  committee  of  the  board  of  mana- 
gers of  the  Parent  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society, 
to  perfect  or  ratify  the  proposed  union  or  amalgamation, 
Rev.  John  Richardson  Fredericks  was  sent  as  the  repre- 
sentative missionary  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  from  America 
to  accomplish  its  work.  He  (Rev.  Fredericks)  left  the 
United  States  of  America  on  November  8,  1886,  and,  having 
spent  some  time  in  England,  he  landed  in  Freetown,  Sierra 
Leone,  on  January  2,  1887,  and  formally  began  operation 
in  the  said  "Zion  Chapel,"  Wilberforce  Street,  Freetown, 
Sierra  Leone.  But  it  was  not  until  June,  1887,  when  by  a 
legal  act  of  amalgamation  of  "Zion  Chapel"  and  its  adher- 
ents were  handed  over  to  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  that  the  regular  and  more  systematic  work  began. 
In  connection  with  our  work  in  Freetown,  Sierra  Leone, 
which  was  formally  appointed  in  June,  1888,  upon  the  re- 
quest of  the  Chief  of  Mangay  Small  Scarcies,  Bethel  Mission 
was  started  by  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Moses  D.  Davis,  an 
agent,  and  12  acres  of  land  were  given  for  the  said  mission 
and  school  purposes  ;  the  said  land  thus  became  the  proper- 
ty of  the  missionary  board.  Our  work  in  this  section  of 
West  Africa  was  visited  by  four  of  our  bishops,  namely, 
Bishops  Turner,  Grant,  Shaffer  and  Smith,  who,  respective- 
ly, gave  splendid  episcopal  supervision  for  the  work  until 
1908,  when  the  general  conference  saw  fit  to  elect  a  bishop 
for  that  field.  In  1898  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner  went  to  South 
Africa  and  organized  two  annual  conferences — the  Transvaal 
Annual  Conference,  March  9,  1898,  and  the  South  African 
Annual  Conference,  April  12,  1898.  The  former,  organized 
at  Pretoria,  contained  a  membership  of  7,175,  and  the  latter, 
which  was  organized  at  Queenstown,  had  3,625  lay  members. 
Upon  this  visit  Bishop  Turner  ordained  31  elders  and  20 
deacons.  In  1900  the  general  conference  sent  Bishop  L.  J. 
Coppin  to  South  Africa.  He  spent  four  years  there,  and 
established  Bethel  Institute.  In  1904  Bishop  C.  S.  Smith 
was  sent  to  Africa,  but  only  remained  two  years.  In  1906 
Bishop  W.  B.  Derrick  made  a  tour  of  South  Africa  for  the 
adjustment  of  our  missionary  status  with  affairs  of  the  Bri- 
tish Government.  In  1908  the  general  conference  elected 
two  bishops  to  be  assigned  to  our  African  missionary  work 
for  12  consecutive  year,  in  the  persons  of  Bishops  J.  Albert 
Johnson  and  William  H.  Heard.  They  were  sent,  respec- 
tively, to  South  and  West  Africa.  From  1844  to  1864  the 
Parent  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  under  the 
control  of  the  board  of  managers  of  the  Baltimore  Annual 
Conference.  During  this  time  we  had  no  missionary  de- 
partment, but  only  had  general  missionaries,  of  whom 
Rev.  William  Paul  Quinn  was  the  first,  and  the  second  was 
Rev.  Thos.  M.  D.  Ward.  In  1864  the  Parent  Home  and  For- 
eign Missionary  Society  became  truly  connectional  and  a 
permanent  organization.  The  first  corresponding  secretary, 
now  called  secretary  of  missions,  was  elected  by  the  general 
conference,  in  the  person  of  Rev.  John  M.  Brown.  He  serv- 
ed until  1868,  when  he  was  elected  bishop.  Other  missionary 
secretaries   have   been   elected   and   have   served.    They   are 


319 


fi- 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


a 


as  follows:  Rev.  J.  A.  Handv,  1868-72;  Rev.  G.  W.  Brodie, 
1872-6;  Rev.  R.  H.  Cain,  1876-80;  Rev.  T.  M.  Townsend.  1880-8; 
Rev.  W.  B.  Derrick,  1888-96;  Rev.  H.  B.  Parks,  1896-1908;  Rev. 
W.  W.  Beckett,  1908-12;  Rev.  J.  W.  Rankin,  1912  to  the 
present.  The  Woman's  Parent  Mite  Missionary  Society  was 
organized  Ma}',  1874,  in  the  financial  headquarters  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  The  purpose  then  stated  was  "the  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  world  and  especially  of  the  Island  of  Hayti, 
and  to  secure  the  co-operation  of  the  sisters  in  the  ministry 
in  carrying  forward  the  work."  The  Women's  Home  and 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized  September,  1893, 
by  order  of  the  missionary  department,  at  South  Bend, 
Ind.  It  was  approved  and  established  as  a  connectional  or- 
ganization by  the  general  conference,  May,  1896,  at  Wil- 
mington, N.  C.     (By   Rev.  J.  W.   Rankin.) 

Missionaries  (Foreign)  and  their  fields  of  labor. — South 
Africa:  Bishop  W.  W.  Beckett.  D.  D.,  2  Hanover  Street, 
Capetown;  Rev.  F.  M.  Gow,  2  Hanover  Street,  Capetown. 

West  Coast  of  Africa. — Bishop  I.  N.  Ross,  D.  D.,  Mon- 
rovia, Liberia.  Sierra  Leone  Conference:  Rev.  Henry  M. 
Steady,  D.  D.,  presiding  elder;  Rev.  J.  F.  Gerber,  assistant 
to  Rev.  J.  P.  Richards,  B.  D.,  New  Zion  Station;  Rev.  E.  T. 
Martyn,  Emanuel  Station;  Rev.  G.  A.  John.  Campbell  Sta- 
tion;" Rev.  J.  H.  Gooding,  Bethel  Circuit  "Mange";  Rev.  J. 
O.  A.  T.  Decker,  Allen  Circuit,  Magbele;  Rev.  M.  T.  New- 
land,  Moore  Memorial  Mission;  Mr.  M.  S.  Lott,  Florida 
Grant  Missions;  Rev.  M.  W.  Jones,  Ebenezer  Canadian  Mis- 
sions; Rev.  J.  H.  Parks,  Mahera  Mission;  Rev.  J.  E.  S. 
Frazier,  Big  Robornp ;  Rev.  J.  P.  Richards,  B.  D.,  principal 
A.  M.  E.  Seminary;  Rev.  J.  A.  John.  Tutor,  A.  M.  E.  Sem- 
inary; Mr.  A.  B.  Harding.  Tutor.  Moore  Memorial  Mission; 
Mrs.  M.  C.  Cole,  Tutor,  New  Zion  Station.  Liberian  Confer- 
ence:  Rev.  A.  L.  Brisbane,  presiding  elder,  Brewersville,  Li- 
beria, West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  T.  E.  Ward,  B.  D.,  Johnson- 
ville,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  H.  G  Knight,  princi- 
pal Shaffer  High  School,  Arthington,  Liberia,  West  Coast 
Africa;  Rev.  J.  L.  Miller,  Mt.  Carmel,  Arthington,  Liberia, 
West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  W.  H.  Wright.  Shefflin,  Liberia, 
West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  L.  G.  Davis,  City  Mission,  Monro- 
via, Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  J.  A.  D.  Martyn,  Brew- 
ersville, Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  S.  A.  Bailey,  Ben- 
sonville,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  A.  AI.  De  Lima, 
Coffee  Farm,  Monrovia,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev. 
H.  W.  White.  Barnesville,  Monrovia.  Liberia,  West  Coast 
Africa;  Rev.  W.  T.  White,  Cape  Mount.  Liberia,  West  Coast 
Africa;  Rev.  F.  E.  R.  Bryant,  Robertsville.  Liberia,  West 
Coast  Africa;  Mrs.  Irene  Robbins,  teachers.  Box  14,  Mon- 
rovia, Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Mrs.  Annie  E.  Bryant, 
evangelist  teacher,  Brewerville,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa; 
Rev.  J.  O.  S.  Thompson,  presiding  elder.  Grand  Bassa,  Lower 
Buchanon,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  T.  V.  Cummings,  Lower 
Buchanon,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  J.  D.  Clarke, 
Monrovia,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  J.  H.  Johnson. 
Harrisville,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  A.  F.  Holt, 
Harlandsville,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  R.  H.  Gib- 
son, Cape  Palmas,  Liberia,  West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  H.  A. 
Garcia,  Monrovia,  Liberia,  West  Africa;  Mrs.  E.  9.  Thomp- 
son, evangelist-teacher,  Grand  Bassa,  West  Africa;  Mrs. 
H.  P.  L.  Knight,  teacher,  Shaffer  High  School,  Arthington, 
West  Africa;  Mrs.  S.  J.  D.  Cummings,  assistant  teacher, 
Monrovia,  Day  School,  Monrovia,  Liberia;  Mrs.  F.  S.  John- 
son, teacher,  Day  School,  Harlandville  Mission,  Liberia, 
West  Coast  Africa;  Rev.  I.  H.  Webbo,  Liberia,  West  Coast 
Africa. 

South  America  and  British  West  Indies. — Rev.  P.  E. 
Batson,  6  Norfolk  Street,  Port  of  Spain,  Trinidad,  W.  I. ; 
Rev.  J.  P.  James,  Samana,  Santo  Domingo;  Frederick  Faide, 
catechist  outpost  work,  Samana,  Santo  Domingo;  Rev.  Ru- 
dolph Worst,  San  Pedro  de  Marcoris.  Santo  Domingo;  Rev. 
James  R.  Thomas,  Santo  Domingo  City,  Santo  Domingo; 
Mr.  R.  Horseford  Jones,  Porto  Rico  Estate,  Santo  Domingo; 
Rev.  P.  Alpheus  Luckie,  Georgetown,  Demerara,  B.  M.,  South 
America;  Rev.  D.  P.  Talbot,  Maria  Johanna,  Esquibo,  B.  G, 
South  America;  Rev.  A.  T.  Collins,  Second  Church,  George- 
town, Demerara,  B.  G,  South  America;  Rev.  R.  A.  Butler, 
Tuschen.  West  Coast,  Demerara,  British  Guiana,  South 
America;  Rev.  S.  E.  C.  Lord,  10  Rue  d'Ennery,  Port-au- 
Prince,  Haiti,  W.  I.;  Rev.  W  .T.  Culmer,  Savannah  Sound, 
Eleuthera,  W.  I.  ;  Rev.  J.  Wesley  Skerrett,  Bahamas,  W.  I.; 
Rev.  Alfonso  Dumar,  Kingston,  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

Missionary  Society  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  The  Women's 
Home  and  Foreign. — September,  1893,  in  South  Bend,  Ind., 
a  delegation  of  ladies  waited  upon  Bishop  H.  M.  Turner,  who 


was  then  holding  the  Michigan  conference,  and  Dr.  W.  B. 
Derrick,  then  the  secretary  of  missions,  and  asked  permission 
to  organize  a  connectional  missionary  society,  as  there  were 
thousands  of  women  in  the  south  and  west  who  desired  to 
work  for  missions.  The  request  was  granted  and  the  society 
organized  by  Bishop  Turner,  and  named  by  Dr.  Derrick  "The 
Women's  Foreign  Missionary  Society,"  and  under  this  name 
they  went  to  work.  Mrs.  G.  T.  Thurman  was  elected  general 
superintendent.  She  traveled  through  Michigan,  Tennessee, 
Arkansas,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Alabama,  Georgia  and 
parts  of  Texas  and  Florida.  The  work  succeeded  well  till 
Alay,  1896,  when  the  general  conference  approved  of  and  leg- 
alized the  organization  and  named  it  "The  Women's  Home 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church," 
and  made  it  subordinate  to  the  Parent  Home  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Department.  The  general  conference  left  the  task 
of  drawing  up  the  constitution  and  by-laws  for  the  govern- 
ment of  this  young  institution  to  the  women  to  be  approved 
by  Bishop  Turner.  The  bishop  commented  upon  them  as  fol- 
lows: "The  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  Women's  Home 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  have  been  forwarded  to  me 
by  Airs.  G.  T.  Thurman  and  her  associates  for  inspection. 
As  the  president  of  the  missionary  department  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  I  beg  to  say  that  I  have  given  the  same  careful  ex- 
amination and  most  heartily  approve  of  the  entire  arrange- 
ment and  am  satisfied  that  the  general  conference,  which  cre- 
ated the  institution  could  not  have  surpassed  them  in  method- 
ical order."  The  following  constituted  Mrs.  Thurman's  com- 
mittee: Airs.  G.  T.  Thurman,  Airs.  J.  H.  Alexander,  Mrs.  H. 
H.  King,  Airs.  H.  E.  Carolina.  Airs.  P.  W.  Wave,  Mrs. 
E.  W.  Lampton,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Docier,  Airs.  J.  H.  Adams,  Mrs. 
D  T.  Green.  Airs.  I.  N.  Fitzpatrick,  Airs.  T.  II  Lyles,  Mrs.  H. 
R.  Butler,  Airs.  Dora  Cotton,  Miss  Estella  AI.  Alexander,  Airs. 
G.  W.  Swan,  Airs.  G.  G.  Baker,  Airs.  O.  P.  Ross,  Mrs.  J.  E. 
Wood.  Mrs.  W.  G.  Alexander,  Airs.  W.  H.  Council,  Mrs.  T. 
N.  Abbey,  Airs.  W.  D.  Jackson,  Airs.  Wm.  Flagg.  Mrs.  G.  t. 
Thurman  being  called  to  other  duties  resigned  the  superinten- 
dency  about  1000,  and  Airs.  S.  J.  Duncan  was  appointed  by 
Bishop  Turner  to  fill  the  vacancy,  which  she  did  till  Alarch, 
1008,  when  the  first  connectional  convention  was  held  in  Bethel, 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  at  which  time  Mrs.  Laura  L.  Turner  was  elected 
the  first  president  of  the  organization,  Airs.  J.  A.  Hadley  sec- 
retary and  Airs.  S.  J.  Duncan  treasurer.  The  report  of  the 
secretary  of  missions  in  1004  shows  $5,000  raised  by  the  Wom- 
en's Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  in  four  years.  In 
1908  $10,000  was  reported.  The  second  connectional  conven- 
tion was  held  in  Birmingham,  Ala..  1911,  when  the  following 
officers  were  elected:  Airs.  Laura  Lemon  Turner,  Georgia, 
president;  Airs.  S.  G.  Simmons,  South  Carolina,  vice-presi- 
dent: Airs.  AI.  Jones,  Texas,  second  vice-president;  Airs.  S.  A. 
Christian.  Alabama,  recording  secretary:  Airs.  L.  M.  Chan- 
nell,  Louisiana,  assistant  secretary;  Airs.  G.  L.  Jackson,  Ten- 
nessee, corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  H.  E.  Carolina,  Arkan- 
sas, treasurer:  Airs.  F.  S.  Tanner,  financial  secretary;  Mrs.  M. 
A.  Ford,  statistical  secretary;  executive  board.  Airs.  W.  A. 
Fountain,  sixth  district:  Airs.  H.  E.  Lewis,  seventh  district: 
Airs.  H.  H.  King,  eighth  district;  Airs.  Francis  A.  Jones,  ninth 
district;  Airs.  AI.  E.  H.  Miller,  tenth  district;  Airs.  L.  L.  Craig, 
twelfth  district.  The  report  from  this  convention  showed 
35  conference  societies,  1322  local  societies,  13.591  members 
in  local  societies,  $30,045.32  raised  for  home  and  foreign  mis- 
sions in  three  years.  The  last  quadrennial  convention,  which 
was  held  in  New  Orleans  Februarv,  1915,  elected  the  follow- 
ing officers:  Airs.  Laura  Lemon  Turner,  Georgia,  president; 
Airs.  S.  G.  Simmons,  South  Carolina,  vice-president;  Airs. 
AI.  Jones.  Texas,  second  vice-president:  Airs.  L.  M.  Chan- 
nell,  Louisiana,  recording  secretary:  Airs.  M.  S.  Pearson, 
North  Carolina,  assistant  secretary;  Airs.  G.  L.  Jackson,  Ten- 
nessee, corresponding  secretary:  Airs.  W.  D.  Chappelle, 
South  Carolina,  treasurer.  The  report  showed  43  conference 
societies.  2.298  local  societies,  32.032  members  in  local  soci- 
eties and  $40,821.59  raised  for  home  and  foreign  missions 
during  the  four  vears  preceding.  Airs.  Turner  died  October, 
1915,  and  Airs.  S.  G.  Simmons  succeeded  to  the  presidency. 
The  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  Women's  Home  and  For- 
eign Alissionary  Society  is  so  elastic  that  a  number  of  branch 
organizations  are  permitted  to  operate  under  its  general  law. 
Hence  the  state  organization.  "The  Conference  Society."  "The 
Auxiliary  Society,"  and  the  "Juveniles'  Societies."  All  these 
are  subordinate  to  the  connectional  society.  These  societies 
meet  annually  and  quadrennially  elect  delegates  to  the  quad- 
rennial session,  which  meets  once  in  four  years  or  the  year 
before  the  general  conference..    In  this  general  body  the  work 


320 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3 


MRS.   S.   G.   SIMMONS  MRS    R    c 

President  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  Society         Treasurer   W    H 

of  the  four  years  in  all  of  the  departments  of  the  society  is 
reviewed  and  the  laws  for  the  general  running  of  the  society 
are  made,  subject  to  the  general  conference. 

Alabama  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  Society,  The,  was  established 
with  Mrs.  S.  A.  Christian,  of  Greensboro,  Ala.,  state  president, 
Mrs.  S.  I.  Milton,  Selma,  Ala.,  state  secretary;  Mrs.  Sarah 
J.  Duncan,  of  Selma,  state  superintendent.  Under  the  super- 
vision of  the  state  president  the  society  grew  in  numerical 
strength  and  financially;  reports  increasing  more  than  fifty 
per  cent,  in  five  years.  Mrs.  Christian,  with  her  efficient  offi- 
cers, served  until  the  work  was  placed  under  the  immediate 
supervision  of  the  annual  conferences  in  what  is  known  as 
conference   branches   in    1906.      Mrs.    T.    S.    Evans   was    made 


CHAPPELLE 
&   F.   M.   Society 


MRS.  L.  A.  DAVIS 

President     Alabama     Conference 

Branch,  W.  H.   &   F.   M.   Society. 


ing  delegates  were  also  elected  to  the  quadrennial  conven- 
tion at  Birmingham,  Ala:  Mrs.  H.  L.  Weaver,  Brundidge; 
Mrs.  R.  L.  Pope,  Montgomery;  Mrs.  T.  E.  H.  Dickerson  and 
Mrs.  S.  P.  Pry  or,  Dothan;  Mrs.  L.  Edwards,  Elba;  Miss  L. 
Saunders,  Newton,  and  Miss  Annie  Nelson,  White  Oak.  Mrs. 
Weaver  gave  good  service  in  the  Alabama  conference  and 
was  succeeded  by  Mrs.  W.  J.  Hightower,  of  Dothan,  who 
served  faithfully  until  1913,  when  two  new  conferences  were 
created;  the  West  and  South  Alabama  conferences.  By  the 
division  of  the  conference  districts,  she  fell  in  the  South 
Alabama  conference.  At  Andalusia,  in  1914,  the  work  in  the 
Alabama  conference  branch  was  reorganized:  Mrs.  M.  M. 
Hightower,  of  Montgomery,  was  elected  president;  Mrs.  L. 
Wood,  vice;  Airs.  A.  V.  Moore,  recording  secretary;  Mrs. 
Mattie  Prince,  corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  G.  B.  West, 
treasurer.  Airs.  Hightower,  of  Montgomery,  was  elected 
delegate  to  the  quadrennial  meeting  at  New  Orleans  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1915.  A  successful  meeting  was  held  in  Montgomery, 
November,  1915,  Mrs.  Hightower.  conference  president,  pre- 
siding. Bishop  Jones  helped  the  women  greatly  by  his  pres- 
ence and  words  of  encouragement.  Dr.  T.  L.  Johnson  and 
others  addressed.  Mrs.  McDonald,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo., 
gave  to  the  women  the  request  coming  from  Dr.  R.  R.  Wright, 
Jr.,  that  a  history  of  the  missionary  work  of  the  Alabama 
conference  be  gotten  out  for  publication.  $323.22  was  raised 
for  missions.  The  present  officers  are:  Airs.  H.  N.  New- 
some,  of  Alontgomery,  president;  Airs.  H.  M.  Hollis,  vice; 
Mrs.  Mattie  Prince,  recording  secretary;  Mrs.  Lyttia  Mc- 
Kenzie,  of  Uriah,  corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  M.  J.  Moore 
Chaplain,  treasurer. — By  A'Irs.  M.  M.  Hightower,  H.  N.  New- 
some  and  A.  V.  Moore. 


South  Alabama  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  Society,  The,  was  organiz- 
ed in  1913,  when  the  South  Alabama  annual  conference  was 
organized.  There  are  more  than  100  active  local  societies  in 
the  conference.  $807.26  was  raised  last  year.  The  district 
presidents  are:  Airs.  Emma  Melton,  Eufaula  district;  Mrs. 
T.  A.  Harris,  Columbia  district;  Mrs.  Nettie  Steward,  Ozark 
district;  Mrs.  S.  E.  Mitchell,  Troy  district;  Mrs.  Sarah  Nelson, 
Florala  district.  The  officers  of  the  conference  branch  are: 
Mrs.  L.  Hightower,  president:  Airs.  R.  B.  McMillon,  secre- 
tary; Airs.  C.  G.  Hatcher,  treasurer. 


AIRS.   L.   L.   CRAIG 
Secretary    Alabama  Conference    Branch 
W.  H.  and  F.  M.  Society. 

conference     branch     president     of     the    Alabama     conference,  Atlanta,    Ga.,    Conference    Women's    Home    and    Foreign 

and   with    an   efficient   corps   of   officers   carried    on    the    work  Missionary  Society  was  organized  durong  the  fall  of  1902  by 

which    increased    in    interest    and    strength.      In    1909,    at    the  Bishop    Turner,    in    Shiloh    (now    Cosmopolitan)    A.    AI.    E. 

conference   in   Troy.   $463.36   was   reported   for   missions.      In  Church,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Rev.  T.  J.  Linton,  pastor.     A  morning 

1910,  at  the  cor ference  held  in  Eufala,  Mrs.  Evans  not  being  session  was  held  in  Cosmopolitan  Church,  and  an  afternoon 

present,  owing  to  illness,  Mrs.  Christian,  state  president,  be-  session  in  Allen  Temple.     Those  present  were:     Revs.  T.  J. 

mg  present  was  asked  to  preside.     Reports  for  the  year  had  Linton,  J.  T.  Wilkinson,  J.  R.  Flemming,  Airs.  P.  G.  Simmons, 

increased   to  $778.52.      Airs.   H.   L.   Weaver  was   elected   con-  Airs.  Nora  Ellen,  Miss  Laura  P.  Lemon  (afterwards  Airs.  H. 

ference  branch  president,  Mrs.  W.  J.  Webb,  vice.    The  follow-  M.  Turner),  who  was  elected  president,  and  Mrs.  R.  T.  Mat- 

21  321 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


thews,  who  was  elected  recording  secretary.  The  annual 
sessions  have  been  held  as  follows  since  that  time  at  Atlanta, 
1903;  Griffin,  1904;  Newnan,  1905;  Conyers,  1906;  Atlanta, 
1907;  Madison,  1908;  Senoia,  1909;  Decatur,  1910;  Fairburn, 
1911;  Lovejoy,  1912;  Social  Circle,  1913;  Griffin,  1914;  Knock- 
dale  Park,  Atlanta,  1915.  The  following  have  served  as  presi- 
dents: Mrs.  L.  L.  Turner,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Adams,  Mrs.  J.  R. 
Fleming,  Mrs.  R.  T.  Matthews;  as  treasurers:  Mrs.  P.  G. 
Simmons,  Mrs.  H.  D.  Canady,  Mrs.  D.  T.  Howard  (Mrs. 
Howard  served  in  this  office  for  ten  years);  as  secretaries: 
Mrs.  William  Byrd,  Mrs.  Fannie  Cargile,  Mrs.  R.  T.  Mat- 
thews, Mrs.  Mattie  A.  Ford  (Mrs.  Ford  served  in  this  of- 
fice for  nine  years).  Members:  adult,  905,  juvenile,  250; 
total  1155.  Presiding  bishops:  Turner,  1902-08;  Smith,  1908- 
12;   Flipper,   1912  to  present.     From  1911   to   1915  there  was 


ing  the  first  president.  After  Mrs.  Fleming  Mrs.  Birdie  L. 
Delyles  was  elected  president.  She  served  three  years  and 
made  one  of  the  best  presidents  the  district  has  had.  The 
next  president  was  Mrs.  Charles  Edwards,  who  served  one 
year  and  was  succeeded  by  Mrs.  S.  E.  Baylum.  Mrs.  K.  K. 
Stewart,  of  Malvern,  Ark.,  was  the  next  president  and  is  now 
serving. 

West  Arkansas  Conference  Branch  of  the  Women's  Home 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized  in  1901,  Bish- 
op Evans  Tyree  being  presiding  bishop.  The  first  officers 
were:  Mrs.  D.  A.  Fleming,  president;  Mrs.  E.  A.  Stone,  first 
vice-president;  Mrs.  Phyllis  Brown,  second  vice-president; 
Mrs.  O.  L.  Moody,  recording  secretary;  Mrs.  E.  A.  Walls, 
corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  E.  N.  Washington,  treasurer. 
Mrs.  Fleming  did  much   to  create  interest  in  the  missionary 


MRS.   D.   T 

Former  Treasurer 

ference    Branch, 

So 


MRS.   R.  T.   MATTHEWS 

President   Atlanta,    (Ga.)    Conference 

Branch,  W.  H.  and  F.  M.  Society. 

collected  for  foreign  work,  $634.00;  for  home  work,  $634.00; 
traveling  expenses  and  special  effort  work,  $233.92.  Total 
collected,  $1501.92.  Total  amount  expended,  $1501.92.  Mis- 
cellaneous: sent  to  Bishop  W.  H.  Heard,  $10.00  for  African 
work;  sent  to  Rev.  Francis  Gow,  South  Africa,  $10.00;  to 
Mrs.  E.  C.  Kinch,  $1.32  for  lamp  for  Africa.  Officers  for 
1916:  Mrs.  R.  T.  Matthews,  president;  Mrs.  E.  E.  Scandrit, 
first  vice-president;  Mrs.  Mattie  Ellis,  second  vice-president; 
Mrs.  Mattie  A.  Ford,  recording  secretary:  Mrs.  F.  R.  Simms, 
assistant  recording  secretary;  Mrs.  T.  J.  Linton,  correspond- 
ing secretary;  Mrs.  H.  D.  Canady,  treasurer;  Mrs.  Eliza 
Baldwin,  chaplain;  Mrs.  D.  T.  Howard,  chairman  of  the  W. 
H.  and  F.  M.  Circle.— By  Mrs.  Mattie  A.  Ford. 

East  Arkansas  Annual  Conference  Branch  of  W.  H.  &  F. 
M.  S.,  The,  was  organized  at  Marianna,  Ark.,  in  1899.  Mrs. 
H.  E.  Carolina  was  the  first  president  and  served  for  ten 
years.  The  following  have  succeeded  her:  Mrs.  Rosa  Law- 
rence, one  years;  Mrs.  A.  N.  Pennington,  two  years;  Mrs. 
Jennette  Carlisle,  one  year;  Miss  T.  S.  Dowd,  two  years,  and 
Mrs.  M.  E.  Cummings,  the  present  incumbent,  now  in  her  sec- 
ond year.  Other  faithful  ones  are  Mesdames  Rosa  Johnson, 
E.  M.  Pope,  Josie  Fisher,  Hattie  Taylor,  Clara  Carlisle,  Dil- 
cy  Mullen,  Anna  Ellis,  Elizabeth  Matlock,  Lucy  Sabb,  May 
B.  Payne,  G.  L.  Benson.  The  society  was  represented  at  the 
quadrennial  meeting  at  New  Orleans  by  Miss  T.  S.  Dowd, 
Mrs.  M.  L.  Byrd,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Cummings  and  Miss  Irene  B. 
Smith.  The  present  officers  are:  Mrs.  M.  E.  Cummings,  pres- 
ident; Sallie  Payne,  first  vice-president;  Mrs.  Mary  Hudson, 
second  vice-president;  Mrs.  A.  Hogans,  third  vice-president; 
Mrs.  N.  S.  Van  Buren,  recording  secretary:  Mrs.  Ida  B.  Nunn, 
treasurer;  representatives  to  the  Centennial  General  Confer- 
ence were:  Mrs.  M.  E.  Cummings,  Mrs.  M.  L.  Byrd  and  Miss 
Irene  Smith.  The  society  raises  between  $450  and  $500  an- 
nually.—By  Mrs.  M.  L.  Byrd. 

Hot  Springs  (Ark.)  District  Branch  of  the  Women's 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was  organized  during 
Bishop  Tyree's  administration  in  1901,  Mrs.  D.  A.  Fleming  be- 


.   HOWARD 

Atlanta  (Ga.)  Con- 
W.   H.   &   F.   M. 
ciety. 


MRS.  MATTIE  A.  FORD 

Secretarv    Atlanta    (Ga.)    Conference 

Branch,  W.   H.   &   F.    M.   Society. 


work,  not  only  in  the  conference,  but  throughout  Arkansas, 
and  was  elected  state  president  of  W.  H.  &  F.  Societies,  be- 
ing succeeded  by  Mrs.  E.  A.  Stone,  who  served  faithfully  un- 
til succeeded  by  Miss  S.  C.  Johnson.  The  present  officers  are: 
Miss  S.  C.  Johnson,  president;  Mrs.  K.  K.  Stewart,  first  vice- 
president;  Mrs.  A.  G.  Powell,  second  vice-president;  Mrs.  S. 
A.  Perry,  recording  secretary;  Mrs.  Manda  Hampton,  cor- 
responding secretary;  Mrs.  Maggie  Collins,  treasurer.  Since 
its  organization  over  $3,000  has  been  raised. 


MRS.  M.  S.  PEARSON 
President    Western    North    Carolina  Conference  Branch, 


322 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


MRS.  ONNIE  G.  OWENS 
Treasurer,    Western    North    Carolina 
Conference   Branch,  W.   H.   and   F. 
M.   Society. 


AIRS.    SUSIE   B.    DUDLEY 
Recording   Secretary   North   Carolina 
Branch,  W.  H.  and  F.  M.  Society. 


MRS.  A.  D.  SATTERFIELD 
Prominent    worker,    Western    North 
Carolina  Conference  Branch,  W.  H. 
and   F.M.   Society. 


MRS.   ADA    M.   THORNTON 
Corresponding     Secretary,     Western   North  Carolina 
Conference  Branch,  W.   H.   and   F.   M.   Society. 

North  Carolina  (Western)  Conference  W.  H.  &  F.  M.— The 

Western  North  Carolina  Conference  Branch  was  organized 
in  1900  by  Mrs.  M.  F.  Handy,  Mrs.  Ella  M.  Kind  was  its  first 
president,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mrs.  Minnie  S.  Pearson,  the 
present  president.  The  present  officers  are:  Mrs.  Minnie  S. 
Pearson,  president:  Mrs.  Rhuhanna  Watts,  first  vice-president; 
Mrs.  Laura  Booker,  second  vice-president;  Mrs.  K.  C.  Holt, 
third  vice-president;  Airs.  Daisy  C:  Aloore,  fourth  vice-presi- 
dent; Airs.  Susie  B.  Dudley,  recording  secretary;  Mrs.  Onnie 
G.  Owens,  treasurer;  Airs.  Ada  M.  Thornton,  corresponding 
secretary;-  Airs.  A.  D.  Satterfield,  juvenile  superintendent. 
The  amount  raised  during  the  past  q-uardennium  for  mis- 
sions, not  including  domestic  work,  wis  $3,000,  the  amount 
for  1915  being  $500.     The  number  of  members  is  1,000. 


Tennessee  Conference  Branch,  W.  H.  and  F.  M.  S.,  The, 

was  first  organized  into  the  Woman's  Mite  Missionary  So- 
ciety at  Payne  Chapel,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  October  19,  1881, 
Bishop  Campbell  presiding.  Mesdames  J.  W.  Early  was 
elected  president;  G.  L.  Jackson,  secretary,  Bedford  Greene, 
treasurer.  The  collection  was  $11.85.  The  following  have 
served  as  presidents:  Alesdames  J.  W.  Early,  M.  E.  Davis, 
Ellen  Tyree,  AI.  Haigler,  and  G.  L.  Jackson.  At  Shelbyville, 
Tenn.,  October,  1908,  Bishop  H.  B.  Parks,  presiding,  the 
women  by  vote  changed  from  the  Mite  to  the  Women's 
Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society.  Airs.  G.  L.  Jackson 
was  re-elected  president;  Mrs.  C.  F.  Jones,  secretary;  Mrs. 
Harriet  Campbell,  treasurer.  Mrs.  G.  L.  Jackson,  Mrs.  W. 
S.  Brooks  and  Airs.  Wm.  Flagg  were  delegates  to  the  con- 
nectional  convention  of  the  W.  H.  and  F.  M.  Society  at 
Birmingham,  Ala.,  April,  1911,  and  Mrs.  G.  L.  Jackson  was 
elected  corresponding  secretary  of  that  convention.  Four 
years  later,  February,  1915,  Alesdames  G.  L.  Jackson,  A.  M. 
Russell  and  T.  L.  Sutton  were  delegates  to  the  connectional 
convention  at  New  Orleans,  La.,  and  rendered  valuable  ser- 
vice. Airs.  Jackson  read  a  paper  on  "Why  should  our  young 
people  be  organized?"  and  was  unanimously  re-elected  cor- 
responding secretary.  To  relieve  suffering  and  want  among 
the  aged,  sick  and  needy  of  the  laity  of  our  churches  there 
was  organized  a  department  known  as  the  A.  AI.  E.  Ladies' 
Union,  No.  1.  Mrs.  Alatilda  Finley,  president.  This  branch 
of  the  missionary  society  sees  to  it  that  no  member  of  our 
churches  suffers  for  anything  that  is  in  our  power  to  do,  and 
thus  caring  for  the  lay  members  it  has  made  it  easier  to  raise 
funds  to  help  the  ministers,  both  home  and  foreign.  For  a 
while  the  society  had  mid-summer  conventions  of  two  days 
sessions.  But  some  of  the  preachers  thought  that  the  women 
could  do  more  good  by  having  their  meetings  at  the  same 
time  of  the  district  conferences,  so  the  conventions  were  dis- 
continued. The  society  now  has  a  day  at  the  five  district 
conferences.  There  are  five  district  presidents:  Mrs.  C.  F. 
Jones,  Mrs.  S.  M.  King,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Russel,  Mrs.  E.  L.  Sut- 
ton and  Mrs.  Maggie  Smith,  whose  duty  is  to  organize  so- 
cieties throughout  the  districts,  to  awaken  an  interest  in  the 
cause  of  missions,  to  hold  meetings  at  the  district  confer- 
ences, and  to  report  in  full  at  the  annual  conference.  There 
are  two  sessions  at  the  annual  conference,  a  business  session 
and  one  for  our  program,  which  consists  of  interesting  papers, 
suitable  music,  inspiring  missionary  talks  and  sometimes  a 
short  missionary  sermon.  We  make  full  reports  of  all  our 
money  and  frequently  pin  a  flower  on  the  presiding  elder  and 
district  president,  whose  district  leads  in  reports.  Special 
mention  is  always  made  when,  during  the  year,  some  soul 
has  been  led  to  Christ  by  a  worker.  We  strive  to  have  a 
society  in  every  church  and  a  juvenile  society  in  every  Sun- 
day school.  The  missionary  workers  are  giving  attention  to 
the  health  question  and  to  all  questions  pertaining  to  the  up- 
lift  of   our   people.      During   the   eight   years    that   we   have 


323 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


& 


been  W.  H.  and  F.  M.  workers  we  have  raised  $2500.00  for 
missions.  We  reached  our  highest  mark  under  Bishop  J.  H. 
Jones  last  year,  raising  $415.00.  reporting  fifty  societies  and 
300  members.  The  officers  are:  Mrs.  G.  L.  Jackson,  presi- 
dent. 707  Lea  Avenue,  Nashville,  Tenn.;  Mrs.  A.  M.  Russel, 
first  vice-president,  YYilliamsport,  Tenn.;   Mrs.  J.  J.  Scruggs. 


secretary,  Mrs.  L.  P.  Porter,  Dickson  City,  Tenn.;  treasurer, 
Miss  M.  L.  Barr,  YVaverly  City,  Tenn.:  corresponding  secre- 
tary.  Miss  Stella   Ellis,  Johnsonville,  Tenn. 

Tennessee    (West)    Conference    Branch    of    the    Women's 
Home    and    Foreign    Missionary    Society    was    organized    by 


MRS.    G.    L.    JACKSON 

President    Tennessee    Confer  ence   Branch 

W.  H.  and  F.     M.    Society. 


MRS.   A.   M.    RUSSELL 
Vice  President  Tennessee  Conference    Branch,   W.   H.   and 
F.   M.   Society. 

second  vice-president;  Mrs.  L.  J.  Johnson,  third  vice-presi- 
dent: Mrs.  C.  F.  Jones,  secretary;  Mrs.  M.  B.  Jones,  assistant 
secretary;  Mrs.  A.  B.  Morris,  corresponding  secretary;  Mrs. 
Harriet  Campbell,  treasurer:  Mrs.  M.  A.  Gray,  chairman  ex- 
ecutive board. — By  Mrs.  G  L.  Jackson,  president. 

Central  Tennessee  Conference  Branch,  W.  H.  &  F.  M.  S. 

was  organized  in  Salter  Chapell,  Waverly.  Tenn.,  November 
3.    1911.    under    Bishop    Parks,    with    the    following    officers 


MRS.    AMANDA    MARTIN  MRS.  JULIA  A.  BENNETT 

West    Tennessee     Conference  President  W.  Tennessee  Conference    Branch 
Branch,    W.    H.    and    F.    M.  W.   H.   and  F.    M.    Society. 

Society. 

Rt.  Rev.  H.  B.  Parks.  D.  D.,  at  the  thirty-sixth  session  of 
the  West  Tennessee  Annual  Conference  assembled  at  Union 
City,  Tenn..  November  8-13,  1910.  The  following  officers 
were  elected:  Miss  Malissa  L.  Light,  president;  Mrs.  Julia 
A.  Bennett,  vice  president;  Mrs.  Mary  R.  Cooper,  secre- 
tary; Mrs.  H.  E.  Conely,  corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  C. 
M.  Greenlee,  treasurer;  Mesdames  A.  E.  Greer,  Prudie 
E-ason.  Rebecca  Aden,  E.  M.  Stacker,  Miss  Maggie  Walker, 
board  of  managers.  The  succeeding  presidents  are  as  fol- 
lows: Mrs.  Josie  Carr.  1914;  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Bennett,  1915-16. 
The  present  officers  are  as  follows  :  Mrs.  Julia  A.  Bennett, 
president:  Mrs.  Josie  Carr,  vice  president;  Mrs.  Lena  Bar- 
ham,  second  vice  president:  Mrs.  Mary  R.  Cooper,  secre- 
tary: Mrs.  Malinda  Mitchell,  coresponding  secretary;  Mr. 
C.  M.  Greenlee,  treasurer;  Mrs.  Lillie  H.  Winston,  Mrs.  Josie 
Flowers.  Mrs.  Effie  Clark,  board  of  managers.  Total  money 
raised,  1914,  $411.31;  total  money  raised,  1915,  $308.17;  or- 
ganized   societies,   42;    number    of    members,    797. 


Missionary  Society  of  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Woman's  Parent 
Mite. — The  Missionary  Society  was  preceded  by  the  "Dor- 
cas Society"  and  the  "The  Daughters  of  Conferences."  In 
the  Christian  Recorder  of  February  19,  1S74.  an  open  letter 
addressed  to  the  bishops'  wives  by  Editor  B.  T.  Tanner,  say- 
ing, "After  much  consideration  and  prayer  I  address  you  as 
representative  women  of  the  Church  :  Mrs.  Bishop  Quinn, 
Mrs.  Bishop  Payne,  Mrs.  Bishop  Wayman,  Mrs.  Bishop 
Campbell.  Mrs.  Bishop  Brown,  Mrs.  Bishop  Shorter,  Mrs. 
Bishop  Ward."  the  question  is  asked.  "What  are  the  women 
president,"  Mrs.   Percv^L.   Bean:  vice-president.   Miss   Maggie       of  the  Church  doing?     No  complaint  of  the  past;  faithfully 


Walker;  secretary,  Mrs.  Lena  M.  Dunn;  treasurer.  Mrs.  M 
N.  Stacker.  The  general  conference  of  1912  discontinued  the 
Central  Tennessee  conference,  but  Bishop  Jones  reorganized 
the  conference  and  the  missionary  work  with  the  following 
officers:  president,  Mrs.  J.  E.  Lee;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Irene 
List;  secretary,  Mrs.  Lena  M.  Dunn;  corresponding  secretary, 
Miss  M.  L.  Barr:  treasurer,  Mrs.  L.  P.  Porter.  The  follow- 
ing moneys  have  been  raised:  In  1911,  $117.17  was  raised; 
in  1912,  $126.06;  in.  1913,  $107.91;  in  1914,  $132.59;  in  1915, 
$109.58,  a  total  of  $59::. 31.  The  officers  for  1915-1916  are  as 
follows:  president,  Mrs.  J.  E.  Lee,  Paris.  Tenn.:  first  vice- 
president.  Mrs.  Carrie  E.  Lewis,  Nashville,  Tenn.;  second 
vice-president,  Mrs.  Bcttie  Walker,  Ashland  City,  Tenn.;  sec- 
retary,  Mrs.   Lena  M.   Dunn,   Dickson   City,  Tenn.;  assistant 


did  they  do  the  work  Providence  laid  before  them.  But 
what  of  the  present?  Do  you  ask  what  there  is  for  the  wom- 
en of  Zion  to  do?  We  reply  very  much.  It  is  not  our  pur- 
pose to  tell  everything  they  might  do.  but  rather  of  one 
thing  they  ought  to  do.  They  ought  to  organize  a  Women's 
Missionary  Society.  At  this  moment  our  missionary  in 
Hayti  lies  upon  its  oars,  and  why?  The  Church  with  all  its 
acknowledged  riches  cannot  afford  to  assist  him.  Will  you 
not.  my  dear  sisters,  lead  off 'in  the  organization  of  a  mis- 
sionary society  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  which  shall  supply 
the  means  by  which  Hayti  shall  live?  Accepting  the  M.  E. 
Church  for  an  example,  what  victories  they  have  achieved 
by  organization."  After  a  thoughtful  and  fruitful  considera- 
tion of  the  suggestion  by  those  to  whom  the  letter  was  ad- 


324 


B- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


dressed,  a  call  was  made  and  the  first  meeting  was  held  in 
Rev.  James  A.  Handy's  residence,  on  Sixteenth  street,  near 
M  street,  Washington,  D.  C,  May  8th,  1874,  looking  forward 
to  an  organization.  Mrs.  John  M.  Brown,  wife  of  Bishop 
Brown,  read  a  carefully  prepared  paper,  showing  that  the 
design  of  the  meeting  was  to  organize  a  mite  missionary  so- 
ciety of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  for  the  evangelization  of  the 
world,  especially  of  the  island  of  Hayti,  and  to  secure  the 
co-operation  of  the  sisters  in  carrying  forward  the  work.  On 


e 


with  other  earnest  workers,  namely,  Miss  Elizabeth  Parker 
Miss  Nettie  VVilmer,  Mrs.  Caroline  Gould,  Mrs.  C  C  Cuff 
Wm.  Early,  Grace  P.  Offer,  Rebecca  Aldridge,  Mrs  Still' 
Mrs.  L.  Nears.  Mrs.  Rebecca  Simpson.  Mrs.  Hann,  Mrs.  e'. 
kawls,  Miss  Esther  Armstrong,  Miss  Patience  Johnson,  met 
in  Bethel  church,  Philadelphia,  August  11,  1874.  In  their  ad- 
dress to  the  Church  in  general,  published  in  the  Christian 
Recorder  of  May  21,  1874,  they  sav,  "We  have  been  deeply 
moved  by  an  open  letter  asking  co-operation  with  the  Board 


MRS.   DOVIE   K.   CLARKE 
Secretary,   W.   P.    M.    M.   Society. 


MRS.  MARY  F.  HANDY 
President   W.   P.   M.   M.   Society 


MRS.  K.   BERTHA  HURST 
Treasurer   W.   P.   M.   M.   Society 


MRS.    M.    S.    C.    BECKETT 
Corresponding  Secretary  VV.  P.  M.  ivi.  society. 


nomination  of  Mrs.  Wayman,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Campbell  was 
chos.en  as  president,  and  Mrs.  C.  M.  Burley,  wife  of  the  finan- 
cial secretary,  was  chosen  secretary,  and  it  was  decided  that 
a  convention  would  be  called  to  meet  August  14,  1874,  in 
Pittsburgh,  Penna.,  which  was  afterward  changed  to  Phila- 
delphia. Pursuant  to  a  call  by  Bishops  Shorter,  Campbell 
and  Brown  and  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Campbell,  Mrs.  Maria  Shorter, 
Mrs.  M.  L.  Brown  and  Mrs.  C.  M.  Burley,    the  above  named. 


of  Missions  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  its  efforts  to  evangelize 
the  world."     Bishop  Shorter  opened  the  convention.     Bishop 
Campbell   told   of   the   object  of   the   work   and   "The   Parent 
Mite   Missionary   Society"  was   organized   that   day   with   the 
following  officers:     Mrs.  M.  A.  Campbell,  president;  Mrs.  C. 
M.    Burley,   recording    secretary;    Mrs.   J.    H.    Hunter,   corre- 
sponding secretary;  Mrs.  Bishop  Wayman,  treasurer.     It  was 
resolved   that   there   should   be   an   auxiliary   mite   missionary 
society  organized  in  each  church  to  aid  in  pushing  forward 
this  good  work.     The  first  work  taken  up  was  the  responsi- 
bility for  a  portion  of  the  expenses  of  a  missionary  to  Hayti, 
provided  a  suitable  person  could  be  found.     Rev.  C.  W.  Mos- 
sell  with  holy  zeal  for  the  cause,  and  his  young,  self-sacrific- 
ing wife,  and  beloved  sister,  Miss  Alverta,  took  up  the  work 
which  had  been  begun  by  our  fathers  over  fifty  years  before, 
and   in   the   spring  of   1879   they   sailed   from   New  York  for 
Port-au-Prince,    Hayti.      There    amid    opposition    they    suc- 
ceeded in  organizing  a  new  mission,  planting  a  mission  Sun- 
day school  in  which  both  the  French  and  English  languages 
in   their  elementary  forms  were  taught.     Sister   Mossell  was 
placed  at  the  head  of  this  school  and  managed  it  with  skill. 
The   Parent   Society,   with   its   auxiliaries,   assisted   greatly  in 
defraying   the    expenses,    both    by    money,    boxes,    etc.      Rev. 
Mossell    and    family    spent    eight    years    in    Port-au-Prince, 
Hayti,  in  which  time  they  built  up  a  work.     He  was  succeeded 
by    Rev.    S.    George    Dorce,    then    recently    graduated    from 
Wilberforce,   and   a  native   Havtian.     After   several   years   of 
service  Rev.  Dorce  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  John  Hurst,  also 
a    native,    and    educated    at    Wilberforce,    who    did    excellent 
work.     Later,   Rev.   S.   P.   Hood  succeeded  to  the  work  with 
larger   experience.     In   his   report   to   the   first   convention   in 
1895  he  says  :  "Rev.  Solomon  G.  Dorce  and  Rev.  John  Hurst 
are  the  fruit  of  Dr.  C.  W.  and  Mrs.  Mossell,  whose  touches 
of  her  Christian  hand  and  the  whole  of  her  lovely  spirit  still 
linger   there.     They   were   sustained   by  letters   of  sympathy, 
prayers    and    money    in    times    of    distress    by    the    Woman's 
Parent  Mite  Missionary  Society,  and  thus  established  a  firm 
basis."     Bishop  Payne  in  his  history  informs  us  of  Hon.  H.  C. 
C.   Astwood,   Consul   to  represent   the   Lmited   States   at   San 
Domingo.     He  says:   "This  generous  man  revived  our  mis- 


325 


<& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<s 


sion  at  his  own  expense.  Being  a  member  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  in  the  United  States  he  did  not  allow  the  honors 
with  which  he  was  clad  to  cause  him  to  forget  his  allegiance 
to  the  Lord  of  Lords.  He  went  in  search  of  his  brethren, 
gathered  them  together,  hired  a  house  for  two  years,  in  the 
meantime  repaired  the  old  chapel.  He  increased  the  mem- 
bership, organized  a  day  and  Sabbath  School,  furnished  a 
hundred  comfortable  seats.  ..."  When  Rev.  James 
M.  Townsend  became  missionary  secretary,  aided  by  the 
Parent  Woman's  Mite  Missionary  Society,  a  beautiful  church, 
the  only  Protestant  church  in  the  oldest  city  of  the  new 
world,  was  erected. 

In  1887  Bishop  R.  H.  Cain  appointed  Rev.  J.  R.  Frederick 
to  Freetown,  Sierre  Leone.  He  and  his  wife  were  given  a 
farewell  in  Bethel  church,  Philadelphia,  with  $325  from  the 
Parent  Women's  Mite  Missionary  Society.  He  was  support- 
ed there  for  years  by  the  society.  In  1SS8  Sister  Sarah  Gor- 
ham,   of  Boston,   Mass.,  felt  called  to   go  to  Africa  and  join 


ward.  But  the  mission  school  was  rebuilt  and  repaired  un- 
der the  presiding  elder,  Rev.  H.  M.  Steady,  by  the  W.  P.  M. 
M.  at  the  cost  of  $500. 

Our  work  in  South  Africa  received  new  inspiration  by  a 
visit  from  Bishop  Turner,  and  under  the  superintendency  of 
Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin  and  Mrs.  Fanny  Jackson  Coppin,  and 
later  of  Bishop  J.  A.  Johnson,  the  work  in  South  Africa  has 
been  aided  by  the  W.  P.  M.  M.  Society  In  August,  1874,  the 
Pittsburgh  Woman's  Parent  Mite  Missionary  Society  was 
organized  by  Bishop  James  A.  Shorter,  with  Mrs.  Mary  E. 
Murray,  Mrs.  Eliza  Page,  Mrs.  F.  J.  Coppin,  Bishop  D.  A. 
Pa}rne,  Dr.  John  W.  Gazaway,  Mrs.  Rebecca  Aldridge,  Sara 
Early,  Mrs.  Grace  P.  Offer  and  Dr.  Bundy.  The  officers  who 
have  served  the  W.  P.  M.  M.  Society  (as  near  as  can  be  as- 
certained) have  been  as  follows:  Officers  elected  for  1874-8, 
president,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Campbell;  Mrs.  Harriet  Wayman, 
treasurer;  Mrs.  C.  M.  Burley,  secretary.  Officers  elected  for 
1S78-82,    president,    Mrs.    Harriet    Wayman;    Mrs.    Mary    A. 


EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE  W.  P.  M.   MISSIONARY   SOCIETY,   DETROIT,   MICH,    1915. 


GROUP  OF  DELEGATES  TO  THE  W.  P.  M.  M.  SOCIETY  CONVENTION,   DETROIT,    MICH. 


hands  with  Rev.  Frederick.  With  the  aid  of  native  preachers 
.she  established  a  church  and  school,  which  was  unfortunately 
destroyed  by  fire.  The  W.  P.  M.  M.  sent  $200  to  assist  in  re- 
building it.  In  1891  Sister  Gorham  returned  home,  thinking 
to  get  funds  to  do  more  effectual  work.  She  identified  her- 
self with  the  W.  P.  M.  M.  and  was  helped  financially.  They 
pledged  her  $100  a  year  on  her  support,  but  before  she  ac- 
complished her  work  here  she  was  called  from  labor  to  re- 


Campbell,  treasurer;  Mrs.  C.  M.  Burley,  secretary.  In  1883-88, 
president,  Mrs.  Fanny  J.  Coppin;  vice-presidents,  Mrs.  Sarah 
E.  Tanner,  acting;  Mrs.  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne,  Mrs.  A.  W. 
Wayman,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Brown,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Turner,  Mrs.  W.  F. 
Dickerson,  Mrs.  R.  H.  Cain;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Katie 
S.  Beckett;  corresponding  secretary,  Miss  Esther  Armstrong, 
Wilmington,  Del.;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Campbell.  Elected 
Nov.  6,  1888-92,  president,  Mrs.  F.  J.  Coppin;  vice  presidents, 


326 


£ 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3 


Mrs.  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner,  Mrs.  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne,  Mrs. 
Bishop  A.  W.  Wayman,  Mrs.  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown,  Mrs.  Bish- 
op H.  M.  Turner,  Mrs.  Bishop  W.  F.  Dickerson,  Mrs.  Bishop 
R.  H.  Cain,  Mrs.  Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines,  Mrs.  Bishop  B.  W. 
Arnett,  Mrs.  Bishop  A.  Grant;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  E. 
E.  Buckner;  assistant,  Mrs.  J.  D.  Heard;  corresponding  sec- 
retary, Mrs.  A.  M.  Shaffer;  assistant,  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeocum; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Campbell.  Elected  November  1st,  1892- 
5,  president,  Mrs.  Bertha  Cook;  vice-presidents,  Mrs.  B.  T. 
Tanner,  Mrs.  A.  W.  Wayman,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Brown,  Mrs.  W.  F. 
Dickerson,  Mrs.  R.  H.  Cain,  Mrs.  B.  W.  Arnett,  Mrs.  W.  J. 
Gaines,  Mrs.  A.  Grant,  Mrs.  R.  R.  Disney,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Handy, 


MRS.   CARRIE  C.  CUFF 
Prominent    in    W.    P.    M.    M.  Society    Circles. 

Mrs.  M.  B:  Salter;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeocum; 
assistant,  Mrs.  Minnie  Johnson;  corresponding  secretary, 
Mrs.  A.  M.  Shaffer;  assistant,  Mrs.  Carrie  Gould  Rumsey; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Campbell.  Officers  for  1895  (first 
convention  held  in  Bethel  church,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Novem- 
ber, 1895):  President,  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Tanner;  vice-presidents, 
Mrs.  Martha  .Turner,  Mrs.  Harriet  A.  Wayman,  Mrs.  Sara 
J.  Early,  Mrs.  G.  T.  Radcliffe,  Mrs.  Josephine  Baltimore; 
secretary,  Mrs.  S.  J.  Anderson;  first  assistant  secretary,  Mrs. 
Isabel  Temple;  second  assistant  secretary,  Mrs.  M.  S.  C. 
Bockett;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeocum;  assistant 
recording  secretary,  Mrs.  D.  S.  Bentley ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Alary 
A.  Campbell;  assistant  treasurer,  Mrs.  Grace  Offer.  Officers 
for  W.  P.  M.  M.  S.,  1895-1899.  Acting  president,  Mrs.  S.  E. 
Tanner  and  Mrs.  F.  J.  Coppin;  vice-presidents,  Mrs.  Harriet 
Wayman,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Campbell,  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Brown, 
Mrs.  M.  L.  Arnett,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Lee,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Turner, 
Mrs.  J.  A.  Handy,  Mrs.  M.  B.  Salter,  Mrs.  W.  J.  Gaines,  Mrs. 
A.  Grant,  Mrs.  1.  Dickerson;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Ida 
M.  Yeocum;  assistant  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  Minnie  S. 
Johnson;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Wilmer; 
assistant  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Belle  T.  Temple; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Campbell;  executive  board,  Mrs.  S. 
E.  Tanner,  Mrs.  F.  J.  Coppin,  Mrs.  I.  M.  Yeocum,  Mrs.  M. 
E.  Wilmer,  Mrs.  A.  M.  Shaffer,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Sampson.  Minute 
for  1899-(cannot  be  found).  Officers  1903  of  first  quadren- 
nial convention,  held  at  Pittsburgh.  Airs  Lillian  Derrick,  pres- 
ident; Mrs.  Carrie  C.  Cuff,  first  vice-president;  Mrs.  Isabel 
T.  Temple,  second  vice-presir>nt;  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeocum,  sec- 
retary; Mrs.  Mary  A.  Sampson,  corresponding  secretary;  Mrs. 
Mary  A.  Campbell,  treasurer;  Miss  Mamie  S.  Beckett,  assist- 
ant treasurer;  Benjamin  W.  Arnett,  presiding  bishop:  Rev. 
I.  S.  Lee,  pastor;  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeocum,  compiler.  Officers 
W.  P.  M.  S.,  1903-1907,    president,    Mrs.    Malvina    Mitchell: 


first  vice-president,  Mrs.  Grace  P.  Offer;  second  vice-presi- 
dent, Miss  Kate  W.  Telfair;  third  vice-president,  Mrs.  J.  A. 
Davis;  fourth  vice-president,  Mrs.  Dorcas  Watson;  fifth 
vice-president,  Mrs.  I.  D.  Jones;  secretary,  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeo- 
cum; assistant  secretary,  Miss  Mamie  S.  Beckett;  corre- 
sponding secretary,  Mrs.  Mary  S.  C.  Beckett;  assistant  corre- 
sponding secretary,  Mrs.  M.  D.  Hunt;  treasurer,  Mrs.  M.  A. 


THE   LATE   MRS.   SARAH   E.  TANNER 
For  many  years   active   in   the  W.   P.  M.    M.   Society 

Campbell;  field  agent,  Mrs.  Rosa  Johnson.  Officers  for  con- 
vention, November,  1907,  Baltimore,  Md.:  Mrs.  Carrie  Cuff, 
M.  Yoecum,  secretary;  Airs.  M.  S.  C.  Beckett,  corresponding 
president;  Mrs.  Isabel  Temple,  first  vice-president;  Mrs.  I. 
secretary;  Airs.  Sarah  E.  Tanner,  treasurer;  Rev.  D.  G.  Hill, 
pastor;  Rt.  Rev.  W.  J.  Gaines,  presiding  bishop.  Publication 
Committee:  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeocum,  Mrs.  M.  S.  C.  Beckett,  Airs. 
E.  J.  Roberts.  Officers  of  the  W.  P.  AI.  M.,  1907-1911,  presi- 
dent, Airs.  Mary  F.  Handy,  Baltimore,  Aid.;  first  vice-presi- 
dent; Mrs.  Rosa  Johnson,  Ohio;  second  vice  president,  Mrs. 
Grace  Offer,  Pennsylvania;  recording  secretary,  Airs.  Dovie 
K.  Clarke,  Ohio;  assistant  secretary,  Miss  Clara  V.  Davis, 
Pennsylvania;  corresponding  secretary,  Alary  S.  C.  Beckett, 
Philadelphia;  assistant  corresponding  secretary,  Airs.  Mar- 
tha  D.   Hunt,   Virginia;    treasurer,    Mrs.    Sarah    E.   Tanner, 


THE  LATE  AIRS.  FANNY  J.  COPPIN 
For  many  years  active  in  the  W.  P.  At.  M.  Society 

Pennsylvania:  executive  board,  Airs.  Emma  Ransom,  New 
York;  Airs.  E.  E.  Braxton,  Kansas;  Airs.  M.  P.  Hill,  Balti- 
more; honorary  members,  Airs.  I.  M.  Yeocum,  Airs.  Carrie  C. 
Cuff.  Officers  of  the  W.  P.  AI.  M.  S.,  1911-1915,  president, 
Airs.  Alary  F.  Handy,  Baltimore;  first  vice-president.  Airs. 
Rosa  Johnson,  Ohio;  second  vice-president,  Airs.  Isabel  T. 
Temple,  Pittsburgh;  recording  secretary,  Airs.  Dovie  K. 
Clarke,  Kentucky;  assistant  recording  secretary,  Airs.  Jennie 
E.  Day,  Virginia;  corresponding  secretary,  Airs.  Alary  S.  C. 
Beckett,     Pennsylvania;    assistant    corresponding    secretary, 


327 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Mrs.  Mary  Henderson,  Ontario:  treasurer,  Mrs.  Mary  E. 
Lee,  Wilberforce,  Ohio;  additional  members  of  executive 
board  are  Mrs.  Emma  Ransom,  Mrs.  E.  E.  Braxton,  Mrs. 
Xora  Ta}'lor;  honorary  members,  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeocum;  Mrs. 
Carrie  C.  Cuff,  Mrs.  Grace  P.  Offer.  Mrs.  Christine  H. 
Thomas.  Officers  elected,  1915-19,  Detroit.  Mich.,  president, 
Mrs.  M.  F.  Handy,  1341  North  Carey  street,  Baltimore,  Md.; 
first  vice-president,  Mrs.  Rosa  Johnson,  10504  Arthur  ave- 
nue, Cleveland,  Ohio;  second  vice-president  and  second  as- 
sistant corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  E.  L.  Stepteau,  1444 
Q  street,  Washington.  D.  C:  recording  secretary.  Mrs. 
Dovie  K.  Clarke,  Wilberforce,  Ohio;  assistant  secretary,  Jen- 
nie E.  Day,  714  A  avenue,  Norfolk,  Va.:  corresponding  sec- 
retary, Mary  S.  Chase  Beckett,  Holmesburg,  Pa.;  assistant 
corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Mary  Henderson,  698  Ontario 
street,  Toronto,  Canada:  treasurer.  Mrs.  K.  B.  Hurst;  juven- 
ile superintendents,  Mrs.  Christine  Smith,  31  Alexandrine 
avenue.  East  Detroit.  Mich.;  Mrs.  Ophelia  Lawrence,  Glen 
Cove.  N.  Y.;  executive  board,  additional  members,  Mrs.  Em- 
ma Ransom,  New  York:  Mrs.  Ella  Braxton,  Colorado 
Springs,  Colo.:  Mrs.  Nora  Taylor.  Chicago,  111.;  honorary 
members,  Mrs.  Carrie  C.  Cuff,  Philadelphia.  Pa.:  Mrs.  Ida 
M.  Yeocum,  Philadelphia,  Pa.:  Mrs.  Grace  P.  Offer,  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.;  Mrs.  M.  E.  Lee,  Wilberforce,  Ohio;  Mrs.  C.  H. 
Thomas,   Cambridge,   Mass. 

Baltimore  Conference  Branch  of  the  W.  M.  M.  Society, 
The,  was  organized  October  14,  1896,  at  Annapolis,  Mr., 
by  Bishop  Handy.  His  wife.  Mrs.  Mar}'  F.  Handy,  became 
its  first  president  and  served  four  years,  her  administration 
being  considered  one  of  the  best  in  the  history  of  the  branch. 
In  1900  she  was  succeeded  by  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Lee,  wife  of 
Bishop  Lee,  the  law  being  that  the  wife  of  the  bishop  should 
be  president  of  the  branch.     Mrs.  Lee  being  at  Wilberforce, 


MRS.   M.  P.  HILL 

Former     President     Baltimore  Conference    Branch    W. 
M.    Society. 


M. 


Ohio,  Mrs.  Ruth  M.  Collett,  the  vice-president,  acted  in  her 
stead',  and  her  administration  was  attended  with  great  suc- 
cess '  In  1904,  Mrs.  Julia  Gaines,  wife  of  Bishop  Gaines,  be- 
came the  president,  and  Mrs.  Julia  R.  Coston,  of  Hagers- 
town  Md.,  was  elected  vice-president  and  served  one  year. 
Mrs  Margaret  P.  Hill,  of  Baltimore,  became  her  successor 
and  served  successfully  the  balance  of  the  quadrennium. 
When  Bishop  Coppin  came  to  the  second  district  in  1908  his 
wife,  Mrs.  Fanny  J.  Coppin,  being  in  feeble  health,  at  her 
request  Mrs.  Hill  was  elected  president,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Mrs'  *<\nnie  Welch,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  who  held  the 
office  for  four  years.  Mrs.  L.  M.  Beckett,  of  Washington, 
D  C  was  elected  president  in  1914,  and  is  at  this  date  serv- 
ing her  second  year  as  president.  During  the  nineteen  years 
of  the  existence  of  the  branch  it  has  collected  and  expended 
for  the  sacred  cause  of  missions,  $12,498.97. 


MRS.    M.   C.    BECKETT 
Of  Washington,  D.   C,   President   Baltimore   Conference 
Branch,   W.    M.    M.    Society. 

Chicago    Conference    Branch    of    the    W.    M.    M.    S.,   The, 

was  formed  August  10th,  1S84,  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown  presiding 
at  the  session  of  the  conference,  in  Keokuk,  la.  The  follow- 
ing were  present:  Mrs.  Dove,  Cheek.  Alexander;  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams, of  Galesburg;  Mrs.  George  Shaffer,  of  Chicago.  Mrs. 
Dove  was  elected  president;  Mrs.  Clark,  vice-president;  Mrs. 
Shaffer,  secretary;  Mrs.  J.  W.  Malone,  treasurer,  and 
Mesdames  T.  Trevan,  Emma  Alexander,  Josie  Myers,  Mar- 
garet Laws,  Rachel  Jacobs,  Jane  Shepherd,  Nellie  Williams 
and  Martha  Woodward,  members  of  the  board  of  directors. 
Bishop  Brown  instructed  the  society  to  collect  and  bring 
monies  to  the  conference  each  year;  total  missionary  money 
that  year,  $4.05.  In  1885  Sister  Dove  was  not  present,  and 
Airs.  Jacobs  was  elected  president.  During  the  years  1886- 
87  Sister  Jacobs  was  a  great  sufferer,  but  she  collected  and 
sent  to  the  conference  $16:  the  grand  total  for  18S7,  $40. 
Sister  Jacobs  died  in  1SS7  and  Sister  Reynolds  was  elected 
and  remained  president  until  her  husband  was  transferred. 
In  1891,  total  cash  from  all  sources  was  $102.13.  Sister  M. 
C.  Malone  was  elected  president  in  1894  and  rema'ined  in  of- 
fice until  1907,  at  which  time  Mrs.  Bell  Graves  was  elected. 
Bishop  Grant  organized  the  women  in  conference  form  June 
25th,  1901.  In  1904  the  amount  reported  was  $800.  During 
the  administration  of  Mrs.  Graves  the  amounts  collected 
reached  $1000.  At  Galesburg,  la.,  in  1912,  the  conference 
decided  that  they  could  do  better  work  holding- their  conven- 
tion separate  from  the  annual  conference,  hence  in  July, 
1913,  the  convention  met  in  Ottumwa,  la.  Mrs.  Lida  E. 
Stewart,  B.S..  was  elected  president.  The  largest  amount 
ever  reported  collected  was  over  $1500.  In  1915,  $725  was 
sent  to  both  treasurers,  a  balance  left  in  the  branch  treasury 
of  $57,  the  total  for  the  year  being  $1507.  The  Chicago  con- 
ference branch  holds  the  first  banner  from  the  parent  Mite 
Society  and  also  the  banner  of  the  fourth  Episcopal  district, 
the  gift  of  Mrs.  C.  T.  Shaffer.  The  officers  are:  president, 
Mrs.  L.  E.  Stewart.  Evanston,  111.;  secretary,  Mrs.  M.  Bell; 
treasurer,   Mrs.  Nora   F.  Taylor. 

New  England  Conference  Branch,  W.  M.  M.  S.— Mrs. 
Sarah  Gorham  was  the  pioneer  of  the  woman's  missionary 
work  in  Xew  England.  Three  different  times  she  visited 
Africa  and  was  instrumental  in  securing  money  from  the 
women  of  New  Bedford.  Mass.,  which  built  the  first  boat 
owned  by  our  missionaries  in  Sierra  Leone  Mission,  Africa: 
$234.84  was  sent  by  her  request  to  Rev.  J.  R.  Fredericks,  at 
Howe  Station,  Freetown,  West  Coast,  Africa,  and  the  mis- 
sion boat  was  built  in  1893  and  named  the  "City  of  New 
Bedford."  The  women  of  Charles  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Boston,  Mass.,  where  she  was  a  member,  did  much  to  help 
Mrs.  Gorham  in  securing  money  and  clothing,  etc.,  for  her 
work  in  Africa.  In  March,  1900,  Bishop  Abraham  Grant  or- 
ganized the  New  England  Conference  Branch  of  the  Worn- 


328 


°s> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Q 


an's  Mite  Missionary  SocieU'  in  Charles  Street  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Boston,  Mass.,  Mrs.  Christine  H.  Thomas  being 
elected  its  first  president.  Mrs.  Thomas,  who  is  now  the 
honorary  president,  gave  twelve  years  of  good,  faithful  ser- 
vice to  the  work,  and  it  is   due  to  her  untiring  efforts   that 


MISS  E.  C.  CARTER 
Of      New      Bedford,      Present   President    of    New    England 
Conference    Branch. 

the  conference  branch  has  been  kept  active.  Mrs.  Venus 
Clark  served  as  president  in  Mrs.  Thomas'  absence,  and  in 
1913  Miss  Elizabeth  C.  Carter,  of  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  was 
unanimously  elected  to  succeed  Mrs.  Thomas  as  president. 
While   this   is   one   of  the   smallest   conference   branches,   yet 


MRS.  W.   H.   THOMAS 
First  President  of  New  Eng- 
land Conference  Branch. 


MRS.    VENUS    CLARK 
Second    President,    New    Eng- 
land   Conference     Branch. 


the  women  are  ever  ready  to  do  their  part  for  the  cause  of 
missions.  The  officials  are,  honorary  president,  Mrs.  C.  H. 
Thomas,  Cambridge,  Mass.;  president.  Miss  Elizabeth  C. 
Carter,  New  Bedford,  Mass.;  first  vice-president.  Miss  S. 
Ella  Wilson,  Worcester,  Mass.;  second  vice-president.  Miss 
Phillis  Howard.  Boston,  Mass.;  secretary,  Mrs.  Harriette  T. 
Jones,  Boston,  Mass.;  assistant  secretary.  Miss  L.  B.  Carter, 
Newport,  R.  I.;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Martha  Mitchell,  Saunders- 
town,  R.  I. 

New  Jersey  Conference  Branch  W.  M.  M.  S. — At  the  re- 
quest of  the  New  Jersey  conference  branch  of  the  Mite  Mis- 
sionary Society  the  following  is  furnished  by  Mrs.  H.  C. 
Ashley,  the  first  president.  "During  the  summer  of  1896  a 
committee  consisting  of  Mesdames  M.  A.  Campbell,  Fanny  J. 
Coppin,  T.  W.  Henderson,  Sarah  E.  Tanner  and  C.  T.  Shaf- 
fer, from  the  parent  M.  M.  Society  called  on  me  relative  to 
organizing  the  conference  branch  in  New  Jersey.  They  au- 
tho  ized  me  to  call  a  meeting  of  the  ministers'  wives  and  the 


women  of  our  Connection  in  New  Jersey  and  organize  them 
into  a  conference  branch  of  the  M.  M.  Society.  Therefore,  on 
the  first  Monday  evening  in  October,  1S96,  in  Macedonia 
Church,  Camden,  N.  J.,  I  organized  the  New  Jersey  confer- 
ence branch  of  the  M.  M.  Society,  being  assisted  by  Mrs. 
Clementina  Christmas  and  the  late  Mrs.  Emma  Robinson. 
At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  parent  M.  M.  Society  in  Bethel 
Church,  Philadelphia.  November,  1896,  we  were  set  apart  by 
Bishops  Grant  and  Turner.  The  first  officers  were,  presi- 
dent, Mrs.  M.  A.  Ashley;  first  vice-president,  Mrs.  Mary  E. 
Stevenson;  second  vice-president.  Mrs.  Emma  Robinson; 
third  vice-president,  Mrs.  Clementina  Christmas;  recording 
secretary,  Mrs.  Mary  Merrill;  assistant  recording  secretary, 
Mrs.  Clementina  Rice;  corresponding  secretary,  Miss  Ida  M. 
Ashley;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Sarah  J.  Johnson."  In  1901  Rev. 
Ashley  was  transferred  to  the  Philadelphia  Conference.  This 
caused  Mrs.  Ashley  to  sever  her  connection  with  the  New 
Jersey  branch  for  a  time,  after  she  had  served  as  president 
for  five  years,  each  year  showing  some  increase  in  member- 
ship, interest  and  finance.  Mrs.  Anna  L.  Anderson,  wife  of 
Rev.  H.  P.  Anderson  was  appointed  by  Bishop  Derrick  to 
fill  her  place.  She  realizing  the  necessity  nf  interesting  more 
of  the  women  in  missionary  work,  instituted  quarterly  meet- 
ings, which  have  been  continued  till  the  present  time.  She 
prepared  programs    of    interest,    secured-  women    of    marked 


MRS.   H.  E.  ASHLEY 
First    President    (1896-1S01).   of    New   Jersey    Conference 
Branch. 

ability  to  deliver  addresses,  among  them  being  Mrs.  Cam- 
phor, who  was  in  America  for  a  rest  from  her  missionary 
labors  in  West  Africa  and  Mrs.  Florence  Randolph,  one  of 
the  foremost  female  evangelists.  During  her  incumbency  the 
New  Jersey  conference  branch  did  not  send  its  forty  per 
cent,  to  the  Woman's  Parent  M.  M.  Society,  but  instead  as- 
sisted Miss  Hannah  Gow,  a  young  African  woman,  and  Pat- 
rick, an  African  boy,  who  were  both  being  educated  at  Wil- 
berforce.  Mrs.  Anderson  was  New  Jersey's  first  delegate  to 
a  quadrennial  convention.  In  October,  1906,  the  annual  meet- 
ing was  held  in  Freehold,  N.  J.  During  this  convention  Mrs. 
Anderson,  having  served  very  acceptably  for  five  years,  re- 
signed. Mrs.  Clementine  Christmas  was  elected  as  president 
in  her  stead,  October  25th,  1906.  The  conference  branch, 
during  Mrs.  Christmas'  time  as  president,  decided  to  send 
their  monies  for  the  future  to  the  Woman's  Parent  M.  M.  S. 
and  to  discontinue  their  assistance  to  Patrick.  The  quadren- 
nial conference  met  in  Baltimore,  in  1907,  and  New  Jersey 
sent  two  delegates — Mrs.  Clementine  Christmas  and  Mrs.  F. 
C.  Roundtree.  October  21st  and  22nd,  1908,  the  annual 
meeting  was  held  in  Morristown,  N.  J.,  at  which  session 
Mrs.  Fannie  Colson  Roundtree  was  elected  president.  She 
took  up  the  work  where  Mrs.  Christmas  left  off,  firm  in  her 
determination  to  keep  the  programs  to  their  former  stand- 
ard of  excellence;  also  to  emphasize  the  spiritual  side.  Dur- 
ing some  of  the  spiritual  meetings  souls  have  been  convicted 
and  converted,  and  the  finances  have  steadily  increased,  and 
the  literary  programs  have  been  of  the  best.  Among  the 
excellent  speakers  during  the  six  years  and  a  half  of  the 
presidency  of  Mrs.  Roundtree  were  Mrs.  M.  F.  Handy, 
Mrs.  M.  S.  C.  Beckett,  Mrs.  Nora  Taylor,  Mrs.  Emma  Ran- 
som, Miss  Anna  Payne,  Mrs.  Tyree,  Bishops  Tyree,  Tanner, 
Coppin  and  Heard,  Dr.  Rankin  and  others.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  annual  conference  in  Atlantic  City,  1913,  the  New  Jer- 
sey conference  branch  changed  the  time  of  its  annual  meet- 
ing to  the  time    of    the    session    of    the    annual  conference, 


329 


fi 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


which  has  proved  to  be  beneficial.  The  branch  is  not  only 
aiding  ministers  on  mission  work  and  needy  widows  of  de- 
ceased ministers,  but  is  devoting  much  time  and  some  means 
to  local  work,  such  as  visiting    the    sick,    the    jails,    peniten- 


MRS.    F.    C.    ROUXDTREE     MRS.    EMMA    ROBINSON 
Former  President   (1908-15)   of  Of    New    Jersey,    One    of    the 
New  Jersey   Conference     Founders     of     New     Jersey 
Branch.  Conference    Branch. 


MRS.  JOSEPHINE   SMITH 
President  (since  1915)  of  New  Jersey    Conference    Branch. 


MRS.    C.    CHRISTMAS       AIRS.  ANNA  L.  ANDERSON 
Former     President     (1906-08)      Former     President     (1901-06) 
of  New   Jersey   Conference     of  New  Jersey   Conference 
Branch.  Branch. 

tiaries  and  hospitals,  and  doing  much  other  real  social  work: 
giving  food  to  the  hungry,  clothing;  also  assisting  the  local 
churches  in  many  ways;  one  church,  which  is^  now  in  a 
thriving  condition,  with  a  growing  membership,  is  the  out- 


come of  an  auxiliary  organized  some  years  ago  by  Mrs.  Ash- 
ley, at  Riverton,  N.  J.  Another  at  Seabright  was  materially 
assisted,  and  still  others.  The  nineteenth  annual  convention 
held  in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  May  7-8,  1915,  was  the  banner  session 
of  the  branch  along  all  lines.  The  officers  elected  are  as 
follows  :  president,  Mrs.  R.  B.  Smith  ;  first  vice-president,  Mrs. 
I.  E.  Showell ;  second  vice-president,  Mrs.  Lillie  Pierson; 
recording  secretary,  Mrs.  L.  E.  Moore;  corresponding  secre- 
tary, Mrs.  D.  J.  Brown;  treasurer,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Cooper.  (By 
Mrs.  H.  C.  Ashley  and  Mrs.  Fannie  Colson  Roundtree.) 

New  York  Conference  Branch,  W.  M.  M.  S.,  The,  was  or- 
ganized May  29th,  1899,  in  Bethel  Church,  Twenty-fifth 
street,  New  York,  by  the  representatives  of  the  several 
churches  of  the  district,  who  assembled  at  the  call  of  Bishop 
Grant  and  Dr.  Parks,  missionary  secretary.  The  needs  of 
the  home  field  and  foreign  work  were  told  by  Bishop  Grant. 
After  some  preliminaries  the  branch  was  formally  organized, 
and  the  following  officers  were  elected:  Mrs.  B.  Cook,  presi- 
dent: Mrs.  Anna  M.  Smith,  vice-president;  Mrs.  Annie  Eato, 
second  vice-president;  Mrs.  A.  F.  V.  Johnson,  secretary; 
Mrs.  E.  Williams,  assistant  secretary;  Mrs.  S.  S.  Brown, 
corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  A.  Q.  Norton,  treasurer.  Ac- 
tive prosecution  of  the  work,  however,  did  not  begin  until 
November  14th,  1901,  when  the  first  quarterly  convention 
was  held  at  Westbury,  L.  I.,  at  which  time  four  societies  re- 
ported.    After  some   several  sessions  it  was   decided  that  in 


MRS.   MARY  S..  EDWARDS 
President    New   York    Conference    Branch. 

order  to  more  thoroughly  introduce  the  work  to  the  people 
it  was  best  to  hold  the  meetings  quarterly.  This  it  is  be- 
lieved has  contributed  largely  to  the  success  of  the  work. 
In  the  several  boroughs  of  New  York  the  work  is  in  a  pros- 
perous condition.  The  most  urgent  call  of  the  state  field 
comes  from  the  outlying  rural  districts  and  the  suburban 
sections.  Here  the  work  has  not  reached  that  stage  of  de- 
velopment necessary  to  meet  the  existing  needs,  but  in  view 
of  the  interest  that  is  being  awakened  by  such  alert  and 
wide-awake  missionary  workers  as  now  occupy  the  field, 
anion?  whom  are  Mrs.  Mary  S.  Edwards,  of  Albion,  and 
Mrs.  I.  S.  Sands,  of  Chatham,  it  is  felt  that  the  efforts  being 
put  forth  in  the  up  state  field  will  soon  be  manifest  by  defin- 
ite and  tangible  results.  Mrs.  Bertha  Cook  held  the  presi- 
dency from  the  organization  until  1902,  when  Mrs.  J.  M.  Pal- 
mer was  elected  and  served  one  year.  Mrs.  Hedley,  elected 
in  1903,  served  one  year;  Mrs.  S.  T.  Tice  served  from  1904  to 
1906  Mrs.  Farierra  from  1906  to  1908;  Mrs.  R.  C.  Ransom, 
1908  to  1911,  and  Mrs.  Edwards,  elected  in  1911,  is  still  serv- 
ing as  executive  officer.  In  order  to  extend  the  interest,  the 
annual  sessions  have  been  held  in  the  various  sections  of  the 
state  of  New  York— Westbury,  Glen  Cove,  Coxsackie,  Bay- 
shore  Amityville,  Albany,  Babylon,  Middletown  and  Kings- 
ton have  each  been  visited,  and  it  is  felt  that  excellent  im- 
pressions of  the  work  have  been  made  at  these  annual  ses- 


330 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


sions.  Among  those  whose  faithful  services  and  untiring  ef- 
forts have  contributed  so  much  toward  the  success  were 
Mrs.  Bertha  Cook,  Mrs.  Jennie  M.  Palmer,  Mrs.  S.  T.  Tice, 
Mrs.  Emma  Ransom,  Mrs.  Smith,  Mrs.  L.  D.  Laws,  Miss 
Rossa  Brown,  Mrs.  A.  F.  V.  Johnson,  Mrs.  Statia  Brown, 
Mrs.  Susie  Mason,  Mrs.  R.  J.  Tatler,  Mrs.  Rachel  Graham, 
Mrs.  L.  P.  Williams,  Mrs.  Hester  Davis  Turpin,  Mrs.  C.  V. 
Moore,  and  many  others  who  are  deserving  of  highest  com- 
mendation.    The  reports    show    that  since    our    organization 


some  several  thousand  dollars  have  been  raised  and  dis- 
tributed in  the  home  field  and  foreign  work.  The  present  of- 
ficers are  Mrs.  M.  E.  Edwards,  president;  Mrs.  B.  A.  Cole, 
vice-president;  Mrs.  I.  S.  Sands,  second  vice-president;  Mrs. 
Hattie  Gilliam,  third  vice-president;  Miss  Rossa  Brown,  sec- 
retary; Miss  Angelina  Robinson,  assistant  secretary;  Mrs. 
Ophelia  Lawrence,  corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  Susie 
Laws,  treasurer;  Mrs.  Sadie  Battles,  superintendent;  Mrs. 
Rossa  Edwards,  chaplain. — By  Angelina  Robinson,  Brooklyn. 


MRS.  BERTHA  BRYANT 

New  York  Conference  Branch 

Worker. 


MRS.  OPHELIA  LAWRENCE 

Corresponding  Secretary,  New 

Nork    Conference    Branch. 


MRS.   C.   P.  COLE 

Vice      President,     New     York 

Conference    Branch. 


MISS    A.    ROBINSON  MISS  ROSA  BROWN 

Assistant    Secretary,    New      Secretary,  New  York  Confer- 
York    Conference    Branch.  ence    Branch. 


MRS.    L.    D.    LAWS 
Treasurer,  New  York  Confer- 
ence Branch. 


MRS.   C.   E.   WILSON 

Member  Executive  Committee, 

N.  Y.   Conference   Branch. 


MRS.   LEAH  TAYLOR 

Member  Executive  Committee, 

N.  Y.  Conference  Branch. 


MRS.   SADIE   BATTLES  MRS.    D.    K.    JACKSON 

Superintendent,    New    York  Member  Executive  Committee, 
Conference   Branch.  N.  Y.   Conference   Branch. 

MRS.    SARAH    GANTT 
Member  Executive  Committee, 
N.  Y.  Conference  Branch. 

331 


8 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


S 


MRS.  S.  BLANCHE  POOLE 
Recording     Secretary.     Phila- 
delphia   Conference   Branch. 


MRS.   S.   E.   HOXTER 
Treasurer,    Philadelphia    Con- 
ference   Branch. 


_    MRS.    M.    I.    HOPKINS 
First    Vice     President,     Phila 
delphia   Conference    Branch. 


MRS.    EMMA   J.    ROBERTS 

Present    President    of    Philadelphia    Conference    Branch 
W.    M.    M.    Society. 


MRS.  JENNIE  M.  PALMER 
Former  President  Phila.  Con- 
ference   Branch. 


MISS   CLARA    V.    DAVIS        MISS    EVA    M.    TVNDALE 
Assistant   Corresponding   Sec-  Assistant   Corresponding   Sec-  , 

MISS    ANNA    B.    PAYNE         retary,  Philadelphia  Confer-       retarv.      Philadelphia      Con-     MRS.    LAURA   L.    WA1MS 
Organizer,    Philadelphia    Con-     ence    Branch.  ence   Branch.  Organizer,    I 

forence    Branch. 


forence    Branch. 


MRS.    IDA    SMITH  MRS.    ELIZA    LANE  MRS    ADDIE  C.  MACKALL 

Phila.  Conference  Branch.         Phila.  Conference  Branch.         Phila.  Conference  Branch. 


Phila.  Conference  Branch. 


332 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3° 


Philadelphia  Conference  Branch  of  W.  M.  M.  Society. — In 

1895  Fanny  J.  Coppin,  at  the  first  connectional  convention 
of  the  Women's  Parent  Mite  Missionary  Society  held  at  Beth- 
el church,  Philadelphia,  made  an  address,  the  outcome  of 
which  was  the  formation  of  the  conference  branches.  On 
July  7,  1896,  the  Philadelphia  conference  branch  was  tem- 
porarily organized  by  the  Parent  Mite  Missionary  Society, 
sometimes  called  the  Parent,  with  ten  members,  and  was 
permanently  organized  by  Bishop  James  A.  Handy  in  Mother 
Bethel  church,  Philadelphia,  November  6,  of  the  same  year, 
with  Mrs.  A.  D.  Jones  as  first  president.  Miss  Nettie  Wilmer, 
Mrs.  Lucy  Hubert,  Mrs.  J.  C.  Brock,  as  vice-presidents;  Miss 
Clara  V.  Davis  and  Mrs.  H.  H.  Cooper,  recording  secretaries; 
Mrs.  Josie  D.  Heard  and  Mrs.  Anna  Patterson,  corresponding 
secretaries;  Mrs.  Lizzie  Parker,  treasurer,  and  Mrs.  Isabel 
Temple,  Mrs.  Mary  Campbell,  Mrs.  C.  C.  Cuff,  Mrs.  Rachel 
Smith,  Mrs.  Sarah  Ford,  Mrs.  Sarah  Riddicks,  Mrs.  Mary 
Harris,  Mrs.  Jennie  Palmer,  Miss  Anna  B.  Payne  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Wilmer  as  members.  At  the  first  annual  meeting,  held 
in  Bethel  church  in  1897,  there  were  sixty-eight  members.  At 
the  second  annual  meeting,  held  in  Bethel  church,  Bristol,  Oc- 
tober 25,  189S,  a  communication  was  read  from  Mrs.  Myers, 
of  Jacksonville,  Florida,  asking  aid  as  the  whole  city  was  in 
distress.  Aid  was  given.  The  first  dollar  was  paid  by  Mrs. 
Sarah  S.  Ford.  Mrs.  Heard  dedicated  a  poem  to  the  Phila- 
delphia Conference  Branch  entitled  "Lend  A  Hand."  Mrs.  R. 
J.  Smith,  of  Allen,  Philadelphia,  donated  a  Bible  for  the  Afri- 
can work.  Rev.  W.  H.  Heard  also  sent  a  request  asking  for 
a  donation  to  get  a  carpet  for  his  pulpit  altar  in  Africa,  which 
was  granted.  This  convention  elected  Mrs.  J.  C.  Cottman 
as  president;  Mesdames  Ella  Redman,  Lottie  Johnson,  Clara 
Pierce,  as  vice-presidents  ;  Clara  V.  Davis  and  A.  B.  Payne, 
recording  secretaries;  Mesdames  J.  D.  Heard,  J.  M.  Palmer, 
corresponding  secretaries;  Miss  Lizzie  Parker,  treasurer.  Five 
persons  joined  at  this  time.  The  third  annual  meeting  was 
held  at  Union  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia,  October  24, 
1899.  Eleven  new  auxiliaries  had  been  added,  making  a  total 
of  thirty-four  auxiliaries.  Bishop  A.  Grant  installed  the  offi- 
cers: Mrs.  Jennie  Palmer,  president;  Mrs.  Mary  Gilmore, 
Lottie  Johnson  and  Sarah  Butler,  vice-presidents ;  Ariana 
Gould  and  Mamie  Beckett,  recording  secretaries;  Mrs.  J.  D. 
Heard  and  S.  M.  Lewis,  as  corresponding  secretaries;  Miss 
A.  B.  Payne,  treasurer,  and  Mrs.  Mary  Harris,  field  organizer. 
Mrs.  Harris  was  the  real  cause  of  the  increase.  The  first 
reporter  for  the  missionary  columns  of  the  Christian  Recorder 
was  Mrs.  T.  D.  Heard.  The  fourth  convention  was  held  at 
Allen  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Philadelphia,  October  23,  1900.  The 
new  features  were  the  organization  of  juvenile  societies 
and  the  plate  system  in  the  Churches.  Mrs.  Fanny 
Coppin,  Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Tanner  and  Mrs.  Lillian  Derrick 
addressed  the  meeting.  Mrs.  Palmer  was  re-elected  by  accla- 
mation with  the  same  officers.  The  fifth  convention  was  held 
in  Reading,  October  23,  1901.  Miss  Hallie  Q.  Brown,  of  Wil- 
berforce,  made  an  address;  Mrs.  Statia  Brown  came  from  the 
New  York  Conference  Branch  as  the  fraternal  delegate,  bear- 
ing resolutions  with  reference  to  a  First  Episcopal  District 
missionary  paper.  Mrs.  Ida  M.  Yeocum  was  elected  presi- 
dent: Mesdames  Anna  Gilmore,  Emma  J.  Roberts,  vice- 
presidents  ;  Ariana  Gould  and  Clara  Harrison,  recording 
secretaries;  Mary  E.  Glover,  corresponding  secretary;  Clara 
Davis,  assistant;  A.  B.  Payne,  treasurer.  In  1902  the  sixth 
convention  met  in  Campbell  A.  M.  E.  church,  Frankford. 
Mrs.  Yeocum  recommended  the  loaves  of  bread  for  a  special 
fund  for  the  expenses  of  the  branch.  The  first  loaves  were 
sold  by  the  Florida  Grant  Society,  of  Allen,  Mrs.  Emma  J. 
Robert,  president.  She  also  recommended  the  Mary  A.  Camp- 
bell birthday  celebration.  This  year  the  First  District  con- 
vention was  held  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  Dr.  H.  P.  Anderson,  pas- 
tor. Mrs.  A.  D.  Jones,  Mrs.  I.  M.  Yeocum,  Mrs.  Emma  J. 
Roberts,  Mrs.  B.  Temple,  Miss  Anna  B.  Payne  were  the 
Philadelphia  Branch  delegates.  At  this  conference  branch 
meeting  Miss  A.  B.  Payne  was  elected  organizer  and  Mrs. 
J.  Robbins,  treasurer.  This  year,  after  the  quadrennial  con- 
vention at  Pittsburgh,  quarterly  meetings  were  inaugurated 
and  entertained  by  the  Florida  Grant  Auxiliaries  of  Allen 
church,  Mrs.  Emma  J.  Roberts,  president,  and  Mrs.  Rachel 
Smith,  vice-president.  The  seventh  convention  was  held 
at  Darby,  October  23,  1903;  eighteen  ministers  were  assisted 
from  $5  to  $20  each  and  many  donations  were  given  to  the 
sick  from  the  mite  boxes  through  committee  No.  1  with 
Mrs.  R.  J.  Smith,  chairman.  Mrs.  A.  D.  Jones,  the  first  pres- 
ident, had  started  a  little  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  her  yard  at  Elm- 
wood  and  the  conference  branch  donated  twenty-five  dollars 
($25.00)     for    the    first    chairs    and    the    first    books.      It    is 


now  self-supporting.  In  the  year  of  1904  the  eighth  con- 
vention at  Wilmington,  Del.,  was  held,  at  which  Bishop  Ar- 
nett,  Mrs.  Amanda  Smith  and  Mrs.  F.  J.  Coppin  spoke.  The 
first  reporter  to  the  daily  papers  at  this  meeting  was  appoint- 
ed. Mrs.  E.  J.  Roberts  was  'elected  president  and  Mrs.  S. 
B.  Edwards,  first  vice-president.  In  1905  the  ninth  convention 
was  held  October  19-21,  at  Harrisburg.  Attention  was  called 
that  missionary  moneys  were  being  used  contrary  to  law. 
Resolutions  on  this  matter  were  presented  by  the  following 
committee:  Miss  A.  B.  Payne,  Mrs.  A.  D.  Jones,  Mary 
Mitchell,  Blanche  Poole,  E.  J.  Roberts.  The  Mary  J.  Camp- 
bell special  fund,  inaugurated  by  Mrs.  Yeocum,  was  now  bear- 
ing the  expenses  of  the  conference  branch.  Mrs.  Lydia  Riner 
was  made  the  treasurer.  This  convention  closed  with  the 
following  officers:  Mrs.  Emma  J.  Roberts,  president;  Mrs. 
M.  E.  Glover  and  Mrs.  Victoria  Mills,  vice-presidents;  Mrs. 
H.  H.  Cooper  and  Miss  Dora  Eddicks,  recording  secretaries; 
Mrs.  Statia  Brown,  corresponding  secretary;  Miss  A.  B.  Payne, 
field  agent;  Mrs.  Jemima  Robbins,  treasurer.  The  tenth  con- 
vention was  held  at  Mt.  Olive  church,  Philadelphia,  October 
24th  and  25th,  1906.  The  new  features  of  this  convention 
was  the  observing  of  the  children's  hour  and  the  first  organiz- 
ers. The  general  superintendent  of  the  juvenile  work  was 
elected  in  the  person  of  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Glover.  Mrs.  A.  W. 
Blackwell,  the  bishop's  wife,  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Zion  Church, 
was  present  and  spoke  on  the  care  and  training  of  children. 
As  Mrs.  Emma  J.  Roberts  and  Mrs.  Statia  Brown  would 
not  allow  their  names  to  be  used  for  re-election,  Mrs.  V.  H. 
Mills  was  elected  president;  Miss  Clara  V.  Davis  and  Mrs. 
Jennie  M.  Palmer,  vice-presidents;  Mrs.  H.  H.  Cooper  and 
Mrs.  Dora  Eddicks,  recording  secretaries;  Mrs.  M.  E.  Glover 
and  Miss  Jennie  Freeman,  corresponding  secretaries;  Mrs. 
Sadie  Hoxter,  treasurer;  Mrs.  Lydia  Riner,  treasurer  special 
fund.  The  next  convention  was  held  at  West  Chester  Octo- 
ber 24-25,  1907.  From  the  president's  annual  address  we 
learned  that  every  debt  had  been  paid  from  the  special  fund 
without  touching  one  cent  of  the  auxiliary  money.  Miss  A. 
B.  Payne,  Mrs.  Sadie  Hoxter,  Mrs.  H.  H.  Cooper  were  elected 
delegates  to  the  quadrennial  convention  at  Chicago  October 
21-22.  190S.  The  eleventh  convention  met  at  Pisgah,  Phila- 
delphia. Mrs.  Cooper,  for  the  conference,  p-esented  Miss  A. 
B.  Payne  with  a  gold  cross.  An  excellent  report  was  ren- 
dered by  the  juvenile  superintendent,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Glover. 
The  following  officers  were  elected  by  acclamation:  Mrs. 
H.  H.  Cooper,  president;  Miss  Clara  V.  Davis  and  Mrs.  A. 
Gould,  vice-presidents;  Miss  Dora  Eddicks  and  Mrs.  Jennie 
Freeman,  secretaries;  Mrs.  Mary  Glover,  corresponding  sec- 
retary; Miss  Jennie  Palmer  and  Miss  Payne,  organizers.  In 
1908  the  twelfth  convention  met  at  Germantown  and  was 
interesting  spiritually,  financially  and  socially.  Many  prayers 
were  offered  for  our  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  M.  E. 
Glover,  who  was  ill.  The  thirteenth  convention  was  held 
at  Wilmington,  Del.,  in  1910.  It  was  recommended  to  pur- 
chase from  the  special  fund  a  silk  banner  to  be  given  the 
auxiliary  raising  the  largest  amount  of  money  quarterly. 
During  this  quarter  Mrs.  E.  J.  Roberts  served  as  correspond- 
ing secretary.  During  this  time  death  took  away  the  follow- 
ing: Sisters  Mary  E.  Glover,  corresponding  secretary,  and 
superintendent  of  the  juvenile  workers,  January  25;  Mary  A. 
Campbell,  January  19;  Arianna  Gould,  December  3.  The  14th 
convention  was  held  at  Mt.  Olive  A.  M.  E.  Church  with  the 
Young  Women's  Christian  Association.  Mrs.  Pauline  Jack- 
son, one  of  the  prime  workers  in  the  movement,  was  intro- 
duced and  spoke  of  the  young  women  being  brought  to  the 
front,  supported  and  led  by  the  aid  and  council  of  the  older 
women.  Mrs.  A.  W.  Hunton,  Mrs.  Anna  Blackwell  also 
brought  greetings.  Mrs.  H.  H.  Cooper  presented  the  confer- 
ence branch  with  a  song,  entitled  "Lead  Me  and  Keep  Me." 
The  new  officers  were  Mrs.  Blanche  Poole  and  Miss  Ella  Cum- 
mings  as  recording  secretaries;  Miss  Olivia  Hooper  and  Mrs. 
S.  B.  Edwards  as  corresponding  secretaries;  Miss  Ella  Whit- 
taker,  as  superintendent  of  juveniles.  The  fifteenth  conven- 
tion was  held  at  Phoenixville.  After  all  the  committees  had 
been  appointed  the  president,  Mrs.  Cooper,  begged  the  com- 
mittee not  to  use  her  name  for  any  office  whatever,  as  her 
health  would  not  permit  her  to  do  any  active  work.  Miss 
Clara  Davis  asked  to  be  relieved  from  active  service.  Mrs. 
Emma  J.  Roberts,  who  had  served  two  years  as  second  vice- 
president,  three  years  as  first  vice-president,  and  two  years 
as  president,  was  again  elected  president  for  the  second  time. 
Mrs.  M.  I.  Hopkins,  Mary  Stansberry,  vice-presidents  ;  Blanche 
Poole  and  Mattie  Reed  as  recording  secretaries;  Statia  Brown 
Edwards  and  Miss  Olivia  Hooper,  corresponding  secretaries; 
Mrs.  Sadie  Hoxter,  treasurer;  Miss  A.  B.  Payne  and  Mrs.  L. 


333 


e> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


-% 


MRS.    R.   J.    SMITH 
Phila.  Conference   Branch. 


MRS.    A.    M.    BUCKLEY 
Phila.  Conference   Branch. 


MRS.    I.    D.    JONES 
First    President    of    Philadelphia  Conference  Branch. 


MRS.  ELIZABETH  BYRD 
Phila.  Conference  Branch. 


MRS.    E.    RAWLES 
Phila.  Conference   Branch. 


MRS.  STATIA  B.  EDWARDS 
Cor.     Secretary,     Philadelphia  Conference    Branch. 


MRS.    PAULINE   HAYDEN 

Member  Executive  Committee, 

Phila.  Conference  Branch. 


MRS.    MARY   STANSBERRY 
Second  Vice  President,  Phila- 
delphia  Conference    Branch. 


MRS.    MINNIE    JOHNSON 
Phila.  Conference  Branch. 


MRS.    MARTHA    LINGO 
Phila.  Conference   Branch. 


C.  Waters,  organizer;  Miss  Carrie  Sumby  as  juvenile  super- 
intendent. The  sixteenth  convention  was  held  at  Mt.  Pisgah 
church.  Philadelphia,  October,  1012,  and  was  visited  by  Mrs. 
Amanda  Smith.  Under  the  presidency  of  Mrs.  Roberts  the 
organization  increased  in  membership  and  in  activities;  a 
nuilt  made  of  silk  squares  by  a  committee  w;as  exhibited  at 
the  Emancipation  Celebration  Exposition  in  Philadelphia 
September,  1013.  after  which  it  was  presented  to  Mrs.  Rob- 
erts by  the  conference  branch.  Among  the  new  things  in- 
augurated by  our  president  were  the  ushers'  association,  the 
annual  sermon,  the  annual  outings,  reception  and  reunion, 


committee  on  ways  and  means,  sewing  circle,  emergency 
committee,  flower  committee  and  African  committee,  and 
the  monthly  vesper  service  at  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  Mrs.  F.  J. 
Coppin,  Fannie  A.  Davis  and  Caroline  Gould  and  Rev.  M.  C. 
Brooks  died  during  the  year.  At  the  eighteenth  session,  held 
at  Ward  church,  46th  and  Fairmount  avenue,  Mrs.  M.  E. 
Parker,  of  the  Asbury,  Chester,  auxiliary,  presented  the 
branch  with  a  silk  banner  for  the  auxiliary  raising  the  largest 
amount  of  money.  Delegates  were  elected  to  the  North- 
eastern Federation  of  Women's  Clubs  to  meet  in  Philadelphia 
July,  1915;  also  to  attend  the  quadrennial  convention  at  De- 


334 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


troit,  Michigan,  October,  1915.  The  latter  were  Mrs.  E.  J. 
Roberts,  Clara  V.  Davis,  Jennie  M.  Palmer,  Mary  M.  Cooper, 
S.  Blanche  Poole,  Statia  Brown  Edwards;  Miss  A.  B.  Payne, 
Mrs.  Louisa  Robinson,  Mrs.  Eliza  Lane,  Amanda  Dorsey, 
Mary  Anderson,  Elizabeth  Byrd,  Sidney  Smith,  Mrs.  A.  B. 
Clark,  Mrs.  Mary  Anderson,  Mrs.  L.  C.  Waters,  Mrs.  Nellie 
Shorts,  Mrs.  Sadie  Hoxter,  Mrs.  Mattie  Reed,  Mistress  Bish- 
op Handy,  president  of  the  Parent  Mite  Missionary  Society, 
was  present  during  the  session  and  assisted  in  presiding. 
Historical  committee:  Mrs.  H.  H.  Cooper,  chairman;  Mrs. 
Jennie  M.  Palmer,  Miss  Anna  B.  Payne,  Miss  Clara  V.  Davis, 
Mrs.  Statia  B.  Edwards,  Mrs.  I.  M.  Yeocum,  Mrs.  S.  Blanche 
Poole. 

Virginia  Conference  Branch,  The,  W.  M.  M.  S.,  was  or- 
ganized at  Wytheville,  Va.,  April  12,  1897,  by  the  secretary  of 
missions,  Rev.  H.  B.  Parks,  at  the  session  of  the  Virginia 
annual  conference.  The  first  officers  were:  district  president 
by  virtue  of  position,  Mrs.  Mary  F.  Handy;  state  president, 
Mrs.  Carrie  J.  Bolden;  secretary,  Mrs.  Minnie  L.  Gaines; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  M.  Williams.  This  organization  met  annual- 
ly with  the  Virginia  conference  until  Bishop  Lee  called  a 
meeting  at  Richmond,  November  9,  1900.  At  this  meeting  a 
resolution  passed  divorcing  the  time  of  meeting  of  the 
missionary  society  from  the  annual  conference  session  to 
be  held  at  Roanoke,  Va.,  April,  1901.  The  date  of  meeting 
was  fixed  for  the  latter  part  of  September  or  first  of  October 
in  each  year.  In  1901  under  the  new  organization  as  a  con- 
ference branch  the  following  officers  were  elected:  state 
president,  Mrs.  Minnie  L.  Gaines;  state  secretary,  Mrs.  Mary 
A.  Cooke;  state  treasurer,  Mrs.  Carrie  Williams.  From  this 
organization   missionary   societies  have   sprung  up   in   the  A. 


« 


$790.83;  1907,  $809.18;  1908,  $415.34;  1909,  $687.15;  1910 
$558.20;  1911,  $603.18;  1912,  $834,31;  1913,  $785.84;  1914, 
$787.44;  1915  to  September  1,  $682.55.  Grand  total  for  home 
and  foreign  fields,  $9,078.84.  Besides  the  above  amount, 
which  was  raised  for  mission  pastors  in  the  home  fields  and 
missionaries  in  the  foreign  fields,  hundreds  of  dollars  have 
been  raised  for  special  and  contingent  purposes,  such  as  do- 
ing regular  missionary  work  in  immediate  localities  in  visit- 
ing and  caring  for  the  sick  and  needy,  giving  them  financial 
aid,  imparting  words  of  comfort  and  cheer,  and  persuading 
the  lost  to  seek  Christ.  Money  raised  for  all  purposes  as  re 
ported  to  the  parent  body  while  in  quadrennial  session  in 
Pittsburgh,  1903,  $1,642.38;  in  Baltimore,  1908,  $2,896.79;  in 
Chicago,  1911,  $3,314.80;  in  Detroit,  1915,  $6,145.20;  grand  to- 
tal, $13,999.17.  Since  organization  the  following  persons  have 
faithfully  served  as  officers:  presidents  Mesdames  Minnie  L. 
Gaines,  Sarah  Augustus,  Fannie  Reynolds,  Martha  D.  Hunt, 
Hattie  Johnson,  M.  J.  C.  Nottingham,  Jennie  Jackson  Day; 
recording  secretaries,  Mesdames  Mary  Cooke,  M.  P.  Mackey, 
Mary  Haywood,  Anna  H.  Davis,  A.  E.  Bowden;  correspond- 
ing secretaries,  Flora  A.  Barber,  Grace  Julkins-Fisher,  Mar- 
tha D.  Hunt,  Jennie  Jackson  Day,  Josephine  M.  Norcom; 
treasurers,  Mesdames  Carrie  G.  Williams  and  Fannie  Rey- 
nolds. The  present  officers  (1915)  are:  president,  Mrs.  Jen- 
nie Jackson  Day,  Norfolk,  Va.:  first  vice-president,  Kate  T. 
Boland,  Roanoke,  Va. ;  second  vice-president,  M.  E.  Ross, 
Staunton,  Va.;  recording  secretary,  Almira  E.  Bowden,  Nor- 


MRS.   JENNIE   E.   DAY 
President    Virginia    Conference    Branch. 

M.  E.  Churches  of  almost  every  town  and  city,  and  even  in 
many  rural  districts  of  the  Old  Dominion.  At  the  organiza- 
tion of  this  body  of  women,  each  pastor's  wife  was  made  by 
virtue  of  her  position,  the  standing  president  of  her  local 
society.  Mass  meetings  have  been  organized  in  the  various 
districts  of  the  state  to  disseminate  information  and  to  create 
greater  enthusiasm  for  the  mission  work.  In  the  tidewater 
section  of  Virginia  mass  meetings  were  first  organized  Sep- 
tember 24,  1905,  in  Emanuel  church,  Portsmouth,  with  Mrs. 
Fannie  Reynolds,  president;  Mrs.  Nannie  Morris,  secretary. 
The  first  mass  meeting  on  Eastern  Shore,  Va.,  was  organized 
December  8,  1906,  in  Bethel  church,  Eastville,  by  the  state 
president,  Mrs.  M.  D.  Hunt,  assisted  by  Miss  Mary  E.  Not- 
tingham. Mrs.  M.  J.  Ewer,  together  with  the  presidents  of 
Bridgetown,  Capeville  and  Trehernesville  churches.  Later 
mass  meetings  were  organized  in  the  Roanoke  and  Richmond 
districts.  Not  only  adults  are  organized,  but  children  are 
engaged  in  this  work  and  juvenile  societies  exist  in  the  state, 
under  the  supervision  of  a  senior  superintendent.  Total 
number  of  members  in  local  societies  is  1339.  The  money 
raised  for  home  and  foreign  work  has  been  as  follows:  1902, 
$500.87;     1903,     $409.43;     1904,    $459.14;     1905,    $7^'"'       \906. 


MRS.   FANNIE  REYNOLDS 
Treasurer    Virginia    Conference    Branch. 

(oik,  Va.;  assistant  recording  secretary,  Miss  Hallie  Tray- 
han,  Roanoke,  Va.;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  Josephine 
M.  Norcom,  Portsmouth,  Va.;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Fannie  Rey- 
nolds, Portsmouth,  Pa.:  juvenile  superintendent,  Anna  Har- 
per Davis,  Norfolk,  Va.;  executive  board,  Mrs.  C.  L.  Davis, 
Portsmouth,  Va. ;  Mrs.  M.  J.  Ewer,  Roanoke,  Va. ;  Mrs.  Millie 
Baker,  Eastville,  Va.;  Mrs.  Beula  Berry,  Berkley,  Va.;  Mrs. 
Lillie  Cotton,  Oceana,  Va. 

West  Virginia  Conference  Branch,  The,  of  the  Woman's 
Mite  Missionary  Society,  which  was  formerly  a  part  of  the 
Pittsburgh  Conference  Branch,  became  a  separate  body  by 
re-organization  at  Clarksburg,  West  Virginia,  in  1909,  after 
the  West  Virginia  annual  conference  had  been  set  apart  from 
the  Pittsburgh  conference.  The  meeting  was  called  by  the 
district  missionary  superintendent,  Mrs.  Grace  Bigelow.  With 
the  assistance  of  a  Mrs.  Gracie  P.  Offer  and  Mrs.  Emma  Mor- 
ris, of  the  Pittsburgh  branch,  and  delegates  from  seven  points 
in  West  Virginia,  the  organization  was  effected.  Mrs.  Belle 
Ellis,  of  Morgantown,  W.  Va.,  was  elected  president.  Illness 
prevented  her  from  carrying  on  the  work  and  the  vice-presi- 
dent. Miss  Willa  Lee,  assumed  the  duties,  and  met  with  such 
success  that  she  was  elected  president  the  next  year,  and  has 
been  re-elected  each  succeeding  year  to  the  present  time.  In 
1910  the  convention  met  in  Wellsburg,  W.  Va.  Mrs.  Gay  Mc- 
Ghee  and  Mrs.  Emma  Morris,  of  the  Pittsburgh  branch,  and 
Mrs.  Alston,  of  the  North  Ohio  conference  branch,  gave  able 


» 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3 


assistance  at  this  meeting.  There  were  five  societies  repre- 
sented by  delegates.  Although  few  in  number  they  showed 
much  enthusiasm  and  earnestness.  In  1911  the  convention 
met  at  Huntington,  W.  Va.  Mrs.  Matney,  president  of  the 
Kentucky  branch,  and  several  other  visitors  came  from  the 
neighboring  state.  In  1912  the  convention  met  at  Morgan- 
town,  W.  Ya.  In  1913  the  convention  met  at  Wheeling,  W. 
Va.  The  convention  decided  to  try  meeting  with  the  confer- 
ence in  hope  of  interesting  more  people  and  so  build  up  the 
society.  This  year  fraternal  delegates  in  Mrs.  Rebecca  Al- 
dridge  and  Mrs.  Gay  McGhee,  of  the  Pittsburgh  branch,  were 
present  and  assisted  greatly.  The  society  decided  that  sep- 
arate meetings  were  as  successful  as  meeting  with  the  regu- 
lar conference,  so  in  1914  met  in  Clarksburg,  W.  Va.  Mrs. 
Pearl  S.  Smith,  Huntington,  W.  Va.,  was  elected  superintend- 
ent of  the  juvenile  branch,  being  later  succeeded  by  Miss 
Gertrude  Donaway.  Red  Star,  W.  Va.,  was  the  meeting  place 
for  1915.  The  work  showed  improvement,  the  society  being 
able  to  have  minutes  printed,  and  turned  over  to  the  confer- 
ence treasurer  $100,  and  reported  $110  to  be  sent  to  the  for- 
eign treasurer,  leaving  a  balance  of  $64.27  in  the  home  treas- 
ury. Our  maximum  representation  at  annual  meetings  has 
been  seven  and  the  minimum  two. — Bj-  Hannah  L.  Meade. 

Mississippi   (East)   Annual  Conference,  The,  was   organ- 
ized   in    the    Pearl    Street    A.    M.    E.    Church,    in    Jackson, 
Miss.,   November  26,    1909,    Bishop    Lampton   presiding,   with 
the  following  districts  :  Jackson,  Dr.  W.  F.  Dangerfield,  pre- 
siding  elder;   Yazoo   City,  Dr.   H.   H.   King,  presiding  elder; 
Durant,  Dr.  J.  W.  Williams,  presiding  elder;  and  Columbus, 
Rev.  E.  B.  Dukes,  presiding  elder.     Bishop  Lampton  did  not 
live   to   hold   its    first   session,   but   Bishop   Turner   held   the 
first   session    at   Canton    in    1910.     The    number   of   presiding 
elders    appointed    at    this    conference    were    three :    Jackson 
District,    Dr.    W.    F.    Dangerfield;    Yazoo    City    District,    Dr. 
H.  H.  King;  Durant  District,  Rev.  J.  S.  Butler.     The  second 
session  was  held  at  Durant,  Miss.,  November  1-5,  1911,  Bish- 
op Turner  presiding.     Delegates   to   the   general   conference 
were   elected   as    follows :    Revs.   J.   W.   Hair    (who   received 
every  vote  in   the  conference),  H.   Dean,  W.  F.   Dangerfield 
and   J.   S.   Butler;   alternates,   A.   W.   Timmons,  H.   H.   King, 
C.  H.  Hayden  and  J.  A.  Brookins;  laymen,  A.  J.  Wade   and 
P.  H.  Brookins.     The  three  presiding  elders  were  appointed 
at   this   conference.     The   total   finances    raised   at   this    con- 
ference  was  $1,523.65.     The   third   session   was   held    at   Lin- 
tonia,  Yazoo  City,  Miss.,  November  2-6,  1912,  Bishop  Conner 
presiding;  J.   S.   Butler,   secretary.     The   following  were   ap- 
pointed   presiding    elders  :    Rev.    J.    A.    Henderson,    Jackson 
District ;  Rev.  H.  H.  King,  Yazoo  District ;  and  J.  S.  Butler, 
Durant    District.     Finances    raised    at    this    conference    was  : 
dollar  money,  $1,251.75;  other  moneys,  $141.81;  total,  $1,393.56. 
Trustees  elected  for  Campbell  College  were  Drs.  J.  W.  Hair, 
W.  F.  Dangerfield  and  H.  H.  King;  laymen,  A.  J.  Wade  and 
W.    H.    Hayden.     J.    W.    Hair    was    elected    trustee    of    Wil- 
berforce  University.     The   fourth   session   was   at   Columbus, 
Miss.,  November   19-23,  1913,  Bishop  Conner  presiding;   Rev. 
H.  Dean,  secretary.     The  presiding  elders  appointed  at  this 
conference  were:  Jackson   District,  Rev.  J.  W.  Hair;  Yazoo 
City  District,  Dr.  N.  B.  Stewart;  Durant  District,  Rev.  J.  S. 
Butler.     Money   raised   at   this    conference   by   districts   was 
$1,835.15   for   all  purposes.     The   fifth   session   was   at   Green- 
wood, Miss.,  November  18-22,  1914,  with  Bishop  Conner  pre- 
siding, and  J.  FI.  Weir  secretary.     The  presiding  elders   ap- 
pointed were:  Jackson  District,  Dr.  J.  W.  Hair;  Yazoo  City 
District,   Rev.   N.   B.   Stewart ;    Greenwood   District,   Rev.   H. 
Dean.     At   this   conference   the  Jackson   District   more   than 
doubled     the     other     two     districts     in     its     finances.      Total 
amount  of  money  raised,  $1,235.     The  sixth  session  was  held 
at  Yazoo  City,   Miss.,  November   13-21,   1915,   Bishop   Conner 
presiding;  J.   H.  Weir,  secretary.     The   presiding  elders    ap- 
pointed   at    this    conference    were:    Jackson    District,    Revs. 
J.  W.  Hair;  Yazoo  District,  W.  T.  Johnson;  Greenwood  Dis- 
trict, H.  Dean.     The  total  amount  raised  was  $1,301.51.     Dele- 
gates   to    the    Centennial    General    Conference    were    elected 
-,i-~   follows:  Revs.  J.  W.  Hair,  W.  T.  Johnson,  H.  Dean,  J.  A. 
Brookins  and  J.  B.  Curtis;  laymen,  S.  W.  Miller  and  D.  Cox; 
alternates,  J.  S.   Butler,  W.   M.  Spencer,  O.  W.  Galloway,  C. 
McCrew  and  J.  H.  Kolheib,  laymen,  W.  Chew  and  Foreman. 
J.  W.  Hair  was   elected  by  uannimous  vote  by  acclamation. 
Prominent   pastors    of    this    conference    and    charges  :   Jack- 
son— Dr.  Hair  was  its  pastor  for  five  years  and  raised  $1,110 
of    dollar    money;    Yazoo    City — Dr.    A.    H.    Mevs,    for    three 
years;    Greenwood — Rev.    J.    S.    Butler    and    C.    M.    Hayden; 
Columbus — Rev.  L.  W.  Williams   built   a   church   and   served 
two  years;  Rev.  Lewis  served  two  years  and  added  125  mem- 


bers to  the  church;  Revs.  J.  A.  Brookins,  O.  W.  Galloway 
W.  H.  Spencer.C.  McGrew,  J.  W.  Golden,  D.  D. ;  J.  H.  Kol- 
heim,  L.  M.  Staues  ;  M.  B.  Bailey,  R.  D.  Gearlds,  J.  B.  Cur- 
tis, Acona  Circuit.  Prominent  "laymen  are  :  S.  W.  Miller 
J.  S.  Harney,  D.  Cox,  W.  H.  Hayman,  W.  Chew,  B.  Fore- 
man, J.  M.  Samples,  P.  J.  Johnson,  Shed  Brookins,  H  P 
Phillips,  L  Phillips,  Hayes  Phillips,  S.  T.  Bennett. 

Mississippi  (North)  Annual  Conference,  The,  was  or- 
ganized November  15,  1877,  bv  Bishop  J.  P.  Campbell,  Revs 
A.  R.  Green,  L.  M.  Mitchell  and  W.  Robinson  being  secre- 
taries. The  territory  included  all  of  the  territory  in  the 
State  north  of  the  Alabama  and  Vicksburg  Railroad,  which 
railroad  was  between  Vicksburg,  Jackson  and  Meridian,  Miss., 
and  Selma,  Ala.  There  were  20  elders,  among  them  being 
Thomas  W.  Stringer  and  J.  C.  Embrv ;  17  traveling  deacons 
6  traveling  licentiates,  8  local  deacons,  5,253  full  members, 
709  probationers,  165  local  preachers,  156  exhorters,  62 
churches,  4  parsonages,  7  school  houses,  90  Sunday  schools 
269  Sunday-school  teachers,  3,988  Sunday-school  pupils.  The 
amount  of  dollar  money  reported  was  $487.05;  pastors'  sal- 
aries, $4,8.i4.45;  presiding  elders'  salaries,  $945.85;  total  for  all 
purposes,  $10,645.75.  Out  of  the  original  territory  of  this 
conference  have  been  formed  most  of  the  Central  Missis- 
sippi, all  of  the  Northeast,  East  and  Northwest  Mississippi 
Annual  Conferences.  Rev.  E.  W.  Lampton  was  elected  fin- 
ancial secretary  in  1902  and  1904,  and  elected  bishop  in  1908 
from  this  conference,  and  died  while  its  presiding  officer, 
and  is  buried  at  Greenville,  within  its  bounds.  Among  other 
honored  dead  are:  Revs.  P.  H.  Ferguson,  A.  J.  Boone,  A  M 
Snowden,  J.  L.  Branford,  and  J.  Allen  Bynoes.  In  1915  the 
number  of  churches  in  the  conference  was  121,  ministers 
240;    membership    of    churches,   5,675. 

Missouri  Annual  Conference,  The,  formerly  a  -part  of 
the  Indiana  Annual  Conference,  was  organized  Thursday 
September    13,    1855,    in    Quinn    Chapel,   Louisville,   Ky     at   9 


iW—A 


ALLEN  A.   M.  E.  CHAPEL,  KANSAS  CITY,  MO. 
Rev.   W.   H.   Thomas,   Pastor. 

a.  m„  by  Bishops  Payne  and  Quinn.  After  a  hymn,  Bishop 
Payne  read  the  tenth  chapter  of  West's  Analysis  of  the  Holy 
Bible,  Sections  118-120.  After  remarks  by  "the  bishops,  on 
motion  of  Rev.  W.  R.  Revels,  Rev.  John  M.  Brown  (later 
bishop)  was  elected  secretary  and  called  the  conference 
roll   as    follows:    Bishops    Daniel   A.    Payne   and   William   P, 


336 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Quinn;  Traveling  Elders  Willis  R.  Revels,  Aaron  M.  Parker 
Willis  Miles,  John  M.  Brown,  Emanuel  Wilkerson  (absent), 
C.  C.  Daughty  (absent);  Traveling  Deacons  Bazel  L.  Brooks, 
Salem  Campbell  and  John  M.  Garrow;  Licentiates  Levi  Fin- 
!ey  and  w-  H-  Prince.  -'The  Missouri  Conference  comprised, 
in  1856,  the  States  of  Kentucky,  Alabama,  Louisiana,  Mis- 
sissippi and  MissouriAln  this  territory  there  are  to-day 
(1916)  19  annual  conferences— 2  in  Kentucky,  6  in,- Alabama, 
2  in  Louisiana,  6  in  Mississippi  and  3  in  Missouri.  \The  mem- 
bership at  the  time  of  the  organization  was:  traveling  el- 
der, 7;  traveling  deacons,  4;  licentiates,  3;  total,  14)  The 
finances  were :  Contingent  money,  $67.43,  which  was  ex- 
pended at  follows:  Bishop  Payne,  on  traveling  expenses  $6  ■ 
Bishop  Quinn,  $7;  record  book,  $3;  printing  100  preachers5 
certificates,  $2.50;  stationery,  $1.10;  the  remainder  of  which 
was  equally  divided  among  the  ministers  to  apply  on  travel- 
ing expenses.  CThe  total  lay  membership  was  1698>  The 
appointments  were  as  follows:  Stations— Quinn  ChapeC  Lou- 
isville, Ky  E.  Wilkerson;  Asbury  Chapel,  John  Ga'rrow  • 
St.  Paul,  St.  Louis,  Aaron  M.  Parker;  St.  James  New  Or- 
leans, W.  R.  Revels.  Circuits— Alton,  111.,  Page  Tyler;  Ches- 
ter, 111.,  Salem  Campbell;  Shanneton,  B.  L.  Brooks'-  Cave 
t"u  £0C£'  M-  Patterson-  Missions— New  Orleans  Mission 
John  M.  Brown;  Covington  Mission,  Willis  MilesStThere 
were  in  all  five  stations  and  21  circuits  and  numerous  mis- 
sions, many  of  them  left  to  be  supplied.  There  were  five 
ministers  who  were  formerly  members  of  the  Missouri  Con- 
ference who  reached  the  bishopric,  namely,  J.  M.  Brown 
H.  M.  Turner,  J.  C.  Embry  and  H.  B.  Parks;  also  four  who 


White  1866-7,  and  1888;  T.  W.  Henderson,  1869-71,  and  1874- 
tm f™  w'neSj  ££j  J- F-  McDonald,  1884-5;  W.  B.  Brooks, 
1886,    90,   '96   and    1910;    E.   T.   Cottman,    1887-   E    W    Lewi/ 

!«97  X  WP-\"$rWSi  C-N-  Douglass,  1894;  E  R^Vaughn! 
1897-1904;  C  A.  Williams,  1905-8;  J.  T.  Smith,  1909;  W  H 
Burnett,   1911-14;   J.   D.   Barksdale,   1913   to   date. 

Morris  Brown  University,  Atlanta,  Ga„  was  opened  as 
Morris  Brown  College,  October  15,  1885,  with  107  pupils 
The  beginning  of  the  institution  was,  however,  on  January  5 
1881,  when  a  resolution  presented  by  Rev.  W  J  Gaines 
was  passed  by  the  North  Georgia  Conference  to  establish 
a  school  in  Atlanta,  January  19,  1881  a  similar  resolution 
passed  the  Georgia  Conference.  Trustees  were  elected  by 
the  two  conferences  which  then  embraced  the  whole  State 
February  1,  1881,  and  the  present  property  of  4/2  acres  in 
Atlanta  was  purchased  for  $3,500.  May  23,  1885,  the  institu- 
tion was  chartered  the  petitioners  being  W.  J.  Gaines,  Sci- 
pioH.  Robinson,  Elias  P.  Holmes,  Andrew  W.  Lowe  and 
Richard  Green.  The  first  hall,  dedicated  November  24  1885 
was  Gaines  s  Hall.  Among  those  who  have  been  princi- 
pals or  presidents  have  been  Mrs.  Mollie  McCree  Mrs 
Alice  D.  Carey,  Prof.  A.  St.  George  Richardson  (the  first 
Ki?  nMe0\S-  £  $■  V6e  <1886-7^  J-  M-  Henderson,  J.  S. 
fmuetr  (J9?4;8),TE-,2££  Luee  l1908"11).  ™d  W.  A.  Fountain 
''!  .to-dat&  ,  In  I894  the  theological  department  was  es- 
tablished, which,  since  1900,  has  been  known  as  "Turner 
theological  Seminary."  Other  departments  are  collegiate 
normal,    preparatory,    commercial,    music,    grammar    school' 


GIRLS'    DORMITORY,    MORRIS    BROWN    COLLEGE 


SSi^pfT  Htt&™^Tl^F,lSS^-'ffi  ThrS£    traini!lgV  d°meS^C    Sdence'    miHtar>"    and    Atrial. 

present  membership  of  the  conference  is     T^avdfni^ldlrs  nates    Vht    t      I'"  ^  ^A™^  25  teachers  and  56  grad- 

25;  traveling  deacons,  8;  licentiates,  4;    oca  1  elder 3     local  Clark    Wlh Jfor^lr  "*    gpraduatesi,  rom    Chicago,    Yale, 

deacons,  10;  evangelists    4-  lav  members    JIT:  w  •  Wl,Ofrforce.   Morris   Brown,  Allen   and   Perdue   Uni- 

who  have  presided  over'  the  Conference  'have  befn              I  ^Ues     Oberlin    College,    Gammon    Seminary    and    other 

Payne,  1855-6$  Quinn,  1861  -4,  and "l8ffl?7  ^ampbeil    1865  7  4m        */  lnstltutlons-     Since  the  beginning  there  have  been 

Wayman,  187^5;  Shorter,  1876  9     Ward  IsSoT  and 11888  01  '■  p9  Fa^T™'  a"Tg  th?  m?,St   distinguished   of  whom   are 

J.  M.  Brown,  1884-7;  Handy,  1892-5     Tann-    1896  9     Shaffer'  Sn'/   AwF£unTtaln'    Pr°fVJ-   R   Lewis'    Prof"   E-   C- 

1900-3;  Grant,  1904-10;   Parks,  1911  to  date    fThe  secretaries'  Fn         ''RT'  Wj    =    ta-Wrenc?'  C;  A'  Wingfield  and  D.  R. 

have  been  J.  M.  Brown,  1855^7;  John  T^^i^^.  aTmLrS^pper  SSTL?  bMf'aS  'tff&S 


—        337 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


Brown  University  System  established,  including  Payne  Col-  (secretary),  Alice  Blake,  Florence  Fossie,  Malissa  Caruthers, 

lege  and  Central  Park  Institute.     The  school  term  is   eight  Darthula   Stevens,  Sophia  Foster,   Mary   Grant.     Stewardess 

months,  and  the   property  is   valued   at  $250,000.     There   are  Board   No.  2:   Mesdames   Anna   Crump    (chairman),   Harriet 

three  buildings.  Thompson   (treasurer),  Cornelia  F.  Jones   (secretary),  Ellen 


CITY   COUNCIL,   MOUND   BAYOU,   MISS. 


LEADING    CITIZENS    OF    MOUND    BAYOU,    MISS. 
Hon.    Isaiah    T.    Montgomery  and      Hon    Charles    Banks 

Nashville,  Tenn.— St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church,  located  on 
corner  of  Fourth  Avenue,  South,  and  Franklin  Street, 
Rev.  H.  L.  P.  Jones,  D.  D.,  pastor,  Rev.  G.  L.  Jackson. 
D.  D.,  presiding  elder,  is  one  of  the  leading  churches  in  the 
Connection  spiritually,  intellectually  and  financially.  It  has 
stood  as  a  light-house  upon  this  corner  since  1873.  The 
church  has  had  20  pastors,  who  have  given  faithful  service. 
These  pastors  represent  some  of  the  strongest  and  ablest 
ministers  of  our  great  Connection.  The  structure  was  re- 
modeled in  1914  and  is  valued  at  $60,000.  The  congregation 
represents  some  of  the  most  devout  Christians,  including 
many  of  the  city  school  teachers  and  some  of  the  wealthiest 
and  best  citizens.  A  large  army  of  young  people,  a  lively 
Sunday  school  and  everything  that  goes  to  make  a  grand 
old  church  is  to  be  found  here.  The  stewards  are  :  I  H 
Adams,  Dr.  J.  H.  Hale,  J.  B.  Smith,  James  Chadwell,  J.  T. 
Rhodes,  Henry  Jones,  T.  A.  Ewing,  John  Galloway.  The 
Stewardess  Board  No.  1  is  composed  of  Mesdames  G.  L. 
Jackson   (chairman),  Ellen  Tyree   (treasurer),  Laura  Harlin 


ST.    PAUL,    NASHVILLE,    TENN. 
Rev.  H.  L.  P.  Jones,  Pastor. 


338 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


a 


Swanson,  Anna  Nichols,  Susan  Perkins,  Emma  Copeland, 
Lula  Ransom,  Lizzie  Allen,  Rosena  Sharpe.  Stewardess 
Board  No.  3:  Mesdames  Matilda  Findley  (chairman),  Mary 
Davidson  (treasurer),  Amanda  Drake  (secretary),  Laura 
Jones,  Mary  Rowland,  Priscilla  Gleaves,  Kittie  Davis,  Lucy 
Jarrett,  Mary  Patton.  The  trustees  are  :  J.  H.  Adams,  A.  G. 
Price,  Dr.  J.  L.  Leach,  West  Thompson,  Willis  Copeland, 
S.  H.  Killebrew,  O.  W.  Gleaves,  J.  H.  Early,  John  Findley. 
The  Sunday-school  superintendent  is  J.  H.  Adams.  Leader 
of  Allen   Christian   Endeavor   League,   E.   L.   Kinzer. 

Negroes  in  Methodism. — Negroes  had  a  very  important 
place  in  early  Methodism',  although  the  historian  has  not 
always  given  their  names.  John  Wesley,  on  November  27, 
1758,  baptised  two  West  Indian  Negroes,  the  servants  of 
Sir  Nathaniel  Gilbert,  of  Antigua.  The  first  Methodist  class 
in  the  new  world  was  a  class  of  Negroes  started  by  the  same 
Nathaniel  Gilbert  and  these  two  Negro  servants  after  their 
return  to  Antigua.  The  first  woman  class  leader  in  the  new 
world,  if  not  in  the  entire  world  of  Methodism,  was  the 
Negro  woman  who  held  this  class  together  from  the  time 
of  Gilbert's  death  (1774)  to  the  arrival  of  John  Baxter  at 
Antigua  in  1778.  The  first  class  meeting  held  in  the  United 
States  was  held  in  New  York  in  1766,  and  Aunt  Betty,  a 
Negro  servant,  was  one  of  the  first  members.  About  the 
same  time  a  class  was  started  in  Maryland,  at  Sam's  Creek, 
by  Robert  Strawbridge,  the  first  Methodist  preacher  in 
the   South,  and   in   it  was   'Aunt  Annie,"   a  colored  woman. 


Denomination.  Value  of   Property. 

Methodist   Episcopal   Church $6,104,379 

Union  American   Methodist  Episcopal  Church  170.150 

African    Methodist    Episcopal    Church 11,303,489 

African  Union   Methodist   Protestant  Church.  183,697 

African   Methodist  Episcopal  Zion  Church....  4,833,207 

Methodist     Protestant    Church 62,651 

Wesleyan   Methodist  Connection  of  America..  21,000 

Colored   Methodist   Episcopal   Church 3,017,849 

Reformed   Zion   Union    Apostolic    Church 37,875 

Reformed  Methodist  Union   Episcopal  Church  36,965 

Total  25,771,262 

New  England  Annual  Conference,  The,  was  organized 
June  10,  1852,  at  New  Bedford,  Mass.  The  original  borders 
were  Connecticut,  Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island.  Bishop 
Payne  presided  at  the  organization  ;  Rev.  T.  M.  D.  Ward  was 
secretary;  the  number  of  ministers  was  12,  and  the  lay- 
membership  was  reported  at  602.  The  bishops  to  preside 
over  the  conference  have  been  :  Bishops  Payne,  1852-4  and 
1876-9;  Nazrey,  1855-6  and  1861-4;  Quinn,  1857-60  and  1865-7; 
Campbell,  1868-71;  Shorter,  1872-5;  J.  M.  Brown,  1880-3;  Cain, 
1884-6;  Ward,  1887;  Turner,  1888-91  and  1906-7;  Tanner,  1892- 
5;  Grant,  1896-9;  Derrick,  1900-3;  Arnett,  1904  5;  Gaines,  1908- 
11;  Tyree,  1912  to  date.  Those  serving  as  secretaries  have 
been  Revs.  T.  M.  D.  Ward,  1852-3;  W.  J.  Fuller,  1854;  William 
M.  Watson,  1855;  George  A.  Rice,  1856,  '58,  '62;  J.  P.  Camp- 


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TRUSTEES    AND    PASTOR,    CHARLES    STREET    A.    M.    E.    CHURCH,    BOSTON,    MASS. 
Standing— Dr.    William    Worthy,   J.    D.    Augustine,    Rev.   M.  W.  Thornton   (minister),  E.  P.  Tucker.     Seated— James 
H.    Hawkins,    Theodore    Gould,    Jr.,    S.    M.    Hoxter,    Samuel   Griffin,   G.  A.   Bisbee.     (See   sketch   Page  294.) 


Harry  Hozier  and  Richard  Allen  were  at  the  first  confer- 
ence held  in  America,  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  December  24,  1784, 
to  January  2,  1785,  when  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  organized.  Allen  and  Hosier  became  two  popular  Meth- 
odist preachers.  The  first  church  property  purchased  by 
colored  people  was  purchased  by  Richard  Allen  in  1791, 
and  in  1794  sold  to  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  which  still  owns 
it.  The  first  class  in  the  United  States  organized  by  a 
Negro  was  organized  by  Richard  Allen  in  1786,  at  Philadel- 
phia. The  first  group  of  Negroes  to  withdraw  from  the 
M.  E.  Church  was  in  1787,  when  some  withdrew  from  St. 
George's  Church,  Philadelphia,  and  finally  organized  Bethel, 
Philadelphia. 

There  are  many  Negro  Methodist  bodies  to-day.  The 
United  States  Census  of  1906  gave  the  following  statistics 
of  Negro  Methodists: 


bell,  1857;  A.  L  Stanford,  1857-61;  J.  W.  Burley,  1863-70;  W. 
F.  Dickerson,  1871-6;  William  H.  Hunter,  1877-83;  H.  T. 
Johnson,  1884;  R.  J.  M.  Long,  1885-7;  B.  F.  Combash,  1888-92; 
W.  W.  Dyett,  1893;  I.  D.  Jacobs,  1894,  '96-1902;  J.  H.  Morgan, 
1895;  C.  P.  Cole,  1903-5;  C.  H.  Yearwood,  1906-11;  H.  M. 
Shields,  1912-15.  The  sessions  have  been  held  in  the  follow- 
ing places  :  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  1852,  '53,  '57,  '62,  '66,  72,  79, 
'85,  '92,  '99,  1908,  '14;   Providence,  R.  I.,  1854,  '55,  '61,  '65,  '69, 

77,  '82,  '86,  '94,  1901,  '06,  '12;  Boston,  Mass.,  1856,  '59,  '64,  71, 

78,  '88,  '95,  1902,  '07,  'IS ;  Newport,  R.  I.,  1858,  '63,  '68,  76,  '84, 
'91,  '98,  1903,  '11;  New  Haven,  Conn.,  1860,  '67,  75,  '80,  '87,  '97, 
1910,  '16;  Portland,  Me.,  1869;  Lynn,  1873,  '83,  '13;  Worcester, 
1874,  '90;  Cambridge,  1881;  Springfield,  1889,  '93,  1909;  Nor- 
walk,  Conn.,  1896,  1905;  Bridgeport,  1900;  Greenwich,  1904. 
Among  the  members  of  this  conference  who  have  received 
connectional  honors  have  been:  Rev.  T.  M.  D.  Ward,  elected 
bishop  in  1868;  J.  P.  Campbell,  elected  bishop  in  1864;  W.  F. 


339 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


Dickerson,  elected  bishop  in  1880;  Joshua  H.  Jones,  elected 
bishop  in  1912;  John  H.  W.  Burley,  elected  financial  sec- 
retar\-  in  1872;  H.  T.  Johnson,  elected  editor  of  the  Christian 
Record  in  1892;  J.  T.  Jenifer  elected  historian  in  1912.  A 
partial  list  of  the  honored  dead  is  as  follows  :  David  Roberts 
(1879),  William  Johnson  (1880),  J.  N.  Geda  (1892),  C.  C. 
Felts  (1896).  W.  H.  Shields  (1898),  J.  T.  Hayslett  (1901), 
Henry  T.  Johnson  (1903),  T.  H.  Jackson  (1903),  J.  G.  Frve 
(1905),  Isaac  Emery  (1912),  C.  H.  Yearwood  (1913),  T.  W. 
Henderson  (1915).  The  latest  statistics  are  as  follows  :  Num- 
ber of  churches  in  the  conference,  24;  ministers,  38;  lay  mem- 
bers, 2,398;  amount  raised  for  pastors'  salaries,  $12,565.48; 
for  other  purposes,  $21,515.87;  number  of  Sunday  schools, 
17;  number  of  scholars  in  the  Sunday  school,  1,278.  The 
preaching  points  in  the  conference  are:  Boston,  Mass.; 
Providence,  R.  I.;  Second  Church,  Providence,  R.  I.;  New 
Bedford,  Mass;  Cambridge,  Mass.;  Lynn,  Mass.;  Chelsea, 
Mass.;  Plymouth,  Mass.;  Fall  River,  Mass.;  Worcester, 
Mass.;  Oak  Bluff,  Mass.;  Second  Church,  Boston,  Mass.; 
Newport.  R.  I.;  New  Haven,  Conn.;  Greenwich,  Conn.; 
Springfield,  Mass.;  Bridgeport,  Conn.;  Norwalk,  Conn.; 
Stamford,  Conn.;  Pittsfield,  Mass.;  Narragansett  Pier,  R.  I.; 
North  Adams.  Mass.;  Jamestown,  R.  I.;  Greenfield,  Mass.; 
Lee,  Mass.;  Sheffield,  Mass.  (By  Rev.  I.  D.  Jacobs,  Bridge- 
port, Conn.) 

New  York  City,  the  metropolis  of  the  United  States  and 
the  birthplace  of  Methodism  in  the  United  States,  founded 
by  the  Dutch  in  16 —  and  named  New  Amsterdam;  taken  by 
the  English  in  1664  and  named  New  York.  Population  in 
1910  was  4,766,883,  of  which  91.709  were  Negroes.  In  1766 
the  first  Methodist  meeting  was  held  in  Philip  Embury's 
house,  there  being  present  Philip  Embury  and  Barbara 
Heck.  The  first  Methodist  church  was  built  in  1768  and 
a  parsonage  in  1770.  Negroes  were  always  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church  here.  In  1796  the  first  colored  congrega- 
tion withdrew  and  afterward  became  the  mother  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Zion  Churches.  In  1818  the  Bridge  Street  Church 
in  Brooklyn  withdrew  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Connection. 
In  1820  the  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  was  started  on  Sullivan 
Street,   New   York. 


BETHEL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  NEW  YORK  CITY 
Rev.    B.    W.    Arnett,    Pastor. 

'  Norfolk,  Va. — St.  John's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  mother 
of  African  Methodism  in  Virginia,  had  its  beginning  in  a 
mission  organized  for  Negro  slaves,  in  connection  with  the 
Cumberland  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which 
claims  to  be  the  mother  of  Methodism  in  Norfolk,  if  not  the 
entire   State.     Francis  Asbury  is   said  to  have  pastored  this 


INTERIOR  OF  ST.  JOHN  A.  M.   E.  CHURCH,  NORFOLK,  VA. 
Rev.  S.  S.  Morris,  Pastor. 
340     • 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


S 


church.  The  Negro  mission  was  probably  started  about 
1840  and  was  set  apart  as  a  separate  organization  in  1848, 
when  the  site  on  which  the  church  now  stands  was  pur- 
chased, and  held  for  the  Negroes  by  white  trustees.  White 
pastors  of  the  M  .E.  Church,  South,  were  also  assigned  to 
the  work,  but  the  stewards  and  leaders  were  Negroes.  Un- 
der this  arrangement  a  large  and  flourishing  society  grew, 
numbering  more  than  800  members  in  1863,  when  they  with- 
drew from  the  M.  E.  Church,  South,  and  allied  themselves 
with  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  The  immediate  cause  of  the 
change  in  denominational  allegiance  was  the  disloyalty  of 
their  pastor  to  the  United  States  Government.  The  church 
under  the  guidance  of  its  wise  and  courageous  Negro 
leaders  rejected  their  pastor,  nullified  the  discipline  of  the 
M.  E.  Church,  South,  secured  approval  of  their  action  from 


a  rebuilding  and  enlargement  of  the  first  building  in  1868. 
The  present  structure,  one  of  the  best  in  the  Connection, 
was  erected  in  1888,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  W.  D. 
Cook.  The  present  parsonage  was  built  in  1907,  when  some 
remodeling  was  done  on  the  church  also,  Rev.  C.  W.  Mossell 
being  pastor  at  that  time.  The  various  building  operations 
and  other  obligations  of  this  church  kept  it  under  the  bur- 
den of  continuous  debt,  more  or  less  heavy,  for  more  than 
45  years,  the  records  showing  that  it  was  not  free  of  mort- 
gage indebtedness  after  1869  until  August  6,  1915,  when  the 
last  mortgage  was  releasesd  and  the  church  left  debt  free, 
under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  E.  H.  Hunter,  D.  D.  The  plant 
is  valued  now  at  $80,000.  Since  St.  John's  has  been  an  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  the  following  pastors  have  served:  Revs.  John 
M.   Brown,  George  T.   Watkins,  J.   D.   S.   Hall,  J.  B.   Hamil- 


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EXTERIOR  OF  ST.  JOHfSt  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  NORFOLK,  VA. 


the  military  authority  then  in  charge  of  the  jurisdiction, 
with  possession  of  their  property  and  guarantee  of  protec- 
tion in  its  control.  After  deliberating  several  months  as 
to  their  future  status,  they  decided,  October  13,  1863,  to  join 
the  Baltimore  Annual  Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
All  formalities  were  executed  prior  to  January  1,  1864,  by 
Elder  A.  W.  Wayman  and  Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne  Elder 
John  M.  Brown  was  appointed  as  the  first  pastor  under  the 
A.  M.  E.  discipline.  Acting  as  presiding  elder,  he  held  his 
first  quarterly  conference  January  5,  1864.  No  other  A.  M. 
E.  Society  had  official  existence  in  Virginia  prior  to  this 
time.  St.  John's  added  to  its  property  holding  the  site 
where  the  parsonage  now  stands  in  1865.  Three  church 
buildings  and  two  parsonages  have  occupied  the  present 
sites.    The  second  church  building  was  not  entirely  new,  but 


ton,  W.  D.  W.  Schureman,  John  E.  Cook,  B.  F.  Floyd,  A.  A. 
Burleigh,  W.  D.  Cook,  John  G.  Mitchell,  A.  L.  Gaines,  D.  P. 
Seaton,  L.  H.  Reynolds,  C.  W.  Mossell,  S.  M.  Johnson,  E.  H. 
Hunter  and  S.  S.  Morris.  Elder  A.  W.  Wayman,  the  first 
A.  M.  E.  preacher  to  come  to  them,  afterwards  became 
bishop,  as  did  also  their  first  regular  pastor,  Elder  John 
M.  Brown.  Bishop  W.  D.  Derrick  was  once  a  member  of 
St.  John's,  which  church  granted  him  first  license  to  exhort. 
This  church  has  furnished  many  representatives  for  the 
law-making  and  advisory  councils  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
Practically  all  of  its  pastors  have  served  as  members  of  the 
general  conferences  held  during  their  incumbency,  and  the 
following  laymen  have  also  been  delegates  :  George  W. 
Dawley,  three  times;  Jesse  Waits,  once;  Wilson  F.  Fore- 
man, three  times;  and  W.  H.  Thorogood,  once.    The  general 


341 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


conference   of   1908   was    entertained   by   St.   John's    Church,       Rocky  Mount,  N.  C. ;  Nashville  Circuit.     Another  important 
and  Bishops  Edward  W.  Lampton,  Henry  B.  Parks,  Joseph       feature   of   the   North   Carolina   Conference   is   the   founding 


S.  Flipper,  John  Albert  Johnson  and  William  H.  Heard  were 
elected  and  consecrated  to  the  bishopric  within  its  sacred 
walls.  Two  other  self-sustaining  and  flourishing  churches 
in  the  city  of  Norfolk — St.  Mark's  and  John  M.  Brown — are 
the  legitimate  children  of  St.  John's,  and  St.  James  owes 
its  redemption  and  salvation  to  her,  if  not  its  birth. 

The  original  Negro  trustees  were  Jacob  Riddick,  Jacob 
Tynes,  Peter  Shepherd  and  John  H.  Jordan.  The  present 
trustees  are  W.  H.  Thorogood,  D.  D.  Brown,  John  H.  Port- 
lock,  S.  L.  Tucker,  D.  W.  Bvrd,  P.  L.  Barber,  C.  A.  Palmer, 
W.  H.  Tyler,  and  J.  T.  P.  Cross.  The  stewards  are  W.  F. 
Foreman,  R.  Bowden,  H.  G.  McLeod,  William  Morris,  J.  L. 
Felton,    Joseph    Hopkins,    Charles    S.    Ferrebee,    James    M 


of  Kittrell  College,  at  Kittrell,  N.  C,  in  1886,  by  Rev.  Dr. 
R.  H.  W.  Leak,  hero  of  both  conferences  of  the  State  and  the 
builder  of  St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church  at  Raleigh,  N.  C.  (By 
J.   A.    Smith,   historian.) 


01 
reports  of  this  conference  (the  Philadelphia  Confer- 
ence of  1830)  there  were  no  returns  from  Ohio,  because 
it  was  formed  into  a  conference  district."  Thus  does  the 
church  historian,  Bishop  Payne,  make  first  mention  of  the 
organization  of  the  Ohio  Conference  by  Bishop  Morris 
Brown.     This,  the  fourth  conference  to  be  organized,  began 


Collins   and  Humphrey   McCoy.     Present   membership,   1,447.       its   separate^existence   in   1830^  The    first   documentary   re- 
Sunday  school  numbers  1,324;  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  Lea- 
gue, 268;   raised   in   general  funds   last  year   (1915)   $1,637.97, 
of  which  $850  was  dollar  monej';  raised  for  all  purposes,  over 
$10,000. 


North  Carolina  Annual  Conference,  The,  was   organized 


ports  available  are  the  printed  minutes  of  the  nine-days' 
session  of  1833,  held  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  Bishop 
Morris  Brown  presided  and  Rev.  Lewis  Woodson  acted  as 
secretary.  There  were  15  members  present — 7  itinerant  min- 
isters and  8  locals,  as  follows  :  Revs.  John  Boggs,  Wiley 
Reynolds,  Austin  Jones,  Jeremiah  Thomas,  W.  P.  Quinn, 
Thomas   Lawrence,   and   James    Bird,   itinerants;    and   Revs. 


in  Wilmington,  N.  C,  in  1868  by  Bishops  Payne  and  Shorter.  Lewis  Woodson,  Samuel  Johnson,  Abram  D.  Lewis,  Samuel 
The  organization  was  constituted  by  ministers  from  North  Collins,  Samuel  Enty,  Pleasant  Underwood,  George  Cole- 
Carolina,  Virginia,  Maryland,  South  Carolina  and  Georgia.  man  and  Samuel  Clingman,  local  ministers^y-Twenty-four 
Among  the  ministers  composing  the  organization  were  Revs.  points  were  reported  for  the  !five  circuits^  into  which  the 
Cornelius  Sampson,  W.  H.  Bishop,  Scipio  Sauls,  Richard  Ohio  Conference  District  was  divided,  while  several  points 
Waters,  Henry  Epps,  Robert  Lucas,  Jacob  Homes,  George  were  not  given.     The  five  circuits  with  their  divisions  were 


Hunter,  Harry  Pope,  Mingo  Crooms,  Bryant  Rudd  and 
Henry  Tucker.  The  bishops  who  have  served  the  North 
Carolina  Annual  Conference  since  its  organization  are: 
Payne,  Wayman,  J.  M.  Brown,  Campbell,  Turner,  Dickerson, 
Gaines   (two  terms),  Handy,  Lee,  Coppin    (two  terms),   and 


as  follows:  ilhe  Pittsburgh  Circuit,  including  Pittsburgh, 
Washington  and  Uniontown,  with  an  aggregate  membership 
of  306;  the  Zanesville  Circuit,  including  Zanesville,  Captina 
Mount  Pleasant,  Smithfield,  Steubenville  and  Wheeling,  with 
205  members ;   the   Columbus   Circuit,   which   had   Columbus, 


J.  A.  Johnson.     The  growth   of  the  North   Carolina  Annual      Urbana,  New  Lancaster,  Circleville  and  Springfield,  with  166 


Conference  was  so  marvelous  until  in  November  19.  1892,  it 
became  necessary  to  organize  the  Western  North  Carolina 
Annual  Conference.  There  is  not  one  minister  living  who 
was  in  the  organization  of  the  North  Carolina  Annual  Con- 
ference. Rev.  J.  W.  Telfair,  D.  D.,  deceased,  was  among 
the  leaders  of  the  North  Carolina  Conference  soon  after 
its  organization.  Revs.  Edward  Robinson,  G.  G.  McGhee, 
J.  E.  C.  Bookam,  D.  D.  and  Tobias  Miller  are  the  four  oldest 
members  of  the  conference,  having  joined  in  the  70's.     The 


members;  the  Chillicothe  Circuit  which  had  Chillicothe,  Big 
Bottom,  JacUson  and  Gallipolis,  with  193  members;  while 
Hillsborough  embraced  Hillsborough.  Wilmington,  Zand, 
Dayton,  Hardin's  Creek  and  White  Oak,  with  126  members. 
The  total  for  the  conference  was  1,194,'  This  conference, 
17  years  after  the  organization  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  was 
the  first  to  take  a  definite  stand  for  education  and  tem- 
perance. For  it  was  at  the  session  of  1833  that  Rev.  Lewis 
Woodson   introduced   the   following   resolutions :   "Resolved, 


presiding  elders  of  the_  North  Carolina  Conference  at  pres-       As  the  sense  of  this  conference,  that  common  schools,  Sun- 


ent  are  Revs.  W.  Henry  Capehart,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Fayetteville  District ;  G.  D.  Carnes,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Wilmington  District;  A.  L.  Price,  presiding  elder  of  the 
New  Berne  District;  D.  L.  Grady,  presiding  elder  of  the 
Weldon  District.  The  leading  pastors  are  Revs.  A.  J.  Wil- 
son, St.  Stephens,  Wilmington  ;  R.  T.  Timberlake,  Mt.  Zion, 
Wilmington,  J.  A.  Smith,  Mt.  Olive  Church,  Wilmington;  T. 
J.  De  Berry,  pastor  Rue  Chapel  Church,  New  Berne;  E. 
Hurst,  pastor  Rockypoint  Circuit;  J.  L.  Hall,  D.  D.,  pastor, 
Kenly  Circuit;  W.  B.  Williams,  pastor,  Tomahawk  Circuit; 
F.  W.  Lowell,  D.  D.,  pastor,  Wilson  Mills'  Circuit;  W.  T. 
Monroe,  pastor,  Nashville  Circuit;  A.  L.  Sanders,  pastor, 
Brinkleyville  Circuit;  C.  V.  Richardson,  pastor,  Long  Creek 
Circuit;  Luke  Grady,  pastor.  Marietta  Circuit;  J.  J.  Mcln- 
tire,  pastor,  South  Wilmington  Circuit;  E.  R.  Williams,  pas- 
tor, St.  James,  Kinston  ;  A.  A.  Thompson,  pastor  St.  James 


day  school,  and  temperance  societies  are  of  the  highest 
importance  to  all  people ;  but  more  specially  to  us  as  a 
people,  that  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  every  member  of  this 
conference  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  promote  and  establish 
these  useful  institutions  among  our  people."  This  seems 
to  have  been  the  awakening  of  a  sentiment  that  has  crys- 
tallized into  the  present  educational  system  of  our  Church. 
Eleven  years  after  when  the  conference  met  in  Columbus, 
Ohio,  Rev.  Matthew  T.  Newsom  "proposed  the  idea  of 
selecting  a  suitable  location  for  a  seminary  to  educate 
young  men  for  the  ministry."  In  pursuance  of  this  object 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  secure  a  site  somewhere  in 
the  State  of  Michigan.  At  the  next  session  of  the  confer- 
ence, which  also  met  in  Columbus,  this  committee  reported 
as  follows :  "We,  your  committee  appointed  by  the  Ohio 
Annual    Conference    of    the    African     Methodist    Episcopal 


Circuit;   I.  W.  Beatly,  pastor,  Selma   Circuit;  J.  W.  Brown,       Church,  met  in  the  city  of  Columbus,  September  17,  1844,  to 


pastor,  Spring  Branch  Circuit;  C.  Miller,  pastor,  Seatts  Hill 
Circuit;  George  Washington,  pastor,  Mt.  Calvary  Station; 
T.  S.  March,  pastor,  Burgow  Circuit;  J.  E.  Mallett,  pastor, 
Atkinson  Circuit;  D.  Smith,  pastor,  Richlands  Circuit;  J.  H. 
Reid,    pastor,    St.   John,    Wilmington,    N.    C. ;    U.    S.    Comer, 


select  a  tract  of  land  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  seminary 
of  learning,  on  the  manual  labor  plan,  for  the  instruction 
of  the  youths  among  us  in  the  various  branches  of  litera- 
ture, science,  agriculture  and  mechanic  arts,  and  also  for 
those  who  may  desire   to   prepare   for  the   ministry.     Being 


pastor,  St.  John's  Goldsboro ;  Adam  Smith,  pastor,  St.  Luke's,       destitute  of  means  to  pay  our  traveling  expense  to  the  State 


Fayetteville;  J.  Nixon,  pastor,  Fairmount  Circuit;  C.  H. 
Hayes,  pastor,  Murfreesboro  Circuit;  W.  T.  Carnish,  pastor, 
Rock  Fish  Circuit;  A.  Stroud,  D.  D.  pastor,  Hamlet  Circuit; 
G.  A.  Shore,  pastor,  Warrenton  Circuit;  J.  G.  Lewis,  pastor, 
Rich  Square  Circuit;  L.  R.  Pearce,  pastor,  Kenansville  Cir- 
cuit; W.  H.  Mack,  pastor,  Wilson  Circuit;  W.  D.  W.  Graham, 
pastor,  St.  Elizabeth  Circuit.  Among  the  leading  churches 
of  the  North  Carolina  Conference  are  St.  Stephen,  Mt. 
Zion,  Mt.  Olive,  of  Wilmington,  N.  C. ;  Rue  Chapel,  New 
Berne,  N.  C. ;  St.  James,  Kinston,  N.  C. ;  St.  Luke,  Fayette- 
ville, N.  C. ;  St.  Mark,  Smithfield,  N.  C. ;  St.  John,  Goldsboro, 
N.  C. ;  St.  John,  Selma,  N.  C. ;  Mt.  Calvary,  Navosa,  N.  C. ; 
Willow  Oak,  Rich  Square,  N.  C. ;  Oak  Chapel,  Warrenton, 
N.  C. ;  Allen  Chapel,  Conway;  Wayman  Chapel,  Brinkley- 
ville, N.  C. ;  Spring  Branch  Circuit;  Rockypoint  Circuit; 
Marietta    Circuit;    Scott's    Hill    Circuit;    South    Wilmington 


of  Michigan  to  seek  its  location,  we  have  selected  one  in 
Franklin  County.  State  of  Ohio,  12  miles  west  of  Columbus 
and  2  miles  north  of  the  National  Road,  containing  172 
acres  of  land,  which  can  be  purchased  for  $1,720,  to  be  paid 
in  installments.  Signed,  M.  T.  Newsom,  Lewis  Adams  and 
Thomas  Lawrence,  committee."  Since  industrial  education 
has  become  so  popular,  it  is  interesting  to  note  this  early 
mention  by  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  A  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  draft  a  constitution  for  the  government  of  the 
embryonic  school.  By  this  constitution  it  was  called  "The 
Union  Seminary  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church — subject  to 
the  Ohio  Annual  Conference."  The  second  article  of  the 
constitution  preserved  the  industrial  idea  in  these  words : 
"By  instructing  them  in  literature,  science,  agriculture  and 
the  mechanical  arts."  The  school  was  started  and  had  a 
precarious  existence  until  "Wilberforce  became  the  property 


Circuit ;  Fairmount  Circuit ;  Smithfield  Circuit ;  Wilson's  Mills      of   the   A.    M.   E.   Church,   March    10,   1863,   when   by   a   vote 
Circuit;    Rocky    Fish    Circuit;    Burgow    Circuit;    St.    Mark,       of   the  Ohio  Annual  Conference  it  was  abolished  and  the 

342 


fi- 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


property  ordered  sold  for  the  benefit  of  Wilberforce  Univer- 
sity." Hence  the  very  honorable  distinction  of  laying  the 
foundation  of  the  educational  work  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  particular,  and  that  of  the  race  in  America  generally, 
properly   belongs   to   the   Ohio   Conference. 

The  division  of  the  Ohio  Conference  :  The  Ohio  Conferi 
er.ce  in  its  original  boundary  with  additions  made  as  the! 
•Church  expanded  included  Western  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  In-1 
diana,  Michigan  and  a  part  of  Kentucky,  and  Wheeling,  VaJ 
The  same  cause  that  extended  the  limits  of  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference, the  expansion  of  the  Church,  resulted  in  its  dis- 
integration until  it  was  confined  to  Ohio  alone.  In  1878,  at 
the  Forty-eighth  Session  of  the  Ohio  Conference  in  Bethel 
Church,  Circleville,  Ohio,  the  following  resolutions  were 
offered:  "Whereas  we,  the  members  of  the  Ohio  Annual 
Conference,  perceive  that  the  conference  has  made  such 
rapid  growth  in  the  last  two  years  as  to  become  a  burden; 
Whereas  it  would  greatly  reduce  the  expenses  of  the  mem- 
bers of  said  conference  by  dividing  said  conference  into 
two  parts  ;  and  Wheras  it  would  diffuse  new  life  into  the 
work,  by  causing  the  members  of  said  conference  to  look 
after  the  mission  work  and  create  a  rivalry  that  will  result 
in  good  to  the  Church  :  Therefore  be  it  Resolved,  That  the 
bishop  appoint  a  committee  to  take  the  statistics  of  said 
conference,  and  report  such  division  as  may  seem  just  and 
equal  with  reference  to  appointments  and  territory."  The 
bishop  appointed  the  following  committee  :  R.  G.  Whitman, 
J.  P.  Underwood,  R.  A.  Johnson,  P.  Tolliver,  J.  B.  Stans- 
bury.  The  committee  made  no  report  nor  was  the  matter 
mentioned  until  at  the  fifty-first  session  of  the  conference, 
at  Middleport,  Ohio,  in  1881,  Rev.  J.  P.  Underwood  brought 
it  up  again  by  a  resolution  asking  for  a  committee  on  revis- 
ion of  the  conference.  The  following  committee  of  five  was 
appointed:  J.  P.  Underwood,  R.  A.  Johnson,  T.  H.  Jackson, 
J.  W.  Steward,  B.  W.  Arnett.  When  this  committee  report- 
ed for  division  there  was  a  minority  report  opposing  the 
plan  of  the  majority  for  substantially  these  reasons:  (a) 
There  is  no  demand  for  it;  (b)  Detrimental  to  the  work; 
(c)  Dividing  line  not  properly  drawn;  (d)  Pressure  of  busi- 
ness too  great  to  consider  the  matter  properly.  The  min- 
ority report  was  lost  and  the  report  of  the  majority  was 
adopted.  From  that  time  Ohio  has  been  divided  into  two 
conferences.  The  majority  report  recommended  that  the 
conference  be  divided  by  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad, 
beginning  at  Bellaire  and  running  through  Columbus  to 
Cincinnati."  The  following  statistics  are  for  the  last  year  of 
the  undivided  conference  and  for  the  last  two  sessions  of 
Ohio  Conference  (it  might  be  well  to  note  that  the  other 
conference   is   known   as   the  North   Ohio   Conference)  : 

1881.  1914.  1915. 

Members  of  Conf 84  56  63 

Full  mem.   of   churches.            5,530  4,580  4,906 

Probationers   230  371  365 

Contingent    money    ....          $86.26  $506.35  $341.56 

Pastors'  support   20,910.28  16,406.50  17,245.05 

Traveling  expense   848.27  71.24  98.10 

Dollar  money  1,256.42  2,049.20  2,081.45 

Missionary  money   172.47  1,254.05  891.67 

Value   of   churches    ....  287,289.00  191,740.00  314,400.00 

Value  of  parsonages    . .     12,600.00  (Included  in  ch.  prop.) 

The  Presiding  Eldership. — At  the  forty-seventh  session 
of  the  Ohio  Conference  held  in  Urbana,  Ohio,  in  1877,  Rev. 
G.  H.  Graham  gave  notice  that  he  would  discuss  the  pro- 
priety of  establishing  presiding  eldership  in  the  conference. 
If  this  discussion  occurred,  no  mention  is  made  of  it  in  the 
minutes.  In  1883,  when  the  conference  met  at  Hillsboro, 
Rev.  W.  J.  Johnson  introduced  the  following  resolutions : 
"Resolved,  That  the  Ohio  Conference  be  divided  into  two 
presiding  elder  districts  and  that  the  bishop  be  requested 
to  appoint  presiding  elders  to  said  districts  as  per  discip- 
pline."  After  a  lengthy  and  animated  discussion  it  was 
voted  down  by  a  large  majority.  The  next  year,  at  Wil- 
mington, the  matter  came  up  again  and  was  disposed  of 
after  Bishop  Campbell  gave  the  conference  an  elaborate 
explanation  of  the  law  on  the  subject  by  dividing  the  con- 
ference into  the  following  presiding  elder  districts,  to  which 
is  added  the  name  of  the  presiding  elder:  Cincinnati  Dis- 
trict— Allen  Temple,  Walnut  Hills,  Hillsboro,  Wilmington, 
Sabina,  Felicity,  New  Richmond — Rev.  T.  A.  Thompson,  D.  D., 
presiding  elder;  Zanesville  District — Zanesville,  Lancaster, 
Cambridge,  Barnesville,  Rendville,  Captina — Rev.  R.  A.  John- 
son, presiding  elder;  Chillicothe  District — Chillicothe,  Wash- 
ington, Court  House,  Greenfield,  Frankfort,  Marietta,  Jack- 


son, presiding  elder;  Chillicothe  District— Chillicothe,  Wash- 
trict — Xenia,  Wilberforce,  Selma,  Cedarville,  Jamestown — Rev. 
T.  H.  Jackson,  D.  D.,  presiding  elder.  Thus  the  presiding 
elder  system  began  in  the  Ohio  Conference.  Since  then  the 
conference  has  been  divided  into  two  presiding  elder  dis- 
tricts, known  as  the  Cincinnati  District  and  the  Columbus 
District. 

Sunday  Schools. — The  Ohio  Conference  manifested  an 
interest  in  this  branch  of  Church  work  as  early  as  1833,  as 
the  resolutions  presented  at  that  conference  included  the 
Sunday  school  as  one  branch  of  Christian  activity  of  the 
highest  importance,  "more  especially  to  us  as  a  people." 
The  work  of  the  Sunday  school  kept  pace  with  the  devel- 
opment of  the  Church.  In  1854  the  Sunday  schools  reported 
1,680  members  and  the  church  2,155.  We  have  no  means  of 
determining  how  many  members  of  the  Sunday  schools  were 
members  of  the  Church,  and  vice  versa,  but  the  ratio  indi- 
cates a  good  interest  in  the  Sunday  schoo_ls-J  On  July  2, 
1875,  the  first  session  of  the  Sounthwestern  Sunday-School 
Institute  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  met  in  Felicity,  Ohio,  at 
the  call  of  Rev.  William  H.  Coleman.  Brother  "Billy"  Cole- 
man, as  he  is  familiarly  called  by  his  friends,  has  the  dis- 
tinction of  originating  the  Sunday-school  institute  work  in 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  Ohio.  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett,  then 
Rev.  Arnett,  delivered  the  first  lecture  before  that  organi- 
zation. The  constitution  adopted  in  1877  gives  the  purpose 
of  the  institute  in  these  words:  "The  object  of  this  institute 
shall  be,  first,  the  encouragement  of  a  higher  culture  on  the 
part  of  Sunday-school  officers  and  teachers ;  second,  the 
provision  of  a  system  of  training  by  which  this  end  can  be 
accomplished."  The  institute  work  was  divided  along  con- 
ference lines  at  the  session  held  in  Xenia  in  1882.  Bishop 
Wayman  visited  this  session,  and  on  leaving  said,  among 
other  things,  that  this  was  the  first  assembly  of  the  kind 
among  his   people  it  had  ever  been   his   pleasure  to   attend. 

Wilberforce. — A  final  word  concerning  Wilberforce  may 
not  be  out  of  place  :  Wilberforce  has  developed  until  it  has 
taken  a  first  place  among  the  smaller  colleges  of  the  coun- 
try. To  the  college  work  there  have  been  added  the  normal, 
industrial  and  theological  (represented  by  Payne  Theolo- 
gical Seminary)  departments.  The  faculty  is  represented 
by  38  professors  and  instructors.  The  student  body  includes 
550  select  young  men  and  women  from  all  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, the  islands  of  the  seas,  and  Africa.  Many  of  the 
teachers  and  professors  hold  college  degrees  from  the  best 
institutions  of  the  country. 

General  Information. — There  are  52  churches  in  the 
bounds  of  the  Ohio  Conference ;  63  members  of  this  con- 
ference; 5,271  lay  members;  $17,245.05  was  raised  for  pas- 
toral support;  $2,127  to  pay  two  presiding  elders;  and  the 
amount  raised  for  all  other  purposes  was  $28,200.  The  fol- 
lowing bishops  have  presided  over  this  conference  :  Bishops 
Morris  Brown,  William  Paul  Quinn,  Daniel  Alexander 
Panye,  Willis  Nazrey,  Alexander  W.  Wayman,  James  A. 
Shorter,  Jabez  P.  Campbell,  Benjamin  W.  Arnett,  Benja- 
min F.  Lee,  William  B.  Derrick,  and  Cornelius  T.  Shaffer 
(the  present  episcopal  incumbent).  These  ministers  (and 
in  one  instance  a  layman)  have  served  as  secretaries  of 
the  Ohio  Conference.  They  are  in  successive  order,  al- 
though there  may  be  omissions  due  to  lack  of  accessible 
records.  Also  there  has  been  no  repetition  of  the  same 
name  that  has  been  re-elected  at  other  than  a  succeeding 
conference  session  :  Revs.  Lewis  Woodson,  Owen  T.  B.  Nick- 
ens,  Mr.  John  V.  Vashon,  Revs.  Thomas  Woodson,  A.  R. 
Green,  J.  P.  Underwood,  R.  M.  Johnson,  Samuel  Watts,  T. 
H.  Jackson,  R.  G.  Mortimore,  T.  A.  Thompson,  W.  J.  John- 
son, Smith  Carter,  W.  P.  Myers,  T.  D.  Scott  present 
retary).  Mention  is  here  made  of  some  of  the  men  who 
have  stood  out  prominently  in  the  Church.  This  list  does 
not  pretend^  to  be  complete  or  the  best  that  might  have  been 
selected,  as  the  prominent  names  in  the  Ohio  Conference 
are  many;  nor  is  it  too  strong  an  assumption  to  say  there 
is  no  other  conference  in  the  Connection  so  strong  in  dis- 
tinguished names.  C\;Villiam  Paul  Quinn,  subsequently  Bish- 
op Quinn,  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Ohio  Confer- 
ence. Rev.  Lewis  Woodson  was  the  first  secretary.  Rev. 
David  Smith  commenced  to  proclaim  the  Gospel  first  of  our 
preachers.  Bishop  James  A.  Shorter,  as  an  itinerant  min- 
ister, in  the  year  1857  was  transferred  to  the  Ohio  Annual 
Conferences  Bishop  B.  W.  Arnett  was  received  on  proba- 
tion April  16,  1867,  by  the  Ohio  Annual  Conference  at  Lex- 
ington, Ky.  Bishop  B.  F.  Lee  was  ordained  elder  in  1872,  in 
the  Ohio  Annual  Conference.  -\Revs.  George  Henry  Shaffer 
and  Bishop  Cornelius  Shaffer,  brothers,  enlisted  in  the 
United  States  Army,  September  16,  1864,  and  were  assigned 


343 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


O 


to  the  One  Hundredth  United  States  Infantry^  Grafton  H. 
Graham  and  Phillip  Tolliver  were  known  as  the  silver- 
tongued  orators.  Rev.  Edward  A.  Davis  was  the  first  prin- 
cipal of  Union  Seminary.  Rev.  R.  A.  Johnson  was  endorsed 
by  the  conference  of  1879  for  financial  secretary.  Rev.  W. 
J.  Johnson  introduced  the  resolution.  Rev.  T.  H.  Jackson, 
one  of  the  first  graduates  of  Wilberforce  University,  is  dis- 
tinguished as  a  pastor  and  successful  teacher.  Rev.  John 
G.  Mitchell,  late  dean  of  Payne  Theological  Seminary,  and 
Rev.  S.  T.  Mitchell,  late  presilent  of  Wilberforce  University, 
were  brothers  and  were  both  noted  for  ripe  scholarship. 
Bishop  I.  N.  Ross  was  admitted  to  the  Ohio  Conference  in 
1880  at  Columbus,  Ohio.  Rev.  R.  C.  Ransom  was  admitted 
to  the  Ohio  Conference  at  Cincinnati,  in  1886,  and  transfer- 
red to  the  Pittsburgh  Conference.  Rev.  Joshua  H.  Jones  was 
elected  president  of  Wilberforce  to  succeed  the  late  S.  T. 
Mitchell,  and  in  1912  was  elected  one  of  the  Bishops  of  the 
A.  M.  E.  Church.     (By  T.   D.   Scott,  A.   M.,  historian.) 

Paul  Quinn  College,  Waco,  Tex.,  was  established  in  1881 
by  Bishop  Cain,  Revs.  William  Leak,  W.  R.  Carson, 
J.  V.  Goins  and  others.  Bishop  Cain  served  as  its  first 
president.  Succeeding  presidents  have  been  Revs.  I.  M. 
Burgan  (who  served  three  times),  N.  A.  Banks,  H.  T.  Keal- 
ing,  W.  J.  Laws,  D.  H.  Butler  and  Prof.  J.  K.  Williams  (the 
present  incumbent).  The  courses  given  are  primary,  Eng- 
lish, preparatory,  college,  theological  and  industrial.  There 
are  12  buildings,  20  acres  of  land  with  a  value  of  $131,000, 
being  adjacent  to  the  growing  city  of  Waco:  275  students; 
13  teachers.  Facluty  is :  J.  K.  Williams  (president),  B.  A. 
Jackson,  J.  W.  Rice,  J.  H.  Talton,  Misses  M.  C.  Roberts, 
C.  G.  Kelly  and  M.  E.  Jones,  Mesdames  T.  H.  Smith,  M. 
Jones,  W.  R.  Chapel  and-L.  C.  Flewellen,  and  C.  F.  Holland 
and  W.  L.  Simmons.  There  have  been  118  graduates,  among 
the  most  distinguished  being  Profs.  A.  S.  Jackson  (secretary 
of  education  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church),  J.  I.  Jones,  W.  E.  Day, 
Rev.  W.  D.  Miller,  H.  A.  Carr,  C.  L.  Morgan,  Miss  M.  C. 
Roberts.  The  school  has  no  bonded  debt,  the  same  having 
been  cleared  in  1913,  when  the  educational  rally  brought 
$13,236.98.  The  average  income  is  about  $5,000  per  year,  the 
length  of  the  school  term  nine  months.  Twenty-four  stu- 
dents  are   enrolled   in    the   theological   department. 


Payne  College,  Cuthbert,  Ga.,  is  a  part  of  the  Morris 
Brown  University  System;  was  established  about  1879  by 
Messrs.  Needham  Davenport,  S.  D.  Ethridge  and  Willis 
Stephens,  Sr.,  and  located  on  Andrew  Street,  Cuthbert,  Ga. 
Its  presidents  have  been :  S.  D.  Ethridge,  F.  P.  Pepper,  S. 
S.  Ingram,  W.  H.  Berry,  J.  A.  Kirk,  A.  D.  Delaney,  A.  Rice, 
H.  G.  Pughsley,  J.  H.  Lewis,  J.  M.  Rich,  J.  M.  Simms,  P.  C. 
Williams  and  the  present  incumbent,  A.  B.  Cooper.  The 
courses  are  grammar  school,  normal,  college,  preparatory, 
sewing  and  music;  has  300  students  The  most  distinguish- 
ed of  the  graduates  are  Prof.  D.  J.  Jordan,  Rev.  W.  B.  L. 
Clarke,  Dr.  Joseph  Griffin,  and  W.  B.  Goff.  Its  present  fac- 
ulty is  Prof.  A.  B.  Cooper,  Miss  R.  F.  Smith,  Mrs.  L.  M. 
Nixon,  Mrs.  M.  L.  Maughon  and  Mrs.  A.  B.  Cooper.  There 
are  12  acres,  3  buildings,  all  valued  at  $7,000. 

Payne  Theological  Seminary  was  organized  through  the 
efforts  of  Bishop  Arnett,  who  interested  Rev.  John  G.  Mit- 
chell and  his  wife,  Fannie  A.,  in  the  effort,  secured  the  op- 
tion of  their  place,  and  presented  the  plan  to  Rev.  James  A. 
Handy,  Prof.  J.  P.  Shorter,  Bishops  Gaines,  Lee,  and  Grant, 
who  approved  and  gave  their  hearty  co-operation.  Author- 
ity was  secured  from  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Wilberforce 
University,  June,  1890,  to  consider  the  establishing  of  a 
theological  seminary  at  Wilberforce,  to  be  a  part  of  it, 
but  to  be  controlled  by  a  separate  board  of  managers.  A 
committee  consisting  of  Bishops  Arnett,  Gaines,  Lee  and 
Grant,  Revs.  J.  A.  Handy  and  T.  H.  Jackson,  Prof.  J.  P. 
Shorter,  worked  out  a  plan  which  was  presented  to  the 
trustee  board,  June  18,  1891,  and  after  some  modifications 
was  adopted.  The  name  chosen  was  "Payne  Theological 
Seminary  of  Wilberforce,"  in  honor  of  Bishop  Daniel  Alex- 
ander Payne,  then  senior  bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
The  institution  opened  October,  1891.  Bishop  Payne  was  the 
first  dean  and  Dr.  John  G.  Mitchell  one  of  the  first  teachers. 
In  1893  Dr.  Mitchell  became  dean.  Bishop  Tanner  served 
from  1900  to  1902,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  George  F. 
Woodson,  the  present  dean.  The  seminary  has  reached  an 
enrollment  of  as  many  as  45  students,  many  coming  as 
scholarship  students  from  several  annual  conferences.  Over 
100  young  men  have  been  graduated  from  the  seminary  and 
joined  the  rank  of  the  active  ministry.  The  present  faculty 
is  :  Rev.  George  F.  Wodson,  D.  D.  (dean),  Rev.  T.  H.  Jack- 
son, D.  D.,  Rev.  A.  W.  Thomas,  S.  T.  B.,  and  Rev.  P.  S.  Hill. 
Among  those  who  have  taught  in  this  institution  are  Revs. 
O.  E.  Jones  and  R..  R.  Wright,  Jr. 


PAUL  QUINN  COLLEGE,  WACO,  TEX. 
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GAINES   HALL,   PAYNE   SEMINARY;   SELMA,   ALA. 


Payne  University,  Selma,  Ala.,  was  established  in  1889 
by  the  Alabama  Conferences,  Revs.  J.  S.  Shaw,  W.  H. 
Mixon,  D.  C.  Cothram,  M.  E.  Bryant  and  others  being  most 
active. There  are  11  teachers  and  452  students.  H.  E.  Ar- 
cher   is    president. 


Perfection. — The  term  Christian  Perfection  applies  to 
the  state  of  heart  of  an  individual  in  which  it  is  free  from 
all  sin  or  desire  to  sin,  all  malice,  envy,  jealousy  or  other 
evil  tendencies  and  filled  with  the  love  of  God  and  good 
will  to  all  mankind.  Christian  perfection  does  not  mean 
perfection  of  knowledge,  hence  an  error  of  judgment  is 
not  at  all  contrary  to  the  possession  of  Christian  perfection. 
Nor  is  it  physical  perfection,  but  may  exist  in  one  having 
an  imperfect  body;  nor  does  it  imply  perfection  of  environ- 
ment or  the  freedom  from  temptation,  for  one,  even  as 
Christ,  may  be  tempted,  but  without  sin.  Perfection  is 
synonymous  with  holiness ;  but  not  with  regeneration  or 
sanctification.  Regeneration  is  the  beginning  of  holiness ; 
sanctification  is  the  progression  of  holiness,  and  perfection 
is  the  completion  of  holiness. 


Philadelphia  Annual  Conference. — In  his  "Outlines  of 
History"  Bishop  B.  T.  Tanner  informs  us  that  the  First  An- 
nual Conference  of  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
was  held  in  Philadelphia  in  the  year  of  1817.  Since  Bishop 
Tanner's  historical  statement  remains  undisputed  and  un- 
challenged, the  fact  must  remain  that  in  Philadelphia  and 
in  the  year  indicated  was  the  birth  of  the  Philadelphia  con- 
ference. Unfortunately  for  the  Church  and  Connection, 
the  records  of  their  first  conference  were  lost.  All  that  is 
preserved  to  us  are  the  names  of  those  who  composed 
that  very  important  body.  Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne,  in  his 
semi-centenary,  says :  "Tradition  says  that  besides  Bishop 
Allen,  Rev.  William  Paul  Quinn,  Rev.  Jacob  Tapsico,  Rev. 
Clayton  Durham  were  the  only  itinerants  in  the  Philadel- 
phia District."  Furthermore,  he  claims  that  the  people  of 
Baltimore  united  with  them,  which  persons  held  a  confer- 
ence in  the  year  of  1818.  But  back  of  the  founding  of  the 
Philadelphia  Conference  stood  to  the  credit  of  our  little 
quartet  of  ministerial  leaders  a  period  (from  1787  to  1816) 
of  29  years  of  convert  making,  which  neither  strife  nor 
controversy  could  arrest.  While  Bishop  Payne  informs  us 
that  during  the  first  year  of  our  Church's  existence  there 
were  but  seven  ministers — three  in  Baltimore  and  four  in 
Philadelphia,  he,  at  the  same  time,  informs  us  that  Phil- 
adelphia alone  had  4,000  members.  A  list  of  the  members 
of  Bethel  (the  mother  church),  in  Philadelphia,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1794,  a  period  of  22  years  before  organic  formation, 
showed    108   members    enrolled.    The    total    membership    at 


"MOTHER"    BETHEL    A.    M.    E.    CHURCH 
6th  St.  below  Pine,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


County,    Pa.),    the    oldest    preaching    place    outside    of    the 

mother  church  itself,  had  three  delegates  in  the  convention 

of  1816.     According  to  documents,  in  1822  Rev.  James  John- 

that  time  was  1,071.    Attleborough  (now  Langhorne,  Bucks     son  was  preacher,  Scipio  Brown  treasurer  and  John  Miller 


345 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<g 


TRUSTEE  BOARD  OF  "MOTHER"  BETHEL  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH,    PHILADELPHIA,    PA. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL   BOARD   OF   "MOTHER"    BETHEL   A.    M.   E.   CHURCH,   PHILADELPHIA,   PA. 

First  Row,  left  to  right — David  S.  Mason,  Edward  Bishop,  Miss  Julia  E.  Stanford,  Mrs.  Constance  Coppin,  D.  James 
Mason,  Gertrude  B.  Lee,  Alice  Jacobs,  Charles  Robbins,  John  Beach.  Second  Row,  left  to  right — Sydney  E.  Purnell, 
George  T.  Corson,  Alvin  F.  Polk,  Spencer  Farrell,  Emma  Smith,  Mary  E.  Whittington,  Rena  Potts,  Mary  E.  Mason, 
Annie  Gilbert,  James  W.  Burton,  Moses  G.  Johnson.  Third  Row,  left  to  right — John  E.  Marshall,  Josephine  Saunders, 
Louisa   M.   Banks,   Rosie   Johnson,   Charlotte    Reynolds,   Arrnetta   Johnson,   Ada   Owens,   Lottie   Adams,    Sadie    Moore. 

Barbara   Lee    Saunders. 

346 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Gl 


and  Samuel  Anderson  were  stewards.  The  class  book  for 
the  year  of  1827  gives  the  names  of  32  persons,  and  as  to 
moneys  they  show  the  stewards  of  the  church  at  Attlebor- 
ough  to  have  paid,  July  8,  1822,  $7.31;  July  21,  $1.62;  July  29, 
$2.80.  Says  Bishop  Tanner  in  the  "Outlines"  as  deduced 
from  foregoing  items  concerning  Attleborough :  "While  it 
had  but  few  members  at  that  time,  they  were  very  ener- 
getic." The  "Outlines"  which  is  dated  1884  as  the  time  of 
its  publication,  further  says  of  Attleborough  :  "It  now  (1884) 
forms  one  of  the  preaching  points  of  the  Langhorne  Cir- 
cuit." But  at  the  present  writing  (1916)  it  is  Langhorne 
Station.  Rev.  R.  F.  Wright  is  pastor  and  reported,  May, 
1915,  as  follows:  Conversions,  6;  accessions,  IS;  members, 
193;  probationers,  7;  local  preachers,  3;  missionary  society, 
1;  church,  1;  parsonage,  1;  seating  capacity,  250;  baptisms  8; 
marriages,  2;  deaths,  4;  dollar  money,  $82;  Easter  Day 
money,  $6;  woman's  missionary  collection,  $11.50;  for  educa- 
tion, $25;  Children's  Day,  $4;  Allen  League,  $1;  general  con- 
ference delegate,  $2.50;  minutes,  $2;  pastors'  support,  $826.10; 
presiding  elders'  support,  $40;  presiding  elders'  traveling  ex- 
penses,$l;  Sunday  school — officers,  18;  teachers,  8;  pupils, 
81;  books  in  library,  200;  hymn  books,  150;  lesson  helps,  75; 
collected  for  Sunday-school  purposes,  $140.  Attleborough 
(Langhorne)  is  mentioned  in  this  connection  because  of  its 
ranking  with  the  mother  church  in  seniority  and  the  com- 
parison between  the  figures  of  the  church  for  July,  1822, 
and  those  of  1915,  a  period  of  93  years,  will  give  one  a  fair 
idea  of  the  development  and  work  of  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
ference. After  the  founding  of  the  conference  by  Bishop 
Allen  and  his  assistants  comes  the  formative  period  of  the 


conference.  Perhaps  the  first  25  or  30  years  were  taken 
up  in  forming  the  Church,  (a)  On  its  administrative  side; 
(b)  As  to  its  territorial  expansion.  In  the  first  place  are  the 
contentions  of  Richard  Allen  for  separate  and  distinct  con- 
trol of  the  so-called  African  societies,  the  ownership  of 
their  properties  without  hinderance  secured  through  the 
high  courts  of  Pennsylvania;  the  adoption  of  a  discipline  of 
rules  and  regulations  of  their  own.  The  bishops  succeed- 
ing Richard  Allen  re-affirmed  his  policy  of  government  and 
his  interpretation  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
so  much  so  that  for  a  century  they  have  remained  intact 
and  have  preserved  against  all  schism  and  heresy;  so  much 
so  that  that  the  first  century  of  African  Methodism  closes 
with  the  episcopal  head  of  the  mother  conference ,  and  his 
associates  adhering  as  steadfastly  to  the  administrative  pol- 
icies of  the  fathers  as  they  themselves.  In  the  matter  of 
territorial  expansion  credit  must  be  given  to  the  fathers 
of  the  first  half  of  our  present  century  for  being  surpris- 
ingly aggressive.  The  Philadelphia  Conference  at  one  time 
embraced  not  only  the  territory  which  is  now  known  so 
well,  but  included  a  fair  portion  of  what,  in  1793,  was  known 
upon  the  Gospel  map  as  "the  Island  of  New  Jersey."  The 
founders  of  the  conference  traveled  extensively.  They  and 
their  successors  have  covered  all  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania, 
running  as  far  west  as  Harrisburg,  and  including  the  entire 
Cumberland  Valley,  the  entire  Schuylkill  region  and  all  the 
State  of  Delaware,  and  at  the  close  of  the  century  invade 
to  the  extent  of  at  least  one  new  point  and  a  new  church 
even  in  the  great  State  of  Maryland.  And  so  the  century 
closes   with    107   charges   in   the   conference;   107  active   and 


STEWARDS  OF  BETHEL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA,    PA. 

Charles  H.  Potts  (treasurer),  appointed  July,  1892,  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Heard;  D.  James  Mason  (church  clerk),  ap- 
pointed October  27,  1907,  by  Rev.  M.  W.  Thornton;  John  E.  Marshall,  appointed  October  27,  1908,  by  Rev.  M.  W. 
Thornton;  George  W.  Harmon,  appointed  June  6,  1912,  by  Rev.  M.  W.  Thornton;  Charles  W.  Bell,  appointed  July  9, 
1913,  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Dunlap;  Albert  H.  Marshall,  appointed  July  9,  1913,  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Dunlap ;  Moses  G.  Johnson, 
appointed  July  9,  1913,  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Dunlap;  David  S.  Wooding,  appointed  October  22,  1913,  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Dunlap; 
Elijah  A.  Hamilton,  appointed  October  21,  1914,  by  Rev.  C.  C.  Dunlap. 

347 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


9 


regularly  appointed  ministers  ;  4  presiding  elders  ;  1,899  con- 
versions ;  10,495  members ;  950  probationers ;  121  church 
buildings  ;  51  parsonages ;  pastors'  support  raised  for  one 
year  (1915)  $43,256.18;  presiding  elders'  support,  $4,172.20; 
"pastors'  rent  and  fuel  for  one  year  (1915),  $6,511.46;  the 
same  for  presiding  elders,  $274.10;  traveling  expenses  for 
presiding  elders,  one  year  (1915),  $320.89;  grand  total  paid 
to  and  for  ministers,  pastors  and  presiding  elders,  $54,214.01; 
total  value  of  church  and  Sunday-school  property,  $518,186.- 
25;  dollar  money,  $7,931.55.     No  attempt  in  these  comparisons 


is  made  to  bring  before  you  all  the  items  of  receipt  and 
expenditure  for  the  single  year,  1915,  such  as  missions  in 
which  the  Mite  Missionary  women  alone  under  Mrs.  Emma 
J.  Roberts  raised  over  $2,000  that  year;  nor  Easter  Day 
moneys,  nor  educational  money,  etc.,  etc.  Yet  we  have  sub- 
mitted enough  to  convince  the  most  sceptical  that  it  has 
paid  well  to  organize  the  mother  conference  and  A.  M.  E. 
Connection,  which  started  with  four  ministers  and  desti- 
tute of  revenue.     (By  Rev.  John  M.  Palmer,  historian.) 


HISTORICAL    COMMISSIONERS   OF   "MOTHER"    BETHEL  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH,   PHILADELPHIA,   PA. 
Reading  from  left  to  right  are  as  follows:  Front  Row— William    H.   Owens    (secretary),    Moses    G.   Johnson    (presi- 
dent), Alvin   F.  Polk.     Back  Row— F.  Leonard  Williams,  Sydney    E.    Purnell,    Linton    C.    Fisher    (treasurer),    Nathan    P. 
Stanford. 


ALLEN  ALTAR   GUILD   OF   "MOTHER"   BETHEL   A.   M.    E.    CHURCH,    PHILADELPHIA,    PA. 
First  Row,  left  to  right— Mrs.  Mary  Hardy,  Mrs.  Helena    Webb    (vice    president),    Mrs.    Carrie    Fisher    (president), 
Mrs    Florence   Blackledge.     Second   Row,  standing— Miss   Emma   Monrow,   Miss   Estella   Harrod,   Mrs.  Amelia   Harper, 
Miss  Julia  E.  Stanford  (secretary).    Organized  in  1907  by  Dr.  M.  W.  Thornton. 

348 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Philadelphia,  Pa. — Allen  A.  M.  E.  Church,  located  at  the 
corner  of  Seventeenth  and  Bainbridge  Streets,  was  estab- 
lished in  1873,  the  colored  people  having  increased  in  num- 
bers in  Philadelphia,  necessitating  more  churches.  Con- 
ditions changing,  the  congregation,  members  and  friends 
of  "Mother"  Bethel,  migrated  to  the  western  part  of  the 
city,  and  during  the  administration  of  Rev.  Theodore  Gould, 
at  Bethel  a  church  was  purchased  and  a  society  formed  on 
Lombard  Street,  west  of  Nineteenth,  and  named  Allen  A.  M. 
E.  Chapel,  for  the  accommodation  of  such  as  desired  to  wor- 
ship nearer  home.  There  was  a  difference  in  opinion  among 
the    officers    and    members    of    "Mother"    Bethel    as    to    the 


dollars  was  raised  the  first  year  of  her  existence,  and  she 
was  turned  over  to  the  Philadelphia  Conference  in  1874. 
The  first  pastor  stationed  at  Allen  received  for  salary  and 
house  rent  the  sum  of  $804,  and  five  years  later  Allen  com- 
menced paying  her  pastors  $1,000  per  year.  The  follow- 
ing pastors  have  served  Allen  since  her  organization  :  Revs. 
George  M.  Witten,  Theodore  Gould  (the  founder),  Joseph 
S.  Thompson,  Cornelius  T.  Shaffer  (now  bishop),  Levi  Cop- 
pin  (now  bishop),  William  H.  Heard  (now  bishop),  W.  H. 
Yoecum,  John  C.  Brock,  William  H.  H.  Butler,  J.  J.  Evans, 
John  M.  Palmer,  H.  C.  C.  Astwood,  John  M.  Henderson, 
John    L.    H.    Watkins,    Morris    C.    Brooks    and    the    present 


TRUSTEES  OF  ALLEN  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


yiP 

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iw   \ 

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STEWARDS  OF  ALLEN  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH,   PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


status  of  the  daughter  Allen,  some  claiming  she  should  be 
deeded -to  Betlvel,  others  that  she  should  be  deeded  direct 
to  the  Connection.  The  latter  opinion  prevailed.  Success 
attended  the  church  from  the  beginning.    Three   thousand 


pastor,  W.  Spencer  Carpenter.  Rev.  C.  T.  Shaffer,  during 
his  term  of  four  years,  paid  off  the  debt  on  the  church. 
After  a  short  respite  Rev.  Levi  J.  Coppin  had  a  new  front 
put  in  and  did  other  remodeling,  to  the   extent  of  several 


349 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


thousand  dollars.  Of  the  16  pastors  Allen  has  had,  two 
still  have  local  membership  with  her,  viz.:  Rev.  Theodore 
Gould,  the  founder,  and  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin.  The  church 
grew  gradually  until  the  building  on  Lombard  Street  near 
Nineteenth  was  too  small.  In  March,  1908  (Palm  Sunday), 
under  Rev.  Morris  C.  Brooks,  services  were  held  in  more 
commodious  quarters,  which  had  been  contracted  for  at 
Seventeenth  and  Bainbridge  Streets,  the  present  site,  and 
the  name  was  changed  and  incorporated  as  Allen  Church 
instead  of  Allen  Chapel.  This  was  the  beginning  of  new  life 
for  the   church.     Rev.  Brooks,  who  pastored  six  years,  was 


Frisby,  and  many  others  too  numerous  to  mention,  yet  who 
made  up  in  a  great  part  the  successful  and  loyal  members, 
and  Mrs.  Emma  J.  Roberts,  whose  name  must  forever  be 
recorded  in  the  history  of  new  Allen.  A  few  months  fol- 
lowing the  organization  of  Allen  Church,  its  Sunday  school 
was  set  apart  with  its  quota  of  officers  and  a  small  mem- 
bership, Mr.  William  C.  Banton,  superintendent.  To-day 
Allen  Sunday  School  is  splendidly  organized  under  the  plans 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Sunday-School  Association.  It  has  the 
cradle  roll,  beginners',  primary,  junior  and  intermediate  de- 
partments, also  a  large  main  school  department,  each  meet- 


THE  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  BOARD,  ALLEN  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,   PHILADELPHIA,   PA. 


followed  by  the  present  pastor,  Rev.  W.  Spencer  Carpenter, 
the  youngest  pastor  Allen  has  ever  had.  During  his  five 
years'  administration  the  congregation  has  been  built  up 
and  the  sum  of  $50,000  has  been  raised  with  a  working  mem- 
bership of  less  than  500  people.  In  compiling  history  for 
Allen,  we  must  not  forget  the  women  who  have  prayed  and 
labored  for  her  success.  Among  these  must  be  mentioned 
Mrs.  Caroline  Gould,  wife  of  the  founder,  who  with  him 
stood  personally  responsible  for  the  purchase  of  old  Allen, 
Mrs.    Mary   A.    Campbell,    Mrs.    Mary    Gordon,    Mrs.   James 


ing  in  a  separate  room;  also  teacher  training  classes,  or- 
ganized adult  Bible  class,  a  home  department  and  mothers' 
department.  The  Sunday-School  State  Association  classi- 
fies the  schools  in  three  grades,  the  leading  grade  designated 
as  the  "Front  Line."  Allen  Sunday  School  is  a  "Front 
Line  "  school  There  are  58  officers  and  teachers  in  Allen 
School,  who  ,with  few  exceptions,  are  young  people.  Harry 
H.  Lowber,  the  present  superintendent  has  held  the  position 
for  17  years.  (By  Howard  D.  Gould,  historian  of  Allen 
A.  M.  E.  Church.) 


TRUSTEES  OF  MT.  PISGAH  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA,   PA. 

350 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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STEWARDS,   MT.   PISGAH  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH,   PHILADELPHIA,   PA. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL    BOARD,    MT.    PISGAH,    PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


351 


£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


MT.    PISGAH   CHOIR   ASSOCIATION,   PHILADELPHIA,   PA. 


EVANGELIST,    MT.    PISGAH,    PHILADELPHIA,    PA. 


Philadelphia,   Pa.,   situated   in   the   southeastern   part   of  — Richard    Boardman    and    Joseph    Pilmoor — whom    Wesley 

Pennsylvania    on    the    Delaware    River,    only    a    few    miles  sent,    came    to    Philadelphia    and    St.    George's    Church,    on 

from  the  Atlantic  Coast,  was  founded  hy  William   Penn   in  Fourth  Street,  was  bought.     In   1787  the  colored  people  left 

1682.     The  name  means   "brotherly   love."     The   first   Metho-  St.  George's  under  the  leadership  of  Richard  Allen  and  Ab- 

dist  service  was  held  in   1767  by  Captain  Webb,  who  organ-  salom  Jones.     Out  of  this  grew  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  and 

ized  in  1768  the  first  class  meeting.    In  1769  the  missionaries  St.  Thomas   Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

352 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


3 


INTERIOR  OF  UNION  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA,    PA. 


UNION  A.   M.  E.  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 
Rev.    H.    H.    Cooper,    Pastor. 

Portsmouth,  Va. — Immanuel  A.  M.  E.  Church  was  origin- 
ally the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The  house 
of  worship  was  on  Washington  Street,  east  side,  between 
High  and  King  Streets.  It  has  been  torn  down  to  make 
room  for  a  public  high-school  building.  The  only  colored 
Methodists  in  Portsmouth  then  was  that  congregation,  and 
by  authority  of  a  statement  of  the  late  Vernon  Eskridge, 
who  was  their  pastor,  they  worshipped  in  that  building  pre- 
vious to  1831,  and  how  long  before  he  does  not  say  in  his 
statement,  but  they  worshipped  until  that  year.  The  insur- 
rection, known  as  Nat  Turner's  War,  as  our  fathers  and 
mothers  called  it,  broke  out  in  Southampton  County.  After 
that  they  were  prohibited  from  worshipping  separately. 
They  worshipped  with  the  white  Methodists  at  the  old 
church  on  Glasgow  Street,  between  Court  and  Dinwiddie — 

23 


the  former  building  having  been  sold,  the  colored  people 
occupying  the  galleries.  They  continued  to  do  so  until  1834, 
and  Dinwiddie  Street  Church,  now  Monumental,  being  com- 
pleted, the  white  people  moved  into  it  and  gave  the  old 
building  on  Glasgow  Street  over  entirely  to  the  colored 
people,  with  Rev.  George  M.  Bain,  pastor,  in  1839,  where 
they  continued  to  worship  as  a  separate  congregation,  with 
a  white  pastor,  until  September  26,  1856.  It  was  then  set 
on  fire  and  entirely  consumed,  "the  work,  no  doubt,  of  some 
wicked  hand,"  said  Rev.  Bain,  in  his  historical  sketch.  The 
congregation  with  undaunted  courage  went  to  work,  though 
largely  of  slaves,  and  bought  the  lot  on  which  the  present 


EMANUEL  A.    M.   E.   CHURCH,    PORTSMOUTH,   VA. 
Rev.   E.   H.  HUNTER,   Pastor. 

church  now  stands,  erected  the  present  building  on  it,  which 
was  dedicated  to  the  service  of  the  Almighty  God  the  first 
Sunday  in  November,  1857.  It  was  then  in  the  Virginia  An- 
nual Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 
and  remained  in  said  conference  until  possibly  1871,  when 
it  joined  the  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and  its 
pulpit  was   supplied  by   that   organization   and   received  the 


353 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


e 


name  Immanuel  or  Emanuel,  from  said  A.  M  .E.  Church. 
This  church  is  the  oldest  colored  church  of  any  denomina- 
tion in  Portsmouth  and  the  second  oldest  church  building  in 
this  city  of  any  kind.  Its  membership  is  composed  of  the 
representatives  of  the  oldest  native-born  colored  citizens  of 
Portsmouth  and  new  and  progressive  citizens  who  have 
settled  here  since  the  Civil  War.  The  church  is  practically 
out  of  debt  and  owns  valuable  propert}'  adjoining.  The  par- 
sonage was  built  at  a  cost  of  $3,500  in  1886.  Improvements 
to  a  large  extent  were  made  preparatory  to  the  meeting  of 
the  General  Conference  in  1908  at  Norfolk.  Membership, 
1.258;  probationers,  210;  Sunday-school  scholars,  650;  value 
of  church  property,  $40,000.  The  church  has  been  pastored 
these  last  five  years  and  a  half  by  Rev.  M.  E.  Davis,  who  at 
the  last  conference  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Hunter. 
(By  J.  T.  Wilson.) 

Presiding  Elders  are  ministers  who  have  been  ordained 
elders,  who  are  appointed  by  the  bishop  to  supervise  the 
work  of  a  given  number  of  churches  and  ministers  within 
an  annual  conference.  The  churches  under  his  supervision 
are  called  his  presiding  elder's  district.  Each  annual  con- 
ference has  one  or  more  presiding  elders'  districts,  consist- 
ing of  from  30  charges  but  averaging  12  to  15,  so  as  to 
enable  the  presiding  elder  to  give  a  Sunday  service  to  each 
during  every  quarter.  The  presiding  elder's  duties  are  to 
take  charge  of  all  the  preachers  and  exhorters  in  his  dis- 
trict, to  travel  throughout  the  district,  preside  at  quarterly 
and  district  conferences,  Sunday-school  conventions,  to  see 
that  the  business  of  the  conference  is  conducted  according 
to  the  discipline,  to  change  pastors  in  interval  of  the  con- 
ference where  investigation  shows  such  changes  necessary  ; 
to  keep  the  bishop  informed  of  the  true  status  of  the  work 
of  the  district,  and  to  recommend  to  the  bishop  at  annual 
conference  the  appointments  for  the  charges  he  has  super- 
vised. The  presiding  elder  is  a  sort  of  sub-bishop.  He  rep- 
resents the  bishop  as  the  manager  of  a  department  of  a 
business  represents  the  proprietor.  He  is  a  part  of  the 
cabinet  of  the  bishop  and  should  always  be  in  harmony  with 
the  policy  of  the  bishop.  The  office  of  presiding  elder  ori- 
ginated in  American  Methodism  through  the  necessity  of 
having  an  elder  to  consecrate  the  Lord's  Supper.  At  the 
beginning  of  the  Church  in  1784  there  were  only  12  elders 
among  the  people.  These  were  distributed  so  as  to  aid  the 
preachers  at  different  points.  In  1801  the  churches  under 
these  elders  were  called  districts  and  the  elders  presiding 
elders.  In  1802  the  annual  conferences  were  divided  into 
presiding  elders'  districts.  In  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  there 
were  no  presiding  elders  at  first,  and  for  a  long  time  no 
need  of  any;  but  as  the  Church  grew  the  need  increased. 
The  question  of  presiding  elders  was  brought  to  the  general 
conference  of  1848  by  a  committee,  of  which  Rev.  D.  A. 
Payne  was  chairman,  but  was  defeated  by  vote  of  48  to  33 ; 
again  the  consideration  of  the  subject  was  defeated  in  1852 
by  a  vote  of  64  to  18;  in  1856  it  was  indefinitely  postponed, 
but  in  1868  it  was  permitted  for  such  annual  conferences  as 
cared  to  adopt  the  presiding  eldership.  But  not  for  many 
years  was  it  adopted  in  all  the  conferences.  To-day  it  is 
universally  used  throughout  the  Church,  yet  in  some  sec- 
tions, particularly  in  cities,  it  is  not  as  effective  as  formerly, 
or  as  desirable.  The  presiding  elder's  salary  is  fixed  by  the 
discipline  at  $1,250  per  year  and  house  rent  and  fuel,  to  be 


paid  by  the  churches  of  his  district  according  to  an  appor- 
tionment made  by  the  annual  conference.  This  salary,  how- 
ever, is  not  paid  in  full  as  a  rule,  and  the  presiding  elder, 
like  the  pastor,  gets  pay  according  to  his  acceptability  with 
the  people   and   the   strength   of   his   district. 

Probationers  are  members  on  trial.  In  our  Church  per- 
sons who  profess  saving  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  or  express  a 
desire  to  be  saved  from  sin  may  be  received  as  members  on 
trial  or  probation,  probation  being  a  term  during  which  they 
are  tried  and  instructed.  They  are  assigned  to  a  class  and 
instructed  in  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  Church  and 
led  into  deeper  experiences  of  a  Christian  life.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  three  (formerly  six)  months  the  period  of  pro- 
bation expires.  If  then  their  knowledge  and  conduct  war- 
rant, they  are  made  full  members.  If  not  they  are  dropped. 
This  is  the  law,  but  the  period  of  probation  is  not  as  highly 
regarded  as  formerly.  In  our  annual  conferences  there  is  a 
period  of  two  years'  probation  for  young  ministers,  who  are 
at  first  admitted  on  trial.  After  passing  the  studies  for  the 
first  and  second  years  and  showing  aptitude  for  the  minis- 
try they  are  admitted  to  full  connection.  During  the  period 
of  probation   they  may  be  dropped  without   explanation. 

Quarterly  Conferences  are  meetings  which  are  held  in  every 
charge  once  every  three  months,  or  four  times  every  year, 
at  a  time  appointed  by  the  presiding  officer.  The  mem- 
bers of  this  meeting  are  the  traveling  preachers  (including 
general  officers)  on  the  circuit  or  station,  local  preachers, 
exhorters,  stewards,  stewardesses,  class  leaders,  deaconesses, 
evangelists,  superintendent  of  Sunday  school  and  president 
of  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League  and  missionary  socie- 
ties. At  the  quarterly  conference  the  presiding  elder  is 
chairman,  appeals  are  heard,  licenses  to  preach  and  exhort 
given  and  renewed,  written  reports  are  made  of  accessions, 
expulsions,  withdrawals,  baptisms,  marriages,  deaths,  etc., 
showing  the  status  of  the  membership  for  three  months ; 
also  reports  showing  the  financial  condition  of  the  Church 
in  all  its  activities,  including  the  trustees'  department,  also 
reports  of  collections  for  general  purposes  and  subscriptions 
for  Church  periodicals,  and  such  other  business  may  be 
transacted  which  in  the  opinion  of  the  presiding  elder  and 
conference  may  be  deemed  necessary.  Quarterly  confer- 
ences are  held  as  a  rule  at  night  during  the  week. 

Quarterly  Conference  Journal  is  a  record  book  furnish- 
ed by  the  Book  Concern,  Philadelphia,  in  which  are  kept 
each  quarter  the  proceedings  of  the  quarterly  conferences. 
One  of  these  lasts  five  years,  and  should  be  kept  by  every 
church   as    a   matter   of   history. 

Quarterly  Meetings  have  no  definition  in  the  discipline 
of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  The  term  is  applied,  as  a  rule,  to 
the  religious  service  conducted  by  the  presiding  elder  the 
Sunday  before  or  after  the  business  session  of  the  quarterly 
conference.  The  presiding  elder  preaches,  or  some  one 
designated  by  him;  the  Lord's  Supper  is  served,  members 
from  all  the  points  on  the  circuit  and  from  nearby  charges 
are  usually  present,  and  the  time  is  usually  one  of  deep, 
spiritual    fervor. 


BETHEL    OFFICERS,    QUINCY,    ILL. 
Rev.  G.  T.  Shaw,  Pastor. 

354 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


9 


Quincy,  III.— Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church.— In  1859,  among  the 
very  few  colored  people  in  Quincy  ,111.,  a  "Union  Church" 
was  organized  under  the  name  of  "Little  Zion  African 
Methodist  Church."  The  first  trustees  were:  William  Carr, 
James  Toles  and  Isaac  Jenkins.  Out  of  Little  Zion  Church 
grew  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Some  of  the  pastors  who' 
have  served  since  August,  1863,  are:  Revs.  Black,  Henry 
Brown,  George  C.  Boothe,  E.  C.  Joiner,  T.  W.  Henderson, 
B.  F.  Watson,  P.  C.  Cooper,  Henry  Simons  and  the  present 
pastor.  Rev.  George  T.  Shaw.  The  church  has  a  member- 
ship now  of  364,  a  good  Sabbath  school  of  84  scholars.  Sun- 
day-school teachers  and  officers  are  as  follows :  Mr.  Cecil 
Peach,  superintendent;  Edgar  Harris,  assistant  superinten- 
dent; Frank  Johnson,  secretary;  Mrs.  Cora  Marshall,  treas- 
urer; Gladys  Watts,  organist;  teachers:  Rev.  George  T. 
Shaw,  Frances  Monroe,  Mrs.  George  Marshall,  Miss  Estelle 
Zimmerman,  Miss  B.  L.  Dyson,  Mrs.  Susie  B.  Shaw.  Mrs. 
Mattie  Lillye,  Miss  Martha  Edwards.  Miss  Grace  Ball  and 
Mrs.  Lona  Watts  are  the  presidents  of  the  Senior  and  Junior 
Allen  Christian  Endeavor  Leagues,  respectively.  (By  Ed- 
ward Johnson,  secretary  of  the  trustee  board.) 

Review,  The  A.  M.  E.  Church,  a  quarterly  literary  maga- 
zine, of  about  100  pages;  first  authorized  by  the  general  con- 
ference of  1884,  Dr.  B.  T.  Tanner,  the  moving  spirit  in  bring- 
ing it  forward,  was  its  first  editor  and  set  the  high  standard 
which  succeeding  editors  have  endeavored  to  maintain.  In 
1888  Dr.  Tanner,  who  was  elected  to  the  bishopric,  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Dr.,  now  Bishop,  Levi  J.  Coppin,  who  served  until 
May,  1896,  when  Professor  H.  T.  Kealing,  then  of  Texas, 
was  chosen.  Prof.  Kealing  served  until  May,  1912,  when 
Dr.  Reverdy  C.  Ransom,  the  present  editor,  was  elected. 
The  A.  M.  E.  Church  Review  has  a  unique  distinction.  While 
founded  by  a  religious  denomination  it  has  never  sought  to 
be  denominational.  It  has  always  been,  and  is  now,  a  vehicle 
of  expression  for  the  best  thought  of  the  highest  scholarship 
of  the  race  in  every  department  of  human  knowledge. 

Salaries. — The  early  ministers  in  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  had 
stated  salaries.  They  gave  service  and  people  gave  as 
they  were  able.  At  the  general  conference  in  1832  we  find 
that  the  allowance  made  for  unmarried  preachers  was  $80 
per  year  and  traveling  expenses  ;  for  married  preachers,  $120 
and  traveling  expenses;  for  the  bishop  $25  for  every  confer- 
ence held,  and  traveling  expenses.  The  junior  bishop  got 
nothing  but  traveling  expenses.  Bishops  also  served  as  pas- 
tors, and  received  regular  pastors'  salaries.  In  1836  the 
salaries  were  raised  to  $100  and  traveling  expenses  for  un- 
married preachers  and  to  $140  and  fuel  and  board  for  family 
and  traveling  expenses  for  the  married  preacher;  $300  per 
year  and  traveling  expenses  and  $25  for  every  conference 
held  for  the  bishop.  The  junior  bishop  got  only  traveling 
expenses  when  he  attend  conferences  at  the  request  of  the 
senior  bishop.  In  1840  the  allowance  for  unmarried  preach- 
ers was  raised  to  $125  and  of  married  to  $200  and  the  bishop 
to  $500  with  traveling  expenses,  board  and  fuel  as  before. 
In  1840  we  have  the  pay  for  the  book  steward  set  by  the 
general  conference  as  $150  per  year  and  six  per  cent,  of  the 
sales.  In  1844  the  bishop  was  allowed  the  same  $25  for 
each  conference,  and  if  he  did  not  have  an  appointment  of 
a  church,  $200  per  year  if  married,  with  board,  fuel  and 
house  rent  for  family,  and  $125  and  board  if  single.  All 
bishops  were  put  on  the  same  salary  basis.  In  1856  bishops 
and  married  preachers  were  allowed  $200  with  board  for 
wife  and  children  (12  years  of  age),  house  rent,  fuel  and 
traveling  expenses,  while  the  unmarried  were  allowed  $125. 
In  1880  the  bishops  got  $1,800  and  traveling  expenses.  In 
1884  the  salary  of  active  bishops  was  made  $2,000  per  annum 
the  salary  of  active  bishops  was  made  $2,000  per  annum 
and  superannuated  bishops  $1,000.  General  officers  were 
paid  $1,350  per  annum  since  1888,  except  that  in  1896  the 
financial  secretary  was  give  $1,500.  In  1904  the  bishops  were 
give  $500  extra  for  traveling  expenses  and  episcopal  resi- 
dences, and  the  salary  of  superannuated  bishops  was  put  at 
$1,200.  In  1912  the  effective  bishop  was  given  $2,500  and 
traveling  expenses  and  the  ineffective  bishops  $1,250.  In 
1916  the  same  salary  was  allowed  and  an  allowance  of  $100 
for  each  conference  held,  to  be  paid  by  the  conference. 

Scranton,  Pa. — Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  was  organized 
in  1876,  but  the  records  of  the  Church  that  far  back  are  not 
extant.     The    oldest    record    is    that   the   A.    M.    E.    Sunday 


school  was  organized  March  23,  1884,  with  the  following 
persons:  Rev.  C.  H.  Brown,  chairman;  W.  H.  Johnson,  su- 
perintendent; Cephas  E.  Scott,  assistant;  B.  F.  Burgett, 
secretary;  Miss  L.  Bradley,  librarian;  Wiley  Cole,  treas- 
urer; John  A.  Walker,  teacher  of  Bible  class;  and  Mrs.  Mary 
E.  Burgett.  From  this  beginning  can  be  traced  for  several 
years  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  of  Scranton,  which  was  con- 
ducted as  a  mission  and  largely  financed  by  the  charitably 
inclined  white  people  of  Scranton,  many  of  whom  acted 
as  teachers  and  officers  in  the  Sunday  school,  there  being 
very  few  colored  people  in  the  city  at  that  time.  During 
1884  a  permanent  organization  was  formed  by  Rev.  C.  H. 
Brown,  and  it  erected  what  was  known  as  The  Howard 
Place  A.  M.  E.  Church  and  Parsonage.  The  building  com- 
mittee was  composed  of  Messrs  J.  J.  Albright,  Alexander 
and  James  P.  Dickson  (white),  John  W.  Dorsey,  George  W. 
Brown,  John  A.  Walker  and  Cephas  E.  Scott.  Brothers 
Dorsey  and  Brown  have  been  on  the  official  board  of  this 
church  ever  since.  Brothers  Albright,  Dickson,  Scott  and 
Walker  have  passed  away.  This  church  was  formally  dedi- 
cated by  Bishop  Campbell,  February  14,  1886,  and  since  that 
time  has  been  pastored  by  the  following  ministers:  Revs. 
C.  H.  Brown,  W.  H.  Pride,  A.  R.  Palmer,  Richard  Tanner, 
H.  A.  Grant,  A.  Smothers,  C.  A.  McGee,  J.  M.  Gilmere,  D.  S. 
Bentley,  N.  D.  Temple,  S.  P.  West,  H.  C.  C.  Astwood,  George 
T.  Smith  and  Rev.  G.  W.  Williams.  The  most  definite  steps 
of  progress  have  been  made  since  1909,  when  Rev.  George 
T.  Smith,  D.  D.,  was  appointed  pastor  by  Bishop  Derrick 
with  instructions  to  build  a  new  place  of  worship  to  ade- 
quately meet  the  needs  of  the  people.  Rev.  Smith,  in  the 
winter  of  1910,  with  the  officers  and  congregation,  purchased 
a  lot  on  Washington  Avenue  for  $4,500.  In  1911  the  church 
was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  "Bethel  African  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  of  Scranton,  Pa.."  In  1912  a  beauti- 
ful brick  church  building  with  lecture  room  and  kitchen, 
pastor's  study,  modern  in  every  detail,  was  erected,  cost- 
ing about  $23,000,  with  a  membership  of  less  than  150,  and 
a  congregation  of  less  than  500  persons  to  draw  from.  But 
the  charitably  inclined  white  people  aided  as  in  the  past 
and  made  possible  this  splendid  edifice  by  their  liberal  con- 
trbutions.  Bethel  Church  was  dedicated  on  April  6,  1913, 
by  Bishop  C.  T.  Shaffer,  assisted  by  Rev.  T.  J.  Askew,  D.  D., 
presiding  elder;  Presiding  Elder  Murdock,  of  the  M.  E. 
Church;  Dr.  Griffith  Bull,  pastor  of  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  Scranton  ;  Rev.  Thomas  Payne,  pastor  of  the  Uni- 
versalist  Church,  Scranton;  Rev.  P.  J.  Blackburn,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre;  Rev.  A.  Q.  Norton  and  Rev.  J.  M.  Henderson,  of 
Pittston,  Pa.  The  church  was  dedicated  with  an  indebted- 
ness of  about  $14,850,  which  was  in  the  shape  of  three- 
months'  notes.  In  October,  1914,  Rev.  G.  W.  Williams,  D.  D., 
was  appointed  to  this  charge,  and  at  once  took  up  the  work 
necessary  to  make  possible  a  successful  administration. 
From  October  to  January  1  was  largely  spent  in  acquainting 
himself  with  the  conditions  in  connection  with  the  church 
debt  and  learning  the  details  of  this  charge.  In  January, 
1915,  a  three-weeks'  revival  service,  Rev.  J.  L.  Jackson  as- 
sisting the  pastor,  resulted  in  about  40  converts.  Rev.  Wil- 
liams then  started  out  to  raise  $6,000  in  a  May  rally, 
promising  if  the  Church  would  raise  $2,000  that  he  would 
raise  $4,000.  May  16  the  amount  turned  in  from  this  rally 
was  $5,811.28,  the  pastor  raising  $4,091  of  this  amount.  In 
the  first  year  of  Rev.  Williams's  administration  the  debt  was 
reduced  to  $10,409.75.  This  has  been  arranged  and  secured 
by  mortgage  for  five  years  with  the  Anthracite  Trust  Com- 
pany, of  Scranton.  In  1916  Rev.  Williams  is  serving  his 
second  year  at  this  church,  and  by  reason  of  his  executive 
ability  and  earnest  devotion  he  has  gained  the  good  will 
of  the  people  of  Scranton.  Mrs.  Williams,  the  pastor's 
wife,  takes  an  active  part  in  every  movement  for  the  uplift 
and  betterment  of  church  conditions  and,  like  her  husband, 
is  held  in  the  highest  esteem. 

The  trustees'  board  is  composed  of  the  following: 
George  W.  Brown  (treasurer),  John  W.  Dorsey,  Festus  A. 
Crump,  James  A.  Carter,  Elisha  R.  Johnson,  John  T.  King, 
William  H.  Crampton,  H.  A.  Patterson  and  Lewis  E.  Morton 
(secretary).  The  stewardesses  are  Mrs.  Charlotte  Scott, 
Mrs.  Amy  Brown,  Mrs.  Pattie  Patterson,  Mrs.  Elnora  Lane, 
Mrs.  Carrie  E.  Jackson,  Mrs.  Jeneva  S.  Plater,  Mrs.  Hattie 
Howard  (secretary),  Mrs.  Louisa  Dorsey,  and  Mrs.  Fannie 
Foster.  The  stewards  are:  G.  W.  Brown,  G.  D.  Dickerson, 
L.  E.  Morton,  J.  L.  Conners,  H.  R.  Smith,  J.  W.  Jackson, 
J.  C.  Foster,  M.  B.  Howard  and  Thomas  E.  Howes  (secre- 
tary). 


355 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


a 


ST.   PHILLIPS  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH,   SAVANNAH,   GA. 
Rev.  R.  H.  Singleton,  Pastor. 


Senior  Bishop,  The,  is  the  active  bishop  who  has  given 
longest  service  as  bishop  and  who  serves  as  president  of 
the  Bishops'  Council.  There  have  been  seven  senior  bish- 
ops: Richard  Allen  from  the  time  of  his  election,  1816,  to 
his  death.  1831;  Morris  Brown,  1831-49;  William  Paul  Quinn, 
1849-73;  Daniel  A.  Pavne,  1873-93;  A.  W.  Wayman,  1893-5; 
H.  M.  Turner,  1895-1915;  B.  F.  Lee,  1915  to  date. 

Shorter  College,  Argenta,  Ark.,  is  the  outgrowth  of 
"Bethel  Institute,"  started  in  the  basement  of  Bethel  A.  M. 
E.  Church,  Little  Rock.  Ark.,  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Howard  and  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  A.  Lankford,  the  first  instructor.  It  was  opened 
May,  1886.  In  1891  it  was  removed  to  Arkadelphia.  In  De- 
cember, 1892,  the  name  was  changed  to  Shorter  College.  In 
1898  the  school  was  transferred  to  Argenta.  Many  have 
been  the  changes  in  its  faculties  owing  to  its  struggles. 
Among  those  who  have  served  as  president  are  Profs.  J.  T. 
Bailey,  A.  D.  Delaney,  J.  K.  Rector,  S.  T.  Boyd,  B.  W.  Arnett, 
Jr.,  T.  H.  Jackson,  F.  T.  Vinegar,  J.  A.  M.  Johns,  P.  W.  Walls, 
A.  H.  Hill,  O.  L.  Moody  and  William  Byrd,  the  present  presi- 
dent. The  departments  are  theological,  collegiate,  normal, 
English,  musical,  sewing  and  printing.  Last  year  there 
were  267  students  and  12  teachers.  There  have  been  62 
graduates,  the  most  distinguished  of  whom  is  Bishop  J.  M. 
Conner.  There  are  three  buildings,  three  acres  of  ground 
and  property  valued  at  $20,000.  The  term  is  eight  months. 
There  were  10  theological  students  last  year.  Bishop  J.  M. 
Conner  is  at  present  chancellor  of  the  institution  and  pres- 
ident  of   the   board. 

South  Carolina  Conference. — Shortly  after  the  war  Bish- 


The  South  Carolna  Conference  was  duly  organized  May  15, 
1865,  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  missionaries  went  from  the 
seaboard  to  the  mountains,  preaching  in  the  open  under 
bush  arbors  and  anywhere  else  they  could  get  a  hearing, 
and  organizing  churches.  The  work  prospered  from  the  very 
beginning;  and  February,  1878,  the  conference  meeting  in 
Georgetown,  S.  C,  Bishop  John  M.  Brown,  presiding,  had 
grown  so  large  and  unweildv  that  the  bishop  recommended 
a  division.  The  upper  part  of  the  State  took  the  name  of 
the  Columbia  Annual  Conference.  This  conference  was  set 
apart  with  89  appointments,  leaving  the  South  Carolina  Con- 
ference with  72  appointments.  The  first  session  (after  di- 
vision) of  the  Columbia  (South  Carolina)  Conference  was 
held  in  Miller's  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Newberry,  S.  C, 
Tanuarv  17,  1879,  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown  presiding.  Rev.  S.  C. 
Gooselv,  secretary,  with  M.  M.  Mance  and  H.  D.  Edwards, 
assistants.  T.  C.  Devlin,  F.  J.  Goings,  I.  W.  Johnson,  K.  H. 
Harris,  J.  G.  W.  Edmunds  and  J.  D.  Boston  were  admitted, 
and  T.  W.  Haigler  and  J.  D.  Boston  were  ordained  deacons, 
and  Simeon  Beard,  elder.  The  following  were  appointed  to 
preach  at  the  next  conference:  Annual  sermon,  D.  S.  Rice; 
missionary  sermon,  J.  E.  McKnight;  baptismal  sermon,  Rev. 
C.  P.  Nelson;  on  educated  ministry,  Felix  Torrence;  on  Holy 
Trinity,  S.  C.  Goosley.  The  appointments  at  this  first  con- 
ference were  as  follows:  Columbia  District,  Rev.  H.  Young, 
presiding  elder— Columbia  Station,  Rev.  George  Dardis; 
Winnsboro  Station,  Rev.  Felix  Torrence;  Newberry  Station, 
Rev  M.  M.  Mance;  Waterloo  Circuit,  Rev.  E.  J.  Perrin ; 
Colurnbia  Mission,  Rev.  J.  H.  Williams;  Saluda  Circuit,  Rev. 
E.  P,  Andrews;  Laurens  Circuit,  Rev.  K.  H.  Harris;  Long 
Town,  Rev.  A.  A.  Moore;  Lexington,  Rev.  Isaac  Cook;  Mt. 
Pleasant,   Rev.    Prince   Dickerson ;    Scuffletown,   Rev.   James 


op  Payne  and  a  few  others  went  to  South  Carolina  for  the       Jackson;'  Gadsden,  George   P.   Randolph;   Spartanburg,  Rev 
purpose  of  beginning  the  work  of  the  African  M.  E.  Church.      Manson  Williams;  Mt.  Zion,  Rev.  J.  G.  Toomer;  Union  and 

356 


B 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3 


SHORTER    COLLEGE,    ARGENTA,    ARK. 


Ebenezer  Circuit,  Rev.  Mato  Latta ;  Leesville,  Rev.  John  S. 
Martin ;  Monticello,  Rev.  D.  Glenn ;  Fingerville,  Rev.  Mc- 
Lain.  Abbeville  District,  Rev.  J.  T.  Baker,  presiding  elder — 
Abbeville  Station,  Rev.  S.  H.  Jefferson;  Cokesbury  Circuit, 
Rev.  C.  P.  Nelson;  Abbeville  Circuit,  Rev.  W.  T.  Burgess; 
Due  West,  Rev.  William  Cothran  ;  Prosperity,  Rev.  J.  W. 
Lykes ;  Greenwood,  Rev.  D.  H.  Allen ;  Harrisburg,  Rev.  G. 
W.  Marshall;  Mt.  Carmel,  Rev.  J.  H.  Keitt ;  Ninety-Six,  Rev. 
E.  D.  Perrin ;  St.  John,  Rev.  H.  B.  Pressley;  Warrenton 
Circuit,  Rev.  S.  R.  Wilson;  Western  Circuit,  Rev.  R.  C.  Irvin ; 
Eastern  Circuit,  Rev.  Joseph  Bedenbaugh ;  Pendleton,  Rev. 
P.  Hammitt ;  Newberry  Circuit,  Rev.  N.  Chiles;  Eastern 
Mission,  Rev.  Louis  Clay;  Seneca  City,  Rev.  G.  J.  Fair; 
Greenville  Mission,  Rev.  G.  T.  Strickland;  Lowndesville, 
Rev.  Joseph  Richardson  ;  Western  Circuit,  Rev.  I.  M.  Gillens. 
Sumter  District,  Rev.  David  Pickett,  presiding  elder — Sum- 
ter Station,  Rev.  E.  D.  Spearman  ;  Bishopville  Circuit,  Rev. 
P.  M.  Hartwell;  Centerboro,  Rev.  Z.  T.  Blake;  Rocky  Bluff, 
Rev.  T.  F.  Harper;  Player's  Cross  Roads,  Rev.  F.  Goings; 
Manning  Station,  Rev.  A.  Weston  ;  Plowden  and  Salem,  Rev. 
A.  Coasey;  St.  James  Circuit,  Rev.  Samuel  Cantey;  Mt. 
Pleasant,  Rev.  W.  H.  Smth  ;  Friendship  and  Bethel,  Rev.  R. 
Harvin  ;  Society  Hill  Circuit,  Rev.  Israel  McGowan  ;  Reese- 
ville,  Rev.  F.  S.  Bradford;  Mt.  Holly,  Rev.  J.  G.  W.  Edmunds, 
Mayesville,  Rev.  A.  E.  Gregory.  Aiken  District,  Rev.  W.  M. 
Thomas,  presiding  elder;  Aiken  Station,  Rev.  S.  Beard; 
Hamburg,  Rev.  J.  E.  McKnight;  Fort  Motte,  Rev.  I.  S. 
Grant;  Louisville,  Rev.  S.  W.  Hazel;  Mt.  Moriah,  Rev.  J.  H. 
Wallace  ;  Edgefield,  Rev.  R.  M.  Andrews ;  Bull  Swamp,  Rev. 
London  Lawrence;  St.  Matthews,  Rev.  L.  S.  Prioleau ; 
Branchville,  Rev.  T.  W.  Haigler ;  Poplar,  Rev.  S.  Johnson; 
Felderville,  Rev.  J.  S.  Parker;  Mt.  Zion,  Rev.  William  Do- 
zier;  Upper  Edgefield,  Rev.  D.  Harris.  Statesburg  District, 
Rev.  S.  C.  Gooseley,  presiding  elder — Statesburg  and  Cam- 
den, Rev.  H.  D.  Edwards  ;  St.  Philip  and  St.  Paul,  Rev.  James 
White;  Antioch  and  Fair  Grove,  Rev.  E.  E.  Harrell;  Bell 
Mission,  Rev.  R.  Jones;  Providence,  Rev.  A.  Montgomery; 
High  Hill,  Rev.  S.  Williams;  Orange  Hill,  Rev.  Thomas 
Brown;  New  Hope,  Rev.  Charles  Bracy;  Fulton  and  Zion 
Circuit,  Rev.  A.  W.  Pinckney;  Summerton  Circuit,  Rev.  S. 
Johnson ;  Martin's  Cross  Roads,  Rev.  W.  Rankin ;  Rattle- 
snake Mission,  Rev.  M.  Abraham. 

At  this  conference  there  were  reported  21,331  members  ; 
7,381  probationers ;  298  local  preachers ;  181  exhorters ;  181 
churches,  valued  at  $62,300;  parsonages,  29,  valued  at  $9,405; 


contingent  money,  $139.60;  dollar  money,  $757.50;  presiding 
elders'  support,  $3,051.60;  pastors'  support,  $16,645.84.  The 
second  session  was  held  in  Bethel  Church,  Columbia,  S.  C, 
December  10,  1879,  Bishop  John  M.  Brown  presiding.  S.  C. 
Goosely  was  elected  secretary,  with  I.  B.  Smith  and  S.  H. 
Jefferson  assistants.  Rev.  G.  W.  Bryant  was  transferred  to 
this  conference  from  the  Louisiana  Conference.  Admis- 
sions: R.  E.  Wall,  I.  B.  Smith,  H.  Long,  G.  W.  Prioleau 
and  I.  S.  Lee.  Ordinations  :  Deacons — W.  H.  Smith,  J.  S. 
Parker,  P.  Hammitt,  G.  I.  Fair,  B.  F.  Martin,  T.  F.  Harper, 
H.  Boston,  I.  B.  Smith,  T.  C.  Develin,  A.  W.  Pinckney  and 
John  F.  Jackson ;  Elders— D.  H.  Allen,  G.  H.  Brown,  J. 
Montgomery,  J.  W.  Lykes,  N.  Smothers  and  John  Jackson. 
Deaths  :  J.  S.  Martin.  Delegates  to  the  general  conference 
of  1880:  Revs.  S.  H.  Jeflerson,  M.  M.  Mance,  W.  M.  Thomas, 
George  Dardis,  D.  Pickett,  H.  Young,  H.  D.  Edwards  and 
S.  C.  Goosley.  To  preach  at  next  conference  :  Annual  ser- 
mon, E.  D.  Spearman;  missionary  sermon,  S.  H.  Jefferson; 
educational  sermon,  R.  E.  Wall.  Presiding  elders:  David 
Pickett,  W.  M.  Thomas,  J.  T.  Baker,  F.  Torrence,  H.  Young, 
S.  C.  Gooseley.  Rev.  E.  H.  Gourdine  transferred  to  the 
South  Carolina  Conference  and  Rev.  B.  F.  Martin  to  the 
Baltimore  Conference.  Members,  27,510;  probationers,  7,562; 
local  preachers,  292;  exhorters,  205;  churches,  197;  value  of 
churches,  $85,400;  parsonages,  31;  value  of  parsonages,  $10,- 
937;  dollar  money,  $1,081.36;  contingent  money,  $155.48;  home 
and  foreign  missions,  $66.  The  third  session  convened  in 
Mt.  Pisgah  Church,  Sumter,  S.  C,  December  8,  1880.  Bishop 
Dickerson  presided;  I.  B.  Smith,  S.  H.  Jefferson  and  C.  P. 
Nelson  were  elected  as  secretaries.  Rev.  B.  F.  Porter  was 
transferred  to  the  conference  from  the  South  Carolina  Con- 
ference. Admissions :  J.  D.  Warley,  E.  Williams,  I.  R.  Ir- 
vin, G.  M.  Holland,  J.  R.  Martin,  D.  R.  Edwards,  G.  J.  Ham- 
ilton, A.  E.  Trapp  and  B.  W.  Boone.  Ordinations  :  deacons — ■ 
J.  F.  Goings,  K.  H.  Harris,  J.  G.  W.  Edmunds  and  Alex. 
Christie  ;  elders —  T.  W.  Haigler,  A.  E.  Gregory  and  W.  T. 
Burgess.  Transfers :  Rev.  G.  W.  Prioleau  to  Wilberforce 
University  and  Rev.  I.  S.  Lee  to  Howard  University.  Pre- 
siding elders :  D.  Pickett,  S.  H.  Jefferson,  F.  Torrence,  H. 
Young,  W.  M.  Thomas,  A.  Weston.  Finances :  Contingent 
money,  $88.93;  dollar  money,  $1,194.65;  pastors'  support,  %23,- 
485;  presiding  elders'  support,  $4,118.71.  The  fourth  session 
met  in  Wayman  Chapel,  Winnsboro,  S.  C,  December  7,  1881, 
Bishop  Dickerson  presiding;  I.  B.  Smith,  C.  P.  Nelson  and  R.  E. 
Wall,  secretaries.    Annual  sermon  preached  by  the  Rev.  J. 

357,    •/ 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


W.  Lykes.  Transferred  to  the  conference:  E.  H.  Wilson, 
H.  T.  Johnson  and  E.  P.  Greenage.  General  officers  present : 
Drs.  B.  W.  Arnett,  financial  secretary;  B.  F.  Watson,  secre- 
tary of  education;  J.  M.  Townsend,  missionary  secretary; 
Theodore  Gould,  business  manager.  Deaths :  Revs.  S.  J. 
Perrin,  Samuel  Wideman  and  M.  M.  Mance.  Ordinations : 
deacons — R.  F.  Wall,  G.  W.  Prioleau  and  H.  Long;  elders — 
Revs.  J.  S.  Parker,  P.  Hammitt,  G.  I.  Fair,  I.  W.  Johnson, 
George  Ferguson,  T.  F.  Harper,  I.  B.  Smith,  W.  H.  Smith, 
E.  H.  Wilson,  Z.  T.  Blake,  L.  D.  Clay,  A.  A.  Moore,  John  F. 
Jackson  and  H.  McCutcheon.  Admissions  :  R.  S.  Campbell, 
W.  D.  Chappelle,  William  Gary,  J.  B.  Payton,  H.  E.  Lewis, 
N.  W.  Edwards,  C.  L.  Archey,  W.  C.  Johnson,  J.  J.  Johnson. 
Rev.  J.  S.  Parker  was  transferred  to  the  North  Carolina 
Conference,  and  Dr.  H.  T.  Johnson  to  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
ference. Finances:  dollar  money,  $1772.40;  home  and  for- 
eign missions,  $61.55;  membership,  23,915;  local  preachers, 
246;  exhorters,  198;  probationers,  4,858;  number  of  churches, 
204;  value,  $91,631;  parsonages,  41;  value,  $15,574.  The  fifth 
session  met  in  Trinity  Church,  Spartanburg,  S.  C,  December 
6,  1882,  Bishop  Dickerson  presiding;  secretaries,  Revs.  I.  B. 
Smith,  R.  E.  Wall  and  J.  G.  Sampson.  Admissions  on  trial: 
D.   M.   McGill,   B.  J.   Ramsey,  James   Williams,  J.   S.   Perrin, 

D.  C.  Calhoun,  C.  W.  Foster,  G.  K.  Lyles  and  A.  Isaacs.  Or- 
dinations :  deacons — J.  H.  Jones,  J.  G.  Sampson,  I.  R.  Miller, 
B.  W.  Boone,  G.  J.  Hamilton,  A.  E.  Trapp,  Jesse  Taylor, 
Samuel  Bonds,  E.  Williams,  D.  R.  Edwards,  C.  L.  Archey, 
R.  Gamon,  W.  H.  Smith,  R.  S.  Campbell,  L.  Lyles,  C.  S. 
Bradley.  J.  T.  Stewart;  elders— K.  H.  Harris,  I.  S.  Lee,  R.  E. 
Wall.  Deaths  :  Revs.  Felix  Torrence,  J.  Bedenbaugh,  J.  G.  W. 
Edmunds,  J.  D.  Warley  and  J.  Richardson.  Rev.  C.  P. 
Nelson  was  made  presiding  elder.  Transfers  :  Rev.  J.  Mont- 
gomery to  the  South  Carolina  Conference;  Rev.  W.  H. 
Smith  to  the  Macon  (Ga.)  Conference;  Rev.  T.  W.  Haigler 
to  the  North  Georgia  Conference.  The  sixth  session  met  in 
Weston  Chapel,  Greenwood,  S.  C,  December  5,  1883,  Bishop 
Dickerson  presiding;  secretaries,  Revs.  R.  E.  Wall,  J.  G. 
Sampson,  J.  D.  Barksdale.  Delegates  elected  to  the  General 
Conference  of  1884:  Revs.  S.  H.  Jefferson,  W.  M.  Thomas, 
J.  C.  Waters,  H.  Young,  C.  P.  Nelson,  A.  Weston,  I.  S. 
Lee   and  J.  W.   Lykes.     Admissions   on   trial:   C.  J.   Nichols, 

A.  W.  Whaley,  I.  C.   Robinson,  J.  H.  Byrd,  B.  H.  Williams, 

E.  B.  Burroughs,  P.  E.  Pompey,  D.  T.  McDaniel,  A.  J.  Hamp- 
ton and  G.  W.  Martin.     Ordinations:  deacons — C.  W.  Foster, 

B.  J.  Ramsey,  C.  J.  Nichols,  J.  R.  Martin,  W.  P.  Gary,  J.  B. 
Payton,  W.  C.  Johnson,  L.  Pyles,  D.  H.  Johnson,  R.  H.  Per- 
rin; local — Nero  Toney;  elders — J.  G.  Sampson  and  T.  C. 
Devlin.  Death,  A.  C.  Johnson.  The  sessions  of  the  Colum- 
bia Conference  have  been  held  in  the  following  places  since 
1884:  Columbia,  six  times;  Greenville,  three  times;  Sumter, 
three,  times;  Abbeville,  three  times;  Manning,  Laurens, 
twice;  Winnsboro,  three  times;  Greenwood,  twice;  Clinton, 
Union,  twice;  Spartanburg,  twice;  Anderon  and  Rimini. 
The  presiding  bishops  have  been:  Bishops  Brown,  1879  (two 
conferences);  Dickerson,  1880-3;  Shorter,  1884-6;  Campbell, 
1887;  Arnett,  1888-91,  '97;  Salter,  1892-5;  Embrv,  1896;  Grant, 
1898-9;  Gaines,  1900-3;  Coppin,  1904-7;  1913-5;  Lee,  1908-11; 
Turner,  1912;  Chappelle,  1916.  The  chief  secretaries  have 
been  Revs.  S.  C.  Gooseley,  1879;  J.  B.  Smith,  1880-2;  R.  E. 
Walls,  1883-87;  C.   M.  Crosbv,  1888;   D.  H.  Johnson,   1889-99; 

C.  L.  Henderson,  1900-9;  George  C.  Johnson,  1910;  W.  W. 
Harris,  1911-2;  Lee  A.  Logan,  1913  to  date.  Bishop  W.  D. 
Chappelle,  the  present  bishop,  was  admitted  to  this  confer- 
ence on  trial  in  1881  ;  he  received  his  first  appointment  in 
this   conference.     (By   J.   W.   Lykes,   historian.) 

South  Carolina  (North  East)  Conference,  The,  was  or- 
ganized in  St.  John's  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Marion,  S.  C,  Rev. 
E.  J.  Gregg,  pastor,  December  7,  1892,  under  Bishop  Salter, 
Bishop  W.  J.  Gaines  assisting.  The  territory  embraced  the 
counties  of  Marion,  Florence,  Darlington,  Sumter,  Orange- 
burg and  Clavenden,  in  which  were  the  Marion,  Florence, 
Sumter,  Manning  and  Orangeburg  presiding  elder  districts 
of  the  Columbia  Annual  Conference.  To  the  districts  above 
named  were  subsequently  added  the  Wateree  and  the  Lan- 
caster Districts,  thus  providing  for  the  formation  of  the 
Piedmont  Conference.  Later  the  Dillon  District  was  organ- 
ized. The  first  officers  chosen  were  Rev.  A.  J.  Hunter  (sec- 
retary) Rev.  C.  J.  Nichols  (recording  secretary),  Rev.  J.  P. 
Allston  (statistical  secretary),  Revs.  J.  J.  Moore  and  P.  R. 
McGhee  (marshals),  all  of  whom  have  died  except  Rev. 
Hunter.  The  presiding  elders  and  leaders  were  Revs.  W. 
M.  Thomas,  dean  and  senior  of  all;  S.  F.  Flegler,  then  re- 
cently home  from  Africa;  W.  D.  Chappelle,  A.  M.,  now  bish- 
op; and  Rev.  A.  W.  Heyward,  at  present  presiding  elder  of 


the  Dillon  District.  Other  promising  leaders  were  Drs. 
Crosley  and  Sampson,  Revs.  G.  H.  Brown,  Gregg,  Bowen, 
Hayne,  Pompey,  Nichols,  Weston,  I.  R.  Miller,  John  McRea, 
I.  W.  Johnson  and  Thomas  Brown.  Of  this  number  Dr. 
Brown  only  is  living.  Most  of  those  who  assisted  in  form- 
ing this  conference  are  now  dead:  McCasland,  Edwards, 
Hamonet,  Harvin,  Long,  Thomas,  Jackson,  Pantey,  Jenkins, 
B\frd,  Crawford,  J.  J.  Brown,  Harris,  Montgomery,  Wells, 
Anderson,  Cooper,  Randolph,  W.  E.  Johnson,  W.  T.  and  J. 
C.  Williams  and  a  host  of  them  have  all  joined  the  "great 
majority."  The  membership  of  that  first  conference  con- 
sisted of  76  elders,  7  licentiates,  23  local  deacons  and  7  super- 
annuates with  11,576  lay  members.  In  November,  1915  there 
were  102  traveling  elders,  deacons  and  licentiates,  3  female 
evangelists,  56  local  elders  and  deacons,  and  5  superan- 
nuates, with  18,430  members  under  their  charge.  The  Com- 
mittee on  the  State  of  the  Church  said  in  that  first  report, 
that  2,411  souls  had  been  brought  during  the  preceeding  year, 
Rev.  A.  J.  Hunter,  D.  J.  Brown  and  D.  A.  Perrin  are  in  Ala- 
bama, New  Jersey  and  Florida,  respectively.  Only  7  of 
the  original  members  are  alive  and  on  the  active  roll,  3  on 
the  superannuated  list;  17  have  been  transferred  to  the  Co- 
lumbia and  3  to  the  South  Carolina  Conferences  ;  thus,  in- 
cluding one  deserter,  the  company  which  started  23  years 
ago  are  all  accounted  for.  The  most  notable  event,  possi- 
bly, in  the  conference's  history  was  its  participation  in  the 
wiping  out  of  the  bonded  debt  of  Allen  University,  in  1911,' 
under  Bishop  Lee,  when  $."8,000  was  raised  in  a  single  year. 
To  this  the  Northeast  Conference  contributed  in  cash 
$2,678.25,  besides  $3,461.49  dollar  money  and  something  over 
$1,000  for  missionary,  general  conference  and  other  connec- 
tional  claims.  The  dollar  money  reported  at  the  first  ses- 
sion was  $1,808  22;  at  the  twenty-fourth  (1915)  session,  $3,- 
816,  and  in  addition  to  that  about  $2,0CO  for  education,  mis- 
sionary and  other  connectional  claims.  Not  only  has  prog- 
ress been  made  financially  but  spiritually,  numerically  and 
along  material  lines.  St.  John's  Church,  in  which  the  con- 
ference was  born,  was  then,  perhaps,  the  most  beautiful 
building  of  which  we  could  boast;  since  then  Mt.  Pisgah, 
at  Sumter,  has  been  rebuilt  and  beautified.  Now  modern 
buildings  have  been  erected  at  Manning,  Liberty  Hill,  Couto- 
boro,  Page's  Mill  and  at  other  points.  In  1909  we  ceded 
back  to  the  "mother"  conference  Orangeburg  and  Wateree 
Districts,  making  possible  the  Peidmont  Conference.  The 
bishops  who  have  presided  have  been  Bishops  Salter,  1892-5; 
Embrv,  1896;  Arnett,  1897;  Grant,  1898,  '99;  Gaines,  1900-3; 
Coppin.  1904-7,  also  1913-5;  Lee.  1908-11;  Turner,  1912.  The 
chief  secretaries  have  been  Revs.  A.  J.  Hunter,  1892-1904; 
C.  P.  Nelson,  1905,  '06;  G.  C.  Johnson,  1907-9;  D.  C.  Deas, 
1910  to  date.  The  sessions  have  been  entertained  at  Marion 
three  times;  Sumter,  four  times;  Manning,  four  times; 
Orangeburg,  three  times  ;  Florence,  three  times  ;  Lancaster, 
twice;  Darlington,  twice:  Conway,  St.  Paul  and  Bishopville. 
(By   Rev.   I.  H.  White,   historian.) 

South    Carolina:    The    Palmetto   Annual    Conference    is    a 

portion  of  the  first  conference  of  African  Methodists  ever 
held  in  the  South.  Th«  original  conference  was  held  in 
Charleston,  May  15,  1865,  and  included  the  States  of  South 
Carolina,  North  Carolina,  Georgia  and  Florida.  The  mem- 
bership of  the  churches  and  of  the  conference  grew  so 
rapidly  that  it  was  only  a  question  of  a  few  years  before 
the  aforementioned  States  had  eacli  its  own  conference. 
In  South  Carolina  the  one  conference  was  known  as  the 
South  Carolina  Conference.  In  time  this  one  conference 
grew  too  large  for  one  gathering  and  the  Columbia  Con- 
ference was  set  apart;  a  few  \ears  later  the  third  confer- 
ence, the  Northeast  South  Carolina  Conference,  was  formed. 
Bishop  B.  F.  Lee,  after  a  vote  in  1910,  of  the  three  con- 
ferences of  the  State,  held,  in  1911,  for  the  first  time  five 
conferences,  the  new  ones  being  the  Piedmont  and  Palmetto 
Annual  Conferences.  The  Palmetto  Conference  includes 
the  counties  of  Georgetown,  Williamsburg  and  Berkley 
and  half  the  county  of  Charleston,  including  half  of  the 
African  Methodists  in  the  City  by  the  Sea.  The  first  ses- 
sion of  the  conference  was  held  in  Morris  Brown,  Charles- 
ton, December  13-18,  1911.  Rev.  L.  R.  Nichols,  D.  D.,  pastor; 
second  session  in  St.  Stephens,  Georgetown,  December  18- 
23,  1912,  Rev.  M.  A.  Hollins,  pastor;  third  session  in  Friend- 
ship, Mt.  Pleasant,  December  17-21,  1913,  Rev.  F.  Woodbury, 
pastor;  fourth  session  in  Ebenezer,  Charleston,  December 
16-20,  1914,  Rev.  T.  J.  Miles,  pastor;  fifth  session  in  Bethel, 
Georgetown,  October  27-31,  1915,  J.  E.  Beard,  pastor.  Rev. 
C.  W.  McQueen  has  been  the  secretary  of  all  the  confer- 
ences   assisted   by   Rev.   A.   F.   B.   Horry   and   Rev.   W.   G. 


358 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<B 


Mance  in  the  first  three  conferences,  and  by  Rev.  A.  F.  B. 
Horry  and  Rev.  M.  J.  James  in  the  last  two.  Bishop  B.  F. 
Lee  presided  over  the  first  session  of  this  conference,  Bish- 
op Turner  over  the  second  session  and  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin 
over  the  three  following  session.  There  have  been  no  bish- 
ops or  general  officers  elected  from  this  conference  since 
formed,  but  Bishop  M.  B.  Salter  when  elevated  was  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  Georgetown  District,  which  is  now  a 
portion  of  this  annual  conference.  A  partial  list  of  the 
honored  dead  who  have  been  pastors  in  the  territory  which 
now  forms  this  conference  (most  of  them  died  before  this 
conference  was  formed)  follows :  F.  H.  Gourdine,  Paul 
Winds,  Phillip  Heartley,  Thomas  Blake,  Andrew  Evans,  J. 
B.  Butler,  A.  J.  Taylor,  Abram  Gordon,  P.  C.  Lawrence,  C. 
F.  North,  John  S.  Singleton,  March  Singleton,  J.  W.  White, 
J.  B.  Green,  H.  McD.  Hale,  D.  M.  Izard,  S.  B.  Garrett,  J. 
W.  Whittaker,  D.  J.  Lites,  J.  B.  Ford,  E.  D.  Bryant,  A.  J. 
Williams,  W.  F.  Dennison  and  F.  E.  Rivers.  Rev.  A.  T. 
Carr  was  the  leading  spirit  in  the  organization  of  the  his- 
toric Bethel  in  Georgetown.  There  are  few  of  our  churches 
so  loyal  as  this  one,  and  Rev.  Carr  still  lives  in  the  memory 
of  the  older  members  of  the  said  church.  Rev.  R.  H.  Cain 
(later  bishop)  was  the  organizer  of  Morris  Brown  Church 
in  Charleston,  now  one  of  the  leading  churches  in  our  Con- 
nection. There  were  99  churches  in  thlis  conference,  54  pas- 
tors, 80  local  elders  and  deacons  and  6  lay  delegates.  There 
was  $20,973  raised  for  pastor's  support  last  year  (1915)  and 
$3,884  raised  for  presiding  elders'  support.  The  total  raised 
for  other  purposes  was  $41,2C0.9L  In  the  five  years'  exis- 
tence of  the  conference  it  has  collected  $23,471.55  dollar 
monej',  about  $20,000  for  education,  and  over  $4,000  for  mis- 
sions. We  have  in  this  conference  14,858  members  and  5,360 
probationers.  The  ministers  in  the  conference  who  count 
their  age  by  their  service  are  Rev.  L.  R.  Nichols,  D.  D.,  Rev. 
S.  K.  Howard  and  Rev.  M.  R.  Thomas.  First  delegates 
elected  to  the  general  conference  from  this  conference,  1912, 
were  Revs.  Sandy  Simmons,  L.  R.  Nichols,  P.  J.  Chavis,  B. 
H.  Williams,  M.  A.  Hollins,  J.  S.  Morant.  Delegates  to  the 
general  conference  of  1916  were  Revs.  A.  E.  Peets,  M.  A. 
Hollins,  L.  R.  Nichols,  B.  H.  Williams,  J.  E.  Beard,  Sandy 
Simmons.     (By   Rev.  J.   E.   Beard,   conference   historian.) 


South    Carolina,   The    Piedmont   Annual   Conference. — At 

the  call  of  Bishop  Lee,  13  presiding  elders  and  13  pastors 
from  the  Columbia  and  Northeast  Annual  Conferences  met, 
November  17,1909,  in  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Columbia, 
S.  C,  to  consider  the  formation  of  the  fourth  annual  con- 
ference of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  in  South  Carolina.  Rev. 
W.  M.  Thomas  was  elected  chairman  and  Rev.  D.  Timothy 
McDaniel  secretary.  This  commission  agreed  to  recommend 
the  formation  of  an  annual  conference  to  be  named  the 
"Piedmont,"  which  conference  was  to  include  the  Abbe- 
ville, Greenville,  Greenwood  and  Newberry  presiding  elder 
districts  in  the  Columbia  Annual  Conference.  This  recom- 
mendation was  accepted  by  the  Columbia  Annual  Confer- 
ence in  session  at  Clinton,  December  6,  1909,  and  the  new 
conference  was  formed.  The  Rev.  C.  L.  Henderson  was 
elected  secretary.  Weston  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Green- 
wood, S.  C,  was  chosen  the  seat  for  the  first  session  of  the 
Piedmont  Annual  Conference.  The  territory  included  the 
following  counties  :  Abbeville,  Anderson,  Greenville,  Green- 
wood, Laurens,  Newberry,  Oconee,  Pickens,  and  parts  of 
Edgefield,  Saluda  and  Spartansburg  Counties.  The  first  ses- 
sion of  the  Piedmont  Annual  Conference  was  at  Greenwood, 
S.  C,  in  Weston  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Rev.  J.  C.  Wat- 
kins,  pastor.  Bishop  6.  F.  Lee  presided;  Rev.  C.  L.  Hender- 
son, recording  secretary;  Rev.  L.  W.  Jennings,  engrossing 
secretary ;  Rev.  J.  B.  Smith,  statistical  secretary.  There 
were  150  ministerial  members  of  the  conference  and  of  the 
local  churches:  11,999  full  members,  3,296  probationers,  16 
exhorters,  126  local  preachers  and  32  ocal  deacons;  123  meet- 
ing houses,  16  parsonages  and  57  school  houses.  The 
finances  were  reported  as  follows:  Dollar  money,  $3,808.70; 
Easter  Day,  $450.02;  Children's  Day,  $276.39;  Education  Day, 
$614.54;  May  Day,  $757.60;  for  bonded  debt,  Allen  Univer- 
sity, $4,998;  making  a  total  of  $6,370.14  for  education  this, 
year;  contingent  fund,  $72.70;  minute  fund,  $98.20;  for  sup- 
port of  district  conferences  and  Sunday-school  conventions, 
$228.55;  Bible  cause,  $1.30;  pastors'  gift  for  missions,  %77 ; 
for  education,  $77 ;  other  conference  collections,  $38.73;  pas- 
tors' support,  $20,245.64;  presiding  elders'  support,  $3,276.05; 
benevolence,  $994.80;  mortgage  debts,  $3,615.30;  incidentals, 
$3,456.70;  traveling  expenses,  $1,907.35;  total  for  all  purposes, 
$44,594.57.     The  presiding  elders  for  the  first  year  were  :  Ab- 


beville District,  D.  H.  Johnson;  Greenville  District,  T.  F. 
Harper;  Greenwood  District,  B.  J.  Ramsey;  Newberry  Dis- 
trict, R.  E.  Wall.  Transferred  into  the  conference  were 
Revs.  J.  C.  Watkins,  J.  E.  Thomas,  A.  E.  Trapp,  A.  C.  East, 

5.  J.  Washington,  U.  S.  Rice,  I.  S.  W.  Ball.  Transferred  out: 
G.  L.  Sims  to  Alabama;  I.  S.  W.  Ball  to  Columbia  Confer- 
ence. With  the  adjournment  of  this  session  Revs.  R.  E. 
Wall  and  T.  F.  Harper  retired  from  the  Newberry  and 
Greenville  Districts  as  presiding  elders,  and  the  Revs.  F.  Y. 
Dendy  and  G.  F.  Lyles  took  the  districts  named.  The  excel- 
lent work  of  the  boards  of  missions  and  education  as  seen 
in  the  minute  of  this  session  in  the  announcements  of  as- 
sessments will  not  be  seen  in  other  minutes,  for  the  boards 
seem  to  have  been  discontinued;  they  should  be  reappoint- 
ed for  the  great  work  to  be  done  by  them.  Elder  T.  J. 
Miles  preached  the  annual  sermon  from  Revelations  xiv,  16, 
subject,  "The  everlasting  Gospel."  Deaths  reported  at  this 
session:  Licentiate  P.  H.  Mundy,  August  28,  1910;  Elder  Levi 
Watson,  September  27,  1910;  Elder  M.  R.   Mitchell,  October 

6,  1910.  The  second  session  of  the  conference  was  held  at 
Anderson,  S.  C,  November  29  to  December  4,  1911,  in  Bethel 
A.   M.  E.  Church,  Rev.  A.  J.  C.  Johnson,  pastor.     Bishop   B. 

F.  Lee  presided;  C.  L.  Henderson,  recording  secretary;  W.  F. 
Rice,  engrossing  secretary;  J.  B.  Smith,  statistical  secretary. 
Transferred  from  the  Columbia  Conference:  Revs.  W.  C. 
Crawford,  T.  B.  Nelson,  E.  P.  Marshall.  Transferred  to  the 
Columbia  Conference:  Revs.  J.  E.  Hagins,  M.  G.  Mundy. 
Transferred  to  the  Palmetto  Conference:  Rev.  T.  J.  Miles. 
Delegates   to  the  general  conference:  Revs.  D.  H.  Johnson, 

G.  K.  Lyles,  R.  E.  Wall,  B.  J.  Ramsey,  S.  H.  Alexander; 
lay:  C.  G.  Garrett,  A.  J.  Martin;  alternates:  Revs.  F.  Y. 
Dendy,  W.  F.  Rice,  J.  W.  Douglass,  E.  R.  Anderson,  J.  B. 
Smith.  Rev.  S.  H.  Alexander  preached  the  annual  sermon 
from  Luke  xiv,  22,  subject,  "A  task  completed."  Other  ser- 
mons were  preached  before  the  conference :  Wednesday 
night,  Rev.  J.  C.  Watkins — text,  Romans  i,  16,  subject,  "The 
secret  of  Paul's  zeal."  Thursday  at  noon  a  thanksgiving 
sermon  by  Rev.  D.  E.  Rice — text,  I.  Samuel  ii,  1 ;  Sunday,  11 
a.  m.,  Rev.  W.  W.  Beckett — text,  Mark  xvi,  7,  subject,  "A 
divine  message  to  an  individual";  Sunday,  3  p.  m.,  Bishop 
Lee  read  Matthew  v  and  spoke  from  Titus  ii ;  Sunday,  6.30 
p  m.,  Dr.  J.  C.  Caldwell  spoke  to  the  audience  from  the  topic, 
"Lessons  from  great  lives";  at  7.30  p.  m.„  Dr.  Frank  Mc- 
Donald preached  from  Malachi  ii,  1,  2  and  7,  subject,  "The 
efficiency  and  office  of  the  Gospel  minister."  Died  this  year: 
Elder  B.  W.  Boone,  April  4,  1911;  Elder  P.  M.  Hartwell, 
July  10,  1911;  Elder  A.  A.  Moore,  July,  1911.  Dollar  money, 
$3,820.10.  Other  financial  reports  were  not  printed  fully,  as 
the  following  note  shows  :  "I  regret  committee's  failure  to 
report  to  the  secretary  in  any  given  case  or  cases. — B.  F. 
Lee."  It  is  known,  however,  that  the  Abbeville  District 
raised  this  year  and  reported  at  this  conference  for  missions 
$520,  but  no  mention  is  made  of  it  in  this  minute.  The 
bishop  offered  $5  to  the  presiding  elder  whose  district  raised 
$500  for  missions  in  the  State,  and  Abbeville  was  one  of  the 
two  districts  Which  raised  the  amount  in  the  State.  Dr.  B. 
J.  Ramsey  by  limit  retired  from  the  Greenwood  District  as 
presiding  elder;  Dr.  G.  T.  Coleman  succeeded  him.  The  con- 
ference held  its  third  session  in  Allen  Temple  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Greeneville,  S.  C,  December  4  to  9,  1912,  Rev.  J.  E. 
Thomas,  pastor.  Bishop  Turner  presided;  Revs.  C.  L.  Hen- 
derson and  J.  B.  Smith  secretaries.  About  30  visitors  were 
introduced.  Five  young  men  were  admitted  on  trial.  Revs. 
R.  E.  Wall,  D.  D.,  and  William  Cothran  were  superannuated. 
A  new  district,  the  Laurens,  was  formed  during  the  last 
hours  of  this  session  of  the  conference,  and  Rev.  L.  F.  Vance 
was  appointed  presiding  elder  over  it.  This  session  was 
made  memorable  by  the  number  of  sermons  preached  on 
Sunday;  beginning  at  9  o'clock  Bishop  Turner  preached 
from  Hosea  xii,  9.  Rev.  S.  R.  Ray  followed,  preaching  from 
John  xiv,  6.  At  11  a.  m.  Rev.  F.  A.  White  preached  from 
John  vii,  46;  then  Rev.  D.  E.  Rice,  from  Luke  ix,  29; 
at  2.15,  Rev.  C.  H.  Rembert,  from  Matthew  xvii,  2-4;  then 
Rev.  E.  R.  Anderson,  from  John  xvii,3.  At  night  Rev.  L.  L. 
Jackson  preached  from  I.  Corinthians  iii,  10.  Dr.  Ramsey 
preached  the  annual  sermon  Wednesday  night,  text,  Luke 
x,  17-20,  subject:  "The  mission  of  the  seventy."  The  reports 
were  not  all  handed  in  and  the  statistics  were  not  summar- 
ized. The  dollar  money  was  $3,502.05.  Bishop  H.  M.  Tur- 
ner tendered  his  resignation  as  bishop  of  the  Seventh  Epis- 
copal District  to  the  bishops  sitting  in  council  in  Charles- 
ton, S.  C,  February,  1913.  Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin  was  given 
charge  of  the  district  until  the  meeting  of  the  general  con- 
ference. The  fourth  session  was  in  Miller  Church,  New- 
berry,  Rev.   J.    B.    Smith,   pastor,   December   3   and   4,   1913, 


359 


°s> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


Bishop  Coppin  presided.  The  secretaries  were  C.  L.  Hen- 
derson, D.  E.  Rice  and  W.  F.  Rice.  The  following  commit- 
tee was  appointed  and  given  plenary  power  to  purchase  the 
Sterling  College  property  in  the  city  of  Greenville,  S.  C. : 
J.  E.  Thomas,  E.  N.  Metts,  D.  H.  Johnson,  G.  K.  Lyles,  F.  Y. 
Dendy,  L.  F.  Vance,  G.  T.  Coleman.  Eight  persons  were  ad- 
mitted on  trial.  The  following  members  of  the  conference 
died  during  the  year:  Elders,  J.  T.  Steward,  G.  \V.  Martin, 
S.  J.  Washington,  W.  W.  Long,  and  Local  Deacon  B.  F. 
Strother.  The  general  summary  shows  the  following:  Dol- 
lar money,  $3,555.20;  Easter  Day,  $517.48;  Children's  Day, 
$378.99;  P.  H.  and  F.  M.,  $11.15;  W.  H.  and  F.  M,  $368.45; 
education,  $1,740.70.  At  the  close  of  the  conference  D.  H. 
Johnson  was  appointed  over  the  Greenwood  District  and 
G.  T.  Coleman  over  the  Abbeville  District.  The  fifth  ses- 
sion was  held  December  2  to  6,  1914,  at  Laurens,  S.  C,  in 
Bethel  Church,  Rev.  W.  R.  Alston  pastor.  Bishop  Coppin 
presided  and  the  same  secretaries  were  re-elected.  Revs. 
D.  T.  McDaniel,  W.  D.  King  and  J.  Z.  Martin  were  trans- 
ferred into  the  conference.  The  following  were  elected 
trustees  of  Sterling  College  :  G.  K.  Lyles,  F.  Y.  Dendv,  J.  E. 
Thomas,  D.  H.  Johnson,  L.  F.  Vance,  J.  W.  Doyley,  B.  B. 
Martin,  C.  B.  White,  E.  N.  Metts,  G.  T.  Coleman,  R.  H. 
Bradley.  The  following  members  died  this  vear :  R.  E. 
Hall,  January  14,  1914;  R.  H.  Galman,  February  22,  1914; 
J.  M.  Tillman,  April  15,  1914;  and  Local  Elder  Samuel  Oak- 
field,  1914.  The  dollar  money  fell  off  about  $383.60  and  other 
funds  in  about  the  same  proportion,  the  cause  being  laid  to 
the  great  European  War.  At  the  adjournment  of  the  con- 
ference the  District  appointments  were  as  follows  :  Abbe- 
,  ville  District,  R.  H.  Bradley,  presiding  elder;  Greenville 
trict,  S.  H.  Alexander,  presiding  elder;  Laurens  District, 
District,  C.  L.  Henderson,  presiding  elder;  Greenwood  Dis- 
L.  F.  Vance,  presiding  elder;  Newberry  District,  J.  E.  Thom- 
as, presiding  elder.  The  sixth  session  of  the  Piedmont  Con- 
ference was  held  in  Abbeville,  S.  C,  December  1  to  5,  1915, 
with  Bishop  Coppin  presiding.  The  secretaries  of  the  last 
session  were  re-elected.  There  was  a  large  number  of  vis- 
itors at  this  session  of  the  conference,  the  main  attraction, 
possibly,  being  the  quadrennial  election  of  delegates  to  the 
Centennial  General  Conference  and  to  hear  the  reports,  as 
the  fall-off  of  the  last  conference  in  its  dollar  money  and 
other  funds  had  been  the  talk  very  largely  during  the  year. 
Here  are  some  of  the  finances  and  other  statistics,  others 
not  being  accessible  at  this  writing:  Dollar  money,  $3,617.90, 
an  increase  over  last  year  of  $410.25;  Easter  Day,  478.50; 
Children's  Day,  359.30;  P.  H.  and  F.  missions,  $47.50;  W.  H. 
and  F.  missions,  ^270.37;  education,  $1,736.11;  general  fund, 
$165.88;  centennial  fund,  $29.50;  minutes,  $237.20;  contingent, 
$85.25;  Bible  cause,  $3;  conversions,  1,740;  accessions,  1,829; 
full  members,  13,346;  probationers,  3,783;  total  membership, 
17,129.  The  Sunday-school  statistics  have  not  been  gath- 
ered as  carefully  and  as  accurately  as  this  important  sub- 
ject demands,  the  largest  number  of  officers,  teachers  and 
pupils  published  is  8,432  for  1913;  this  is  too  pitiably  small 
and  discreditable  to  the  pastors  and  superintendents  of  the 
conference  to  be  allowed  to  appear  in  print.  Deaths  :  Pre- 
siding Elder  Shephen  Hendrix  Alexander,  October,  1915; 
Elder  William  Cothran,  December  27,  1915.  Delegates  elect- 
ed to  the  Centennial  General  Conference:  Revs.  C.  L.  Hen- 
derson, R.  H.  Bradley,  J.  E.  Thomas,  D.  H.  Johnson,  J.  W. 
Douglass,  W.  F.  Rice;  lay,  C.  G.  Garrett,  L.  T.  Lomax.  Elder 
C.  B.  Gillard  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  Green- 
wood  District.     (By   Rev.   D.   H.  Johnson,   historian.) 


Southern  Christian  Recorder,  The,  second  oldest  connec- 
tional  weekly,  published  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  Rev.  G.  W.  Al- 
len, editor,  a  four-page  paper,  seven  columns  to  a  page,  $1.00 
per  year,  Ira  T.  Bryant,  business  manager.  The  Southern 
Recorder  was  approved  by  the  General  Conference  of  1880 
and  1884,  but  not  established  until  1880,  when  Bishop  Turner 
established  and  operated  it  as  his  private  property.  He  sold 
it  for  $750  to  the  Book  Concern  of  the  A.  M.  E.  connection, 
1888,  when  Dr.  M.  Edward  Bryant,  of  Alabama,  was  elected 
the  first  editor  and  manager  for  the  church.  Dr.  Bryant  died 
during  the  quadrennium  and  Dr.  C.  L.  Bradwell,  of  Georgia, 
was  elected  to  fill  the  unexpired  term.  In  1892,  when  Dr.  A. 
M.  Green,  of  Louisiana,  was  elected  and  served  four  years, 
from  1892  to  1896;  when  Dr.  R.  M.  Cheeks,  of  Georgia,  was 
elected  and  served  four  years,  from  1896  to  1900.  Dr.  Cheeks 
was  re-elected  in  1900,  but  died  before  the  adjournment  of 
that  general  conference,  and  Dr.  G.  E.  Taylor,  of  Texas,  was 
elected  and  served  four  years,  from  1900  to  1904.  Dr.  G.  W. 
Allen,  of  Alabama,  was  then  elected  and  was   re-elected   to 


succeed  himself,  at  the  general  conferences  held  in  190S,  1912 
and  1916. 

St.  Joseph,  Missouri. — Ebenezer  A.  M.  E.  Church,  of  St. 

Joseph,  Mo.,  of  which  Rev.  N.  C.  Buren,  B.  D.,  is  pastor,  was 
organized  in  1866  by  Rev.  John  Turner.  The  first  building 
was  erected  by  Rev.  John  M.  Wilkerson  in  1868.  It  was 
remodeled  in  1894  by  Rev.  F.  Jesse  Peck.  The  building  is 
now  a  modern  structure,  having  a  seating  capacity  of  400. 
It  is  well  lighted  and  heated  and  has  a  modern  pipe  organ 


EBENEZER  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  ST.  JOSEPH,  MO. 
Rev.   N.   C.   Buren,   Pastor. 

installed  by  Rev.  Julian  C.  Caldwell.  The  membership  is 
270  and  is  well  organized,  having  its  stewards'  and  trustees' 
boards,  the  Sunday  school,  the  A.  C.  E.  League,  W.  M.  M. 
Society,  two  stewardess  boards,  a  deaconess  board,  a  What- 
So-Ever  Society,  a  welfare  board  and  the  Mary  and  Mar- 
tha Society.  All  of  these  are  busily  engaged  in  the  Mas- 
ter's  vineyard.     (By  J.  H.   Simms,  A.   M.) 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  is  the  largest  city  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
having  a  population  in  1910  of  687,  029,  of  which  43,960  were 
Negroes.  It  was  settled  first  about  1664  by  the  French  who 
traded  with  the  Indians.  About  1818  the  first  Methodist 
mission  was  started  there  by  Jesse  Walker.  The  A.  M.  E. 
Church  was  organized  there  by  William  Paul  Quinn. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.— St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church,  the  first  Af- 
rican Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  St.  Louis,  was  organ- 
ized by  Rev.  William  Paul  Quinn,  a  general  missionary, 
June  1841,  on  Water  Street,  in  a  store  building  owned  by 
Edward  Walsh.  The  first  member  was  Louisa  Carter,  who 
afterward  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  J.  W.  Early.  Others 
joining  then  were  Francis  Embry,  Charlotte  Wyatt,  Elmira 
Parker,  Louisa  Boyd  and  Sallie  Broadwater.  The  first  en- 
tertainment was  held  in  what  was  known  as  Lyceum  Hall, 
to  purchase  ground  on  which  to  build  a  church.  The  first 
official  board  was  held  in  the  home  of  Priscilla  Baltimore. 
A  lot  was  purchased  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  William 
Douglass,  in  1842,  at  Eleventh  and  Green  Streets.  The  work 
of  erecting  the  church  began  in  1848,  during  the  administra- 
tion of  Rev.  George  W.  Johnson,  and  was  completed  in 
1852,  during  Rev.  Byrd  Parker's  second  administration,  dedi- 
cated and  named  St.  Paul's  Chapel.  In  1865  an  adjoining 
lot  was  bought  for  $4,750  and  the  corner-stone  of  the  new 
church,  which  enclosed  the  smaller  old  frame  structure,  was 
laid  with  appropriate  Ma'sonic  rites  in  1869.  The  church 
was  completed  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  John  Turner 
(second  term)  and  dedicated  by  Bishop  A.  W.  Wayman, 
Sunday,  August  4,  1872;  at  this  time  there  were  200  conver- 
sions and  300  added  to  the  church.  The  present  church 
property  was  purchased  in  1869  at  a  cost  of  $90,000,  and  the 
congregation    moved    to    the    only    metropolitan    structure 


360 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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ST.  PAUL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  ST.  LO  UIS,    MO. 


TRUSTEES  AND  PASTOR  (REV.  W.  S.  BROOKS)  OF  ST.  PAUL  A.   M.  E.  CHURCH,  ST.  LOUIS,  MO. 


erected  primarily  for  the  use  of  a  Negro  congregation,  dur- 
ing the  pastorate  of  Dr.  E.  T.  Cottman,  of  blessed  memory. 
The  real  value  of  the  old  church  at  the  time  of  building 
present  structure,  deducting  a  mortgage  debt  of  $4,000,  was 
$24,000  and  the  indebtedness  at  the  close  of  Dr.  Cottman's 
pastorate,  1893,  was  $26,990.92.  From  this  date,  throughout 
the  administration  of  succeeding  pastors  down  to  Dr.  W. 
Sampson  Brooks,  the  principal  debt  had  been  reduced  to 
$14,000,  although  a  larger  amount  than  the  principal  had  been 
paid  in  interest  and  fines.  During  the  administration  of  the 
present  pastor  in  22  months,  the  remaining  indebtedness 
was  wiped  out  and  the  church  stands  clear  for  the  first 
time  in  over  a  quarter  of  a  century.  The  burning  of  the 
mortgage  marks  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  church.    The 


following  pastors  have  served  St.  Paul  at  the  time  indicated: 
Revs.  William  Douglass,  1842-4;  Henrv  Cole,  1844-5 ;  Byrd 
Parker,  1845-7;  George  W.  Johnson,  1847-50;  Israel  Cole, 
1850-1;  Byrd  Parker,  1851-2;  W.  R.  Revels,  1852-4;  H.  R. 
Revels,  1854-5;  Aaron  M.  Parker,  1855-7;  John  Turner,  1857- 
59;  R.  H.  Cain,  1859-60;  John  Turner,  1860-3;  M.  M.  Clark, 
1863-6;  W.  R.  Revels,  1866-9;  William  A.  Dove,  1869-71;  John 
Turner,  1871-4;  John  U.  Wilkinson,  1874-7;  John  Turner, 
1877-8;  Thomas  W.  Henderson,  1878-82;  M.  W.  Beckley, 
1882-4;  George  H.  Shaffer,  1884-8;  E.  T.  Cottman,  1888-92; 
C.  W.  Preston,  1892-6;  S.  J.  Brown,  1896;  C.  W.  Preston, 
1896-1900;  D.  P.  Roberts,  1900-4;  W.  D.  Cook,  1904-9;  John 
W-  Sexton,  1909-11;  W.  Sampson  Brooks,  1911-6.  Board  of 
stewards:  Henry  Snowden,  J.  A.  Howell  (treasurer),  Dr.  W. 


361 


® 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


<3> 


Sampson  Brooks,  E.  Hawkins  (secretary),  W.  D.  Elgin, 
James  L.  Haley,  T.  C.  Crenshaw,  Dr.  D.  W.  Scott.  Class 
leaders:  F.  W.  Lewis,  P.  W.  Wilson,  S.  A.  Williams,  R. 
Eaton,  E.  H.  Thomas,  A.  B.  Rice,  Edward  Smith,  S.  R.  Stan- 
ley, G.  W.  Draper,  C.  Joshua,  Grant  Coleman,  Squire  Fox, 
Jack  Hale,  J.  M.  Bradcn,  Samuel  Moore,  J.  R.  Jones,  G.  T. 
Laster,   W.   D.   Woods. 

Sunday  School  Union  of  A.  M.  E.  Church  was  organized 
August  11,  1882,  at  Cape  May,  N.  J.,  by  Bishops  Daniel  A. 
Payne,  Alexander  W.  Wayman.  Jabez  P.  Camphcll,  John  M. 
Brown,  Thomas  M.  D.  Ward,  William  F.  Dickerson,  Rich- 
ard H.  Cain  and  Rev.  Chas.  S.  Smith.  Bishop  Payne  was  the 
first  president  and  Rev.  C.  S.  Smith  was  its  first  correspond- 
ing secretary  and  prepared  its  constitution.  Its  purpose 
was  the  organization  and  development  of  Sunday  Schools.  It 
was  first  located  at  Bloomington,  111.,  and  here  the  first  pub- 
lication— "Our  Sunday  School  Review" — was  published  in 
January,  1883.  In  January,  1SS0.  it  was  moved  to  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.,  and  in  April  the  Teachers'  and  Scholars'  Quar- 
terlies were  published.  The  publication  of  these  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  Juvenile  and  Gem  Lesson  Papers  in  July  of 
the  same  year.     February  28,  1886,  Rev.  C.  S.  Smith  purchas- 

362 


ed  at  206  Publ.'c  Square,  Nashville,  for  $0,000,  a  brick  and 
stone  building,  five  stories  high,  including  the  basement.  The 
Sunday  School  Union  was  then  incorporated,  the  incorporat- 
ors being  Chas.  S.  Smith,  Henry  M.  Turner,  Evans  Tyree, 
Green  L.  Jackson  and  Louis  Winter.  An  outlay  -of  printing 
material  was  bought  in  February,  1889,  over  $5,000  being  ex- 
pended for  this  purpose.  In  order  that  the  work  might  be 
fostered,  there  was  set  aside  a  special  day,  known  as  "Chil- 
dren's Dav,"  first  observed  in  October,  1SS2,  and  thereafter 
the  second  Sunday  in  every  June,  when  the  whole  connection 
rallied  to  the  support  of  the  Sunday  School  Union.  From 
1SS4  to  1900  Rev.  C.  S.  Smith  served  as  secretary-treasurer, 
pushing  the  work  forward  for  the  good  of  the  Sunday 
Schools  throughout  the  Church.  In  1S00  he  was  elected  to 
the  bishopric  and  Rev.  Wm.  D.  Chappelle,  of  South  Caro- 
lina, was  elected  to  succeed  him  and  served  from  1900  to  1908. 
In  the  meantime,  the  Children's  Day  collections  were  increas- 
ed and  the  work  kept  alive  by  the  rallies,  every  June,  of  the 
army  of  loyal  Allenites  throughout  the  Connection.  The  Sun- 
day-School Union  had  now  been  running  as  an  organization 
(1882-1908)  for  twenty-six  years,  and  as  an  incorported  in- 
stitution nearly  twenty  years.     The  subsidy  known  as  Chil- 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


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dren's  Day  money  had  been  sent  to  the  Union  for  all  these 
years  and  the  time  was  ripe  when  there  was  to  be  demon- 
strated the  truth  that  an  institution  running  for  a  quarter  of 
a  century  should  now  be  self-supporting.  With  a  reasonable 
and  business-like  proposition,  Mr.  Ira  T.  Bryant,  a  young 
layman,  a  son  of  Rev.  Mansfield  Edward  Bryant,  came  be- 
fore the  Church  to  demonstrate  that  he  could,  without  Chil- 
dren's Day  funds,  operate  the  Sunday  School  Union  upon  the 
proceeds  of  the  institution,  and  in  time  so  develop  the  work 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL    UNION    BUILDING,    NASHVILLE, 

that  the  Church  would  receive  a  dividend  from  the  Sunday 
School  Department,  instead  of  paying  into  it  annually  large 
collections  tn  subsidize  it.  The  Children's  Day  funds,  he 
argued,  could  best  be  used  as  a  means  of  helping  the  worn- 
out  preachers  of  the  Church,  and  the  A.  M.  E.  Sunday  School 
Union  could  be  made  an  institution  independent  of  direct  tax- 
ation. In  1008  the  general  conference  elected  Mr.  Bryant 
as  secretary-treasurer,  without  Children's  Day  funds  or  finan- 
cial assistance.  His  first  task  was  to  organize  a  competent 
working  force,  which  he  did.  Then  came  the  task  of  build- 
ing the  foundation  of  a  publishing  plant  which  would  be  able 
to  print  anything  needed  by  the  Church  or  race.  And  so, 
as  the  proceeds  increased,  the  result  of  Mr.  Bryant's  tact 
and  economy,  modern  machinery  was  installed.  A  complete 
typesetting  and  typemaking  department  was  put  in  at  a  cost 
of  thousands  of  dollars.  Presses,  folders,  binders,  feeders, 
stitchers  and  trimmers  were  purchased  and  the  building  at 
206  Public  Square  became  too  small  to  meet  the  needs  of 
the  department.  Over  $50,000  worth  of  machinery  has  been 
purchased,  and  paid  for  from  the  proceeds  from  the  work 
done  by  the  plant.  The  literature  issued  compares  favor- 
ably with  this  class  of  matter  published  by  any  other  pub- 
lishing house  in  the  country.  The  Richard  Allen  Monthly, 
a  magazine  for  teachers,  is  the  latest  addition.  At  the  Young 
People's  Congress,  at  Atlanta,  Ga..  in  July,  1014.  hundreds  of 
pleaches  and  laymen  saw  the  Sunday  School  Department  in 
another  light.  The  literary  feature  was  predominant,  and 
the  strides  made  by  way  of  methods  and  systems  for  ad- 
vancing and  promoting  the  work,  were  clearly  exhibited.  All 
of  the  helos  and  printed  matter,  vari-colored  and  illustrated, 
from  cradle  roll  to  home  department,  such  as  any  Sunday 
School  might  need,  were  on  exhibition,  and  represented  the 
advancement  along  tin's  line  made  by  the  Sunday  School 
Union.  The  biggest  achievement  of  Mr.  Bryant  has  been  the 
purchase  and  building  in  1014  of  the  most  commodious  and 
v  ell-designed  publishing  plant  owned  by  colored  people. 
This  building  is  valued  at  more  than  $50,000  and  contains 
an  automatic  fire  sprinkler  system,  valued  at  $5,000.  The 
entrance  to  the  building  brings  to  view  the  main  office  where 
the  clerical  force  receive  orders  upon  top  of  orders  daily. 
and  after  recording  them  pass  them  on  to  the  well-arranged 
mailing  room  just  to  the  rear.  Here  tons  of  mail  of  all  dc- 
s<  rintion  are  sent  down  the  chute  to  the  auto  trucks  waiting 
in  the  subway  to  transfer  it  to  the  main  post  office.  In  this 
part  of  the  building  are  located:  on  the  second  floor  the  edi- 
torial rooms,  offices  of  the  Allen  C.  E.  League,  evangelical 
bureau  and  Secretary  Rrvant.  The  reception  room,  the  dis- 
play room  and  the  beautiful  "Bishops'  Room" — an  assembly 
room  where  services  or  meetings  may  be  held — are  also  lo- 


cated on  this  floor.  The  rest  room  is  adjacent,  and  is  fitted 
up  with  swings,  improvised  tables  and  kitchen,  all  used  for 
entertainment  and  refreshment.  The  third  floor  is  a  large 
hall  in  which,  if  need  be,  large  gatherings  may  be  had.  But 
the  department  which  most  interests  the  visitors,  is  the  me- 
chanical division,  all  situated  in  well-lighted  and  freely  ven- 
tilated apartments.  From  the  street  one  views  the  mammoth 
cylinder  presses,  turning  out  the  large  contracts,  the  job 
presses,  trimmers  and  folders,  all  working  with  clocklike 
regularity.  To  the  rear  is  the  wonderful  monotype  plant 
where  the  young  ladies  may  be  seen  operating  the  typeset- 
ting keyboards,  with  skill  and  dexterity,  while  the  casting 
machines  are  noisily  transforming  molten  lead  into  type, 
ready  for  the  printer's  use.  The  bindery  is  another  beehive. 
Here  a  big  force  of  girls  is  continually  folding,  stitching, 
binding,  pasting  and  trimming  books  and  periodicals  of  all 
sizes  and  folios. 

Texas  (Central)  Annual  Conference,  The,  was  organized 
upon  a  motion  by  Rev.  A.  Grant,  December  17,  1883, 
in  San  Antonio,  Tex.  The  next  day  the  boundary  lines 
were  fixed  by  the  members  of  the  West  Texas  Annual  Con- 
ference, as  follows  :  Beginning  at  Corpus  Christi  and'  trac- 
ing the  line  to  Laredo,  Eagle  Pass  and  all  the  territory  in 
that  region  not  yet  embraced  in  our  mission  work,  thence 
along  the  Sunset  Railroad  to  San  Antonio,  Tex.,  and  all  the 
territory  and  towns  west  of  the  Great  Northern  and  Mis- 
souri Pacific  Railroad;  embracing  Braunsfels,  San  Marcus 
Circuit,  Austin,  Round  Rock,  Georgetown,  Lampasas,  Tay- 
lor, Waco  and  all  that  circuit;  Riflepoint,  Cleburne,  Hills- 
boro,  Fort  Worth  and  all  the  towns  on  the  line  of  the 
Texas  Pacific  Railroad  to  the  border  of  New  Mexico,  em- 
bracing Abiline  and  all  territory  within  that  boundary,  and 
also  embracing  the  border  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico,  where 
there  is  an  opportunity  to  preach  or  establish  schools 
among  the  Mexicans.  There  were  in  the  new  conference 
28  appointments  and  20  ministers.  Revs.  B.  W.  Roberts 
and  A.  Grant  were  elected  delegates  to  the  general  con- 
ference. The  first  annual  session  was  held  in  Rockdale, 
Tex.,  1884,  Rev.  J.  H.  Connor,  pastor,  Rev.  G.  E.  Taylor, 
secretary,  Bishop  Wayman,  presiding.  In  1885  and  1886 
sessions  were  held  in  St.  Paul  Church,  Waco.  From  1888  to 
1892  Bishop  Grant  presided,  and  from  1892  to  1896  Bishop 
Lee.  and  from  1896  to  1897  Bishop  Armstrong;  Bishop  Sal- 
ter presided  from  1897  to  1904;  Bishop  Tyree  from  1904  to 
1912;  Bishop  Smith  from  1912  to  1916,  and  the  present  Bishop 
J.  H.  Jones.  When  the  delegates  returned  from  the  general 
conference,  in  June,  1500,  at  the  closing  of  Paul  Quinn  Col- 
lege, the  presiding  elders  of  the  State  and  trustees  of  Paul 
Quinn  College  arranged  an  educational  rally.  The  presid- 
ing elders  were  asked  to  raise  $50  each  from  their  districts 
in  the  Sunday-school  conventions.  This  was  the  beginning 
of  the  great  educational  rallies  in  the  State  of  Texas,  and 
we  might  say  of  the  Connection  in  the  annual  conferences. 
The  three  districts  presided  over  by  Rev.  T.  C.  Denham, 
J.  H.  Lynn  and  W.  S.  Johnson  reported  through  their  pas- 
tors $2,160.20  dollar  money,  $151.25  educational  money,  16 
new  organized  points,  8  new  churches,  350  converts,  and 
400  accessions.  In  1901  the  conference  met  in  Belton,  Tex., 
Rev.  J.  A.  Jones,  pastor;  Rev.  W.  S.  Johnson,  presiding 
elder;  Rev.  J.  W.  Watson,  secretary.  The  following  was  the 
report.  Dollar  money,  $2,260  80;  .educational  money,  $227.25; 
converts,  680;  accessions,  926;  new  churches,  11;  new  places 
organized,  14.  In  1902  the  annual  conference  met  in  Grant's 
Chapel,  Austin,  Tex.,  November  12.  Rev.  T.  M.  Chappelle, 
pastor;  Rev.  T.  C.  Denham,  presiding  elder;  Rev.  F.  L. 
George,  secretary.  Summary  of  the  conference:  Dollar 
Money,  $2,361.75;  educational  money,  $467.35;  converts,  742; 
additions,  845;  new  churches,  5;  new  points  organized,  6. 
The  report  of  the  presiding  elder  of  the  Waco  District,  Rev. 
J.  H.  Lynn,  showed  that  11  new  points  had  been  organized, 
and  upon  his  recommendation  the  annual  conference  creat- 
ed another  district  known  as  the  El  Paso  District.  Rev. 
J.  W.  Watson  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  new  dis- 
trict, and  reported  great  success  in  the  annual  conference 
a  year  hence  in  Waco,  Tex.  The  conference  of  1903  closed 
the  quadrennium  and  the  following  delegates  were  elected 
to  the  general  conference  which  met  in  Chicago,  111.,  Mav, 
1904:  Ministerial— Rev.  T.  C.  Denham,  J.  W.  Watson,  W. 
S.  Johnson,  G.  B.  Young,  I.  M.  Burgan  and  J.  H.  Lynn; 
lav—Prof.  A.  S.  Jackson  and  W.  D.  Cain.  From  1904  to 
1912  Bishop  Tyree  presided.  His  first  Central  Texas  Annual 
Conference  was  held  in  Georgetown,  Tex.,  November  3, 
1904,  Rev.  J.  A.  Jones  pastor;  Rev.  H.  A.  Carr,  secretary; 
Rev.  J.   W.   Watson,   presiding   elder;   reported   as   follows: 


364 


£> 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


Dollar  money,  $2,469.40 ;  educational  money ,$764.35 ;  converts,  ence  met  in  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Austin,  Tex., 
860-  accessions,  942;  new  churches,  10;  new  points,  12.  The  Rev.  S.  J.  Johnson,  pastor;  B.  W.  Simms,  presiding  elder; 
conference  in  1905  was  held  in  Hillsboro,  Tex.,  November  T.  H.  Smith,  book  steward;  R.  C.  Walker,  secretary.  Re- 
5  Rev  W  D  F.  Pyle,  pastor;  Rev.  T.  C.  Denham,  presiding  ports  are  as  follows:  Conversions,  752;  accessions,  859; 
elder-  Rev  J  A  Jones  secretary;  dollar  money,  $2,526.55;  members,  4,556;  dollar  money,  $2,820.70;  dollar  money  in- 
educational    money,   $1,566.76;    conversions,   985;    accessions,  crease,  $67.90;   educational  money,  $2,217.25;   benevolent,  $2,- 


1,120;  churches  built,  15;  new  points,  9.  This  is  one  of  the 
record  breakers  of  the  State  for  raising  educational  money. 
Bishop  A.  Grant  visited  this  conference  and  preached  two 
excellent  sermons  at  11  a.  m.  to  the  conference  and  by 
special  request,  to  the  white  people  of  the  city,  at  3  p.  m., 
in  the  court  house.  The  white  people  were  so  affected  by 
his  sermon  that  they  offered  him  $50  to  stay  over  and 
preach  for  them  that  night,  but  he  was  compelled  to  leave 
for  Kansas  City,  Mo.  Bishop  Grant  loved  Texas  and  Paul 
Quinn  College.  He  left  in  his  will  to  Paul  Quinn  College 
$2,151.51  and  his  library.  In  1906  the  conference  met  in 
Wayman  Chapel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Temple,  Tex.,  Rev.  L.  J. 
Sanders  pastor;  Rev.  J.  H.  Lynn,  presiding  elder;  Rev.  HA. 
Carr,  secretary;  Bishop  Tyree,  presiding;  dollar  money,  $2,- 
378.10;  educational  money.  $1,469.40,  conversions,  691  ;  acces- 
sions, 860;  new  churches  built,  4;  points  organized,  7.  No- 
vember 14  1907,  the  annual  session  was  held  in  St.  Paul 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  Waco,  Tex.,  Rev.  G.  B.  Young.  B.  D.,  pastor. 
Rev.  T  C.  Denham  (who  departed  this  life  just  two  weeks 
before  the  conference)  was  the  presiding  elder;  Rev.  HA. 
Carr,  secretary;  Bishop  Evans  Tyree,  presiding.  Dollar 
money,  $2,652.75;  educational  money,  $1,476.90;  conversions, 
827-  accessions,  980;  new  points  organized,  9;  churches 
built,  6;  parsonages,  4.  The  following  delegates  were  elect- 
ed to  the  general  conference,  which  convened  in  Norfolk, 
Va  May,  1908:  Revs.  J.  W.  Watson,  G.  B.  Young,  J.  H. 
Lvnn,  H.  A.  Carr,  J.  A.  Jones  and  J.  W.  McDade.  Lay  dele- 
gates :  Prof.  A.  S.  Jackson  and  Prof.  L.  B.  Kincheon.  The 
embership  of  the  State  and  ministers  passed  reso- 


110.40;  general  conference  purposes,  $81.45;  presiding  elders' 
support,  $3,690.50;  pastors'  support,  $13,820.75;  Bible  cause, 
$1.20;  Easter  Day,  $210.65;  Children's  Day,  $62.80;  contingent 
money,  $202.10;  Women's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  So- 
ciety, $80.50;  minutes,  $45.80;  total  for  all  purposes,  $44,275.80. 
October  28,  1914,  the  Central  Texas  Annual  Conference  met 
in  Salter's  Chapel,  Cleburne,  Tex.,  J.  W.  McDade,  pastor; 
Rev.  L.  M.  Sanders,  presiding  elder;  R.  C.  Walker,  secretary; 
T.  H.  Smith,  book  steward  ;  Bishop  C.  S,  Smith,  presiding. 
943;  full  members,  5,170;  new  churches,  6;  new  points  or- 
ganized, 12;  dollar  money,  $2,679.80;  educational  money,  $2,- 
306.25;  benevolent,  $1,870.20;  general  conference  delegate  ex- 
pense money,  $91.86;  minute  money,  $46  75;  Easter  Day,  $170.- 
80;  Children's  Day,  $70.35;  Woman's  Home  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society,  $86.80;  Bible  cause,  $185;  presiding  elders' 
support,  $3,390.75;  pastors'  support,  $18,576.80;  local  trustee 
purposes,  $16,229.95;  local  Sunday-school  purposes,  $3,720.09; 
all  purposes,  $50,665.95.  The  annual  conference,  1915,  met 
October  17  in  the  New  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Waco,  Tex., 
which  had  just  been  completed  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
William  David  Miller,  B.  D.,  costing,  when  finished,  $35,0iX). 
G  W.  Anderson,  presiding  elder;  R.  C.  Walker,  secretary; 
T.  H.  Smith,  book  steward;  Bishop  C.  S.  Smith,  presiding. 
Reports  were  as  follows:  Conversions,  683;  accessions,  1,164; 
full  members,  4,992;  new  churches,  3;  new  points  organized, 
10;  dollar  money,  $2,620.46;  educational  money,  $1,825.25; 
benevolent  purposes,  $1,780.15;  general  conference  delegates' 
money,  $97.80;  Bible  cause,  $1.75;  minute  money,  $45.80;  Eas- 
ter Day  Money,  $108.45;  Woman's  Home  and   Foreign   Mis- 


lutions  instructing  the  delegates  to  ask  the  general  confer-  sionary  Society,  $50.60;  Children's  Day  money,  $57.90;  pre- 
ence  to  return  to  the  State  Bishop  Tyree.  This  was  done,  siding  elders'  support,  $3,492.87;  pastors'  support,  $18,496.74; 
the  bishop  returned  and  all  Texas  rejoiced.     His  first  annual       local   trustee   purposes,  $17,250.60;   local   Sunday-school  pur 


Central  Texas  Conference  for  the  quadrennium  was  held  m 
Cameron,  Tex.,  November  3,  1508,  Rev.  H.  E.  McCoy,  pastor; 
Rev.  J.  H.  Lynn,  presiding  elder;  Rev.  H.  A.  Carr,  secretary  ; 
Bishop  E.  Tyree  presiding;  dollar  money,  $2,43.50;  educa- 
tional money,  $1,250  60;  conversions,  439;  accessions,  563; 
new  churches  built,  5;  new  points  organized,  3.  November 
3,  1909,  the  annual  conference  met  in  San  Marcos,  Tex.,  Rev. 


poses,  $2,475.95;  total  for  all  purposes,  $50,426.18.  This  being 
the  close  of  the  quadrenium,  the  following  delegates  were 
elected  to  attend  the  general  conference  which  convened  in 
Philadelphia  in  Mav,  1916:  Revs.  S.  I.  Johnson,  T.  H.  Smith, 
W.  D.  Miller,  A.  W.  Williams,  J.  W.  McBay,  R.  C.  Walker 
and  H.  A.  Young;  lay  delegates — Profs.  L.  B.  Kincheon  and 
W.  H.  Passon.     The  general  officers   elected   from  this  con- 


T    W    McDade    Dastor-  Rev    T    W    Watson,  presiding  elder;       ference  :  The  general  conference  of  1896  elected  Prof.  H.  T 

•  j.    vv.    iviv.      a       ,   h  i  J  ;j:„„    w:„urt«  .         i^„~i: „j:*„_    „£    ,t„      A       TV  r      it      r>-..: .    ,-U- , 1 


H  A.  Carr,  secretary;  Bishop  E.  Tyree,  presiding  bishop; 
dollar  money,  $2,476.20;  educational  money,  $975.60;  con- 
verts, 397;  accessions,  536;  new  churches  built,  5;  parson- 
ages 3-  points  organized,  4.  In  this  conference  we  planned 
for  our  $10,000  educational  rally  for  Paul  Quinn  College. 
In  1910  the  presiding  elders  of  the  four  annual  conferences 
laid  on  the  altar  for  education  $10,990.72.  This  was  a  rec- 
ord breaker  along  this  line  of  church  work.  On  the  first 
day  of  November,  1910,  the  annual  conference  met  in  Brown- 
wood,   Tex.,    Rev.   L.   J.    Sanders,   pastor;    Rev.   J.   H.   Lynn 


Kealing  editor  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Review;  the  general  con- 
ference of  1912  elected  Prof.  A.  S.  Jackson  commissioner  of 
education.  Important  events  of  the  quadrennium:  (1)  On 
October  15,  1914,  the  mortgage  on  Paul  Quinn  College  was 
burned  in  the  chapel.  The  match  was  touched  to  it  by 
Rev.  William  Leak,  who  had  prayed  just  to  live  long  enough 
to  see  the  mortgage  burned.  Thousands  of  laymen  and  min- 
isters were  present.  (2)  The  old  St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church 
was  sold  for  $10,000  and  the  monev  was  paid  on  the  erection 
of  a  $35,000  new  St.  Paul  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Waco,  which  was 


presiding    elder;    Rev.    H.   A.    Young,    secretary;    Bishop    E.       started  by  Rev.  E.  J.  Howard  and  completed  by  Rev.  W.  D 


Tvree,  presiding;  Rev.  H.  A.  Young,  book  steward;  dollar 
money,  $2566.75;  educational  money,  $2,683.27;  converts,  722; 
accessions,  893;  new  churches,  7;  new  points,  9.  November 
7  1911,  the  annual  conference  met  in  Temple,  Tex.,  in  Way- 
nian  Chapel,  J.  A.  Jones,  pastor;  J.  W.  Watson,  presiding 
elder;  Rev.  R.  C.  Walker,  secretary;  T.  H.  Smith,  book 
steward-  Bishop  Tyree,  presiding;  dollar  money,  $2,725.45; 
educational  money,  $1,539.35;  accessions,  400;  conversions, 
385;  churches  built,  4;  new  points,  3.  This  being  the  close 
of  the  quadrennium,  the  following  delegates  to  the  general 
conference  were  elected:  Revs.  E.  J.  Howard,  J.  T.  S.  White 
J  W.  Watson,  J.  A.  Jones,  W.  S.  Johnson,  S.  H.  Simms,  J.  H. 
Lynn,  S.  D.  Butler;  lay  delegates,  Prof.  A.  S.  Jackson  and 
L  B.  Kincheon.  This  closed  eight  years  of  successful  labor 
under  the  leadership  of  Bishop  Tyree,  who  is  greatly  loved 
in  Texas.  The  General  Conference  in  May,  1912,  assigned 
Bishop  C.  S.  Smith  to  the  Tenth  Episcopal  District.  His 
first  Central  Texas  Annual  Conference  in  Bethel. A.  M.  E. 
Church,  Cameron,  Tex.,  Rev.  L.  J.  Sanders,  pastor;  J.  W. 
Watson,  presiding  elder;  Rev.  R.  C.  Walker,  secretary ;  T. 
H  Smith,  book  steward;  conversions,  594;  accessions,  943; 
members,  4,117;  dollar  money,  $2,798.55;  dollar  money  in- 
crease, $335.35;  Easter  Dav,  $102.92;  Children's  Day,  $56.15; 
educational  monev,  $2,126.65;  benevolent,  $1,105.35;  general 
conference  expense  money,  $60.69;  presiding  elders'  support, 
$3  58178;  pastors'  support,  $12,918.09;  Bible  cause,  $1.80; 
total   for    ill  purposes,  $33,126.50.    October  29,   1913,   confer- 


Miller,  October,  1913.  The  opening  sermon  was  preached  by 
Rev.  G.  W.  Anderson,  presiding  elder  of  the  Waco  District, 
Sunday  morning,  October  17,  1915.  (3)  The  sale  of  the  Met- 
ropolitan A.  M.  E.  Church,  Austin,  Tex.,  built  by  Bishop 
Grant,  at  a  cost  of  $17,000,  at  a  great  sacrifice  to  the  church 
and  congregation,  by  Rev.  J.  T.  S.  White,  pastor,  for  $5,000. 
(4)  The  educational  rally  of  $14,000  for  Paul  Quinn  College 
for  1914  by  the  order  of  Bishop  C.  S.  Smith.  (Committee  : 
Rev.  John  H.  Lynn,  D.  D.,  historian,  Waco,  Tex.;  Rev.  Sam- 
uel S.  Johnson,  Austin,  Tex.;  Rev.  Richmond  Walker,  Hills- 
boro, Tex.;  Rev.  J.  M.  Anderson,  Waco,  Tex.;  Rev.  G.  W. 
Anderson,  Waco,  Tex.,  treasurer;  T.  H.  Smtih,  chairman, 
Waco,  Tex.;  W.  D.  Miller,  secretary,  Waco,  Tex.,  Box  153.) 


Texas  (West)  Annual  Conference,  The,  was  organized 
December,  1875,  at  Corsicana,  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown  presid- 
ing. The  Brazos  River  was  made  the  boundary  line.  The 
new  conference  met  December  9,  1876  in  St.  Peter's  Chapel, 
Columbus,  Tex.  The  members  were  :  Elders  Johnson  Reed, 
R.  Haywood,  E.  Hammitt,  William  Leak,  J.  H.  Johnson, 
Peter  Townsend,  Frank  Green,  John  Hubert,  John  Felder, 
W.  F.  Love,  C.  H.  Conner,  Campbell  Silar  and  W.  R.  Car- 
son; deacons:  Rufus  McGhee,  Joseph  Morgan,  George  Con- 
ner, C.  Nitus,  George  Watts,  Randall  Green;  B.  McQuirter;. 
T.  Madison,  W.  Buchanan,  M.  Wilson,  A.  Scott,  A.  W.  Jones, 
S.  Lovett,  John  Peterson,  P.  Oliver,  W.  F.  Love,  J.  C.  Aker, 


365 


» 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


8 


■   "     >-,_:•     -v*.;.*^ 


GIRLS'    BUILDIXG— TURNER    COLLEGE,    SHELBYVILLE,  TENN. 


E.  Johnson  and  Coleman  Matthews;  traveling  preachers — 
J.  W.  Gilmore,  J.  Smith.  Filey  Johnson,  S.  C.  Fantroy,  D.  J. 
S.  Miller,  Van  Carmichael  and  J.  H.  Conner;  local  deacons — 
Henry  Felder  and  Charles  Long.  Rev.  Johnson  Reed  was 
the  secretary  of  this  conference.  Where  the  conference 
met  in  1877  and  1879  is  not  mentioned  in  Kealing's  "History 
of  African  Methodism  in  Texas."  In  1878  the  West  Texas 
Conference  convened  in  San  Antonio,  Rev.  J.  Reed,  pastor. 
Bishop  Ward,  presiding.  There  were  33  churches;  2.275 
members,  exclusive  of  probationers;  53  Sabbath  schools; 
2,649  scholars  and  $512  dollar  money.  The  conference  con- 
vened in  Austin,  Tex.,  December,  1881,  Bishop  Cain  presid- 
ing; Rev.  Johnson  Reed,  secretary.  The  conference  met  De- 
cember 13.  1883,  Bishop  Cain  presiding,  in  San  Antonio,  Rev. 
J.  C.  Embry,  pastor.  There  were  80  full  members  and  17 
llicentiates  belonging  to  this  conference.  Since  then  the 
West  Texas  Conference  has  given  birth  to  three  new  con- 
ferences :  The  Northeast,  the  Central  and  Southwest  Texas 
Conferences.  She  has  given  to  the  Connection  Abraham 
Grant  as  bishop  and  H.  T.  Kealing  and  G.  E.  Tav-lor  as  gen- 
eral officers.  The  present  membership  is  126;  lay  members 
are  3,250;  churches,  56;  parsonages,  12.  Since  this  confer- 
ence was  organzed  many  of  the  prominent  members  who 
labored  hard  for  its  advancement  have  passed  into  the 
beyond.  Among  them  are  Revs.  Haywood,  Hammit,  Jones, 
Love,  Goins,  Green,  Roberts.  Grout,  Leak,  Grimes,  Buggs. 
Payne.  Taylor  and  Starks.  We  will  only  mention  a  few 
among  the  leaders  of  this  conference  at  present  are  H.  K. 
McCoy,  J.  V.  B.  Coins.  Ir.,  A.  B.  Pipkins,  M.  L.  Rendergraff, 
W.  A.  Lee.  J.  H.  Hughes,  M.  C.  Lewis,  G.  W.  Sample.  I.  B. 
Butler.  W.  S.  Mitchell,  I.  S.  Pendergraff,  R.  A.  Moore,  C.  C. 
Hammonds,  A.  Deavcr,  F.  F.  Ferguson.  S.  M.  B.  Harris, 
E.  M.  Bracy,  R.  L.  Smith  and  P.  D.  Saddler.  The  following 
persons   have   served   this   conference   as   secretaries:   Reed, 


Roberts.   Williams,    Hull,   Johnson,    Miller,    Mitchell,    Mosly 
and  A.   B.  Pipkin. 

Turner  College,  Shelbyville,  Tenn..  was  established  in 
1886  and  chartered  in  1887.  The  Tennessee  Conference  in 
1S85,  Bishop  Turner  presiding,  passed  a  resolution  to  estab- 
lish the  school.  Revs.  E.  Tyree  (now  bishop).  T.  B.  Cald- 
well and  G.  W.  Bryant  were  the  committee  to  locate  the 
school,  which  was  first  called  Shelbyville  High  School.  The 
first  principal  was  Rev.  C.  S.  Bowman,  who  also  pastored  the 
Shelbyville  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Succeeding  presidents  have 
been  Revs  B.  A.  J.  Nixon.  W.  H.  Shelby,  C.  H.  Boone.  J.  H. 
Boone,  and  the  present  incumbent.  Rev.  J.  A.  Jones.  In  1896 
the  institution  was  chartered  as  "Turner  Normal  and  Indus- 
trial Institute,"  which  has  later  been  changed  to  "Turner 
College."  The  departments  are  theological,  English,  nor- 
mal, college,  preparatory,  commercial,  music,  sewing  and 
millinery.  There  were  last  year  137  students  and  9  teach- 
ers. There  have  been  33  graduates  from  the  normal  course. 
Among  the  distinguished  graduates  is  Rev.  H.  L.  P.  Jones, 
pastor  of  St.  Paul  Church,  Nashvilyle.  Tenn.  The  property 
consists  of  2  acres  and  3  buildings,  valued  at  $30,000.  The 
institution  is  supported  by  the  Tennessee  conferences.  Its 
income  is  about  $5,000  per  year. 

"Two-Cent  Money"  was  a  fund  provided  for:  by  the  gen- 
eral conference,  first  in  1844  for  the  purposes,  of  assisting 
the  general  expenses  of  the  Church  and  aiding  the  Book 
Concern.  Each  member  was  taxed  two  cents  fqr  those  pur- 
poses. In  1868  "Two-Cent  Money"  was  succeede'd  by  "Dollar 
Money."  Two-cent  money  reported  from  1845  to  1852,  inclu- 
sive, was  as  follows:  1845,  $870.46;  1846,  $347.58;  1847,  $424.91; 
1848.  $475;  1849,  $722.52;  1850,  $123.23;  1851,  $825.62;  1852,  $925.- 
52. 


366 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


« 


Virginia  Annual  Conference. — From  1864  to  1867  all  of  the 
ministers  who  labored  in  Virginia  were  members  of 
the  Baltimore  Annual  Conference,  and  reported  their 
work  to  that  conference.  On  May  10.  1867,  in  Richmond, 
Va.,  Bishop  Wayman  organized  the  Virginia  Annual  Con- 
ference. The  ministers  present  at  the  organization  were 
Bishop  Wayman,  Revs.  J.  D.  S.  Hall,  George  T.  Watkins,  R. 
H.  Parker  J.  R.  V.  Thomas,  Isaac  J.  Hill,  J.  H.  Offer,  Peter 
Sheppard,  Matthew  Marshall,  Aaron  Pindle,  Jacklin  Strange, 
George  Williams,  Lewis  F.  Wayne,  William  F.  Williams,  Wil- 
liam H.  Smith,  Joseph  H.  Plato,  John  W.  Diggs  and  J.  H. 
Hughes,  who  were  enrolled  as  the  first  members.  Revs.  J. 
M.  Brown,  William  H.  Brown,  R.  A.  Hill  and  William  H. 
Hunter  were  present  and  took  part  in  the  proceedings,  but 
were  not  members  of  the  conference.  The  first  appoint- 
ments were :  Richmond  District,  J.  D.  S.  Hall,  presiding 
elder  and  pastor  of  Richmond  Station  ;  Richmond  Mission, 
William  Williams  ;  Fredericksburg,  J.  K.  Plato  ;  Port  Royal, 
to  be  supplied;  Farmville,  M.  Marshall;  Portsmouth  Dis- 
trict, J.  R.  V.  Thomas,  presiding  elder  and  pastor  Ports- 
mouth Station ;  Portsmouth  Mission,  A.  Pindle ;  Smithfield 
Circuit,  I.  J.  Hill  arid  George  Williams;  Norfolk  District, 
George  T.  Watkins,  presiding  elder  and  pastor,  St.  John, 
Norfolk.  The  conference  collections  were  as  follows:  Con- 
tingent, $82.33;  Baltimore  Association,  $12;  missionary  from 
Richmond  Church,  $7.58;  total,  $102.31.  The  sessions  from 
1867  to  1916  have  been  held  eight  times  in  Richmond,  seven 
times  in  Norfolk,  seven  times  in  Portsmouth,  five  times  in 
Danville,  three  times  in  Salem,  Staunton  and  Roanoke,  four 
times  in  Wytheville,  twice  in  Eastville,  Hampton,  Suffolk, 
once  in  Farmville,  Winchester,  Smithfield  and  Berkley.  The 
bishops  who  have  presided  have  been  :  Wavman,  1867-72,  and 
'91:  Campbell,  1873-76,  and  '89;  J.  M.  Brown,  1877-80;  Payne, 
1881-4;  Turner,  1885-8;  Ward,  1850;  Grant  1892;  Gaines, 
1893-6,  and  1505-8;  Handy,  1897-1900;  Lee,  1901-4;  Coppin, 
1909-16;  Johnson  since  May,  1916.  Among  those  who  were 
members  of  this  conference  who  were  honored  by  the  gen- 
eral Church  were  :  W.  B.  Derrick,  joined  1859,  elected  bishop 
in  1896;  and  R.  M.  Cheeks,  admitted  1877,  elected  editor 
Southern  Recorder  1896-1900.  Those  who  have  served  as 
conference  secretaries  have  been  Revs.  J.  N.  V.  Thomas, 
1867-8;  W.  D.  W.  Schureman,  1869,  71,  73;  J.  H.  A.  Tohnson, 
1870;  W.  B.  Derrick,  1872,  74-8;  J.  E.  W.  Moore,  1879-80;  E. 
H.  Bolden,  1881-3;  R.  M.  Cheeks,  1884-5;  E.  H.  Bolden,  1886, 
'90,  '92,  '94-6;  Edward  Scarboro,  1887;  G.  W.  Nicholson,  1889; 
W.  H.  Brown,  1891  ;  I.  L.  Butt,  1893;  C.  A.  Holmes,  1897-1901  ; 
A.  J.  Nottingham,  1902-5;  W.  R.  Howerton,  1906  to  date. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  honored  dead:  Revs.  Lewis 
H.  Wayne,  January,  1868;  George  Thornton,  January  8,  1868; 
Cato  L.  Dalav,  1872;  Benjamin  L.  Hollawav.  1878;  Alatthew 
Marshall,  1878;  Abram  J.  Williams,  1878;  David  L.  Owens, 
1878;  Richard  H.  Parker,  1878;  Lemuel  W.  Lee,  1889;  John 
W.  Montgomery,  1878;  Robert  T.  Lewis,  1882;  S.  A.  Hicks, 
1887;  James  A.  Haynes,  September  14,  1889;  James  W. 
Throckmorton,  1891  ;  Richard  J.  Gassawav,  1892;  Felix  Wood, 
1892;  John  B.  Lewis,  Tuly  23,  1894;  J.  H.  Briggs,  Septem- 
ber 14,  1894;  Richard  H.  Govans,  December,  1895;  Philip  M. 
Onley,  1896;  George  W.  Harris,  1897;  Frank  W.  Overton, 
1900;  P.  S.  Jefferson,  1901;  James  M.  Ruffin,  April  14,  1902; 
L.  T.  Barker,  1902;  C.  A.  Holmes,  May  24„  1902;  John  H. 
Offer,  June  10,  1902;  E.  H.  Bolden,  June  10,  1902;  Moses  H. 
Matthews,  December  5,  1902;  George  W.  Pinkard,  1903;  Wil- 
liam H.  Lee,  A.  B.,  June  19,  1904;  John  T.  Schofield,  1904; 
Robert  Armstead,  January  14,  1904;  George  Williams,  1905; 
T.  H.  Garner,  August  23,  1905;  William  J.  Harris,  September 
3,  1905;  Peter  Sheppard,  Mav  30,  1907;  Charles  H.  Hunter, 
1910;  Jeremiah  Cuffev,  1910;  Louis  H.  Reynold,  1910;  Robert 
Davis,  1910;  J.  E.  Wyatt,  1910;  John  H.  Robins,  June  18, 
1911;  J.  S.  Mason,  May,  1911;  J.  B.  Tynes,  1913;  J.  H.  A.  Mc- 
Clammy,  1913;  James  Edward  Trotman,  1914;  Andrew  Rob- 
inson, 1914;  I.  L.  Britt,  1915.  Statistics:  Number  of  churches, 
125;  ministers,  87;  elders,  77;  deacons,  6;  licentiates,  4;  lay 
members,  11,529;  amount  raised  (1914)  for  pastors'  salaries, 
$27,590.03;  for  presiding  elders,  $3,614.88;  for  other  purposes, 
$58,715.33;  grand  total,  $89,920.24.  (Compiled  from  data  fur- 
nished by  Rev.  I.  L.  Butt,  conference  historian.) 

Ward  Academy  is  a  small  school  at  Natchez,  Miss., 
named  for  Bishop  Ward.  It  is  supported  chiefly  by 
the  Natchez  District  of  the  Mississippi  Annual  Conference. 
Rev.  T.  M.  S.  Pendleton  is  principal. 

Washington,  D.  C. — Bethel  Literary. — Bishop  Henry  Mc- 
Neal  Turner  deserves  to  be  remembered  as  the  father  of  the 
Bethel  Literary  ideas  as  an  A.  M.  E.  Church  auxiliary,  for 


it  was  he  who  not  only  conceived  the  idea,  but  formulated 
and  offered  the  plan  which  was  adopted  by  the  bishops  at 
Newport,  R.  I.,  August,  1880,  of  having  literary  societies  for 
all  the  churches  and  congregations  through  the  entire  Con- 
nection, the  pastors  and  presiding  elders  being  required  to 
organize  and  keep  in  operation  a  literary  society  for  each 
church,  setting  apart  one  night  in  each  week  for  literary 
exercises.  In  November,  1881,  Bishop  Daniel  A.  Payne  or- 
ganized the  Bethel  Literary  and  Historical  Association.  He 
was    also    the    founder    and    organizer    of    the    most    famous 


MISS  MARIE  A.  D.  MADRE 
President   Bethel  Literary   Society. 

branch  of  the  Literary,  that  of  the  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E. 
Church,  of  Washington,  D.  C.  There  was  a  growing  de- 
mand for  some  institution  at  the  National  Capital  in  which 
the  varied  talents  of  young  men  and  women  could  get  op- 
portunity for  growth  and  development.  At  the  same  time 
need  existed  for  men  and  women  of  light  and  leading  to 
give  popular   instruction  and  shape   the  current  of  thought 


MISS   MATTIE   R.   BOWEN 

on  live  and  important  issues.  Private  literary  gatherings 
had  failed  to  satisfy,  and  when  Bishop  Payne  opened  the 
Literary  he  was  greeted  with  enthusiasm  by  many,  though 
with   indifference   and   incredulity  by  others. 

The  first  executive  officer,  Robert  J.  Smith,  a  native  of 
Bermuda,  had  the  leisure  to  work  up  meetings,  to  secure  the 
readers  of  papers  and  arrange  for  the  speakers  to  lead  in 
the  discussions.  In  his  efforts  he  was  assisted  by  a  com- 
mittee of  men  and  women  whom  he  denominated  his  Ad- 
visory   Board.    Among    the    first    members    were    Lewis    H. 


367 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


O 


Douglass,  Rev.  Arthur  W.  Upshaw,  Annie  Geary  (Waddle- 
ton),  John  W.  Cromwell,  Chanie  A.  Patterson,  Sadie  F. 
Tyree  and  Mattie  R.  Bowen.  The  Literary  soon  became 
popular.  Every  Tuesday  night  the  society  was  invariably 
well  attended.  The  Washington  correspondents  of  the  col- 
ored papers  spread  the  news,  and  in  other  centers  of  popu- 
lation the  topics  discussed  at  the  Literary  were  reviewed, 
until  this  organization  may  be  said  to  have  shaped  the 
thought  of  the  country.  Other  presidents  were,  Rev.  James 
Dean,  Lewis  H.  Douglass,  John  W.  Cromwell,  James  Storum, 
Reuben  E.  Smith,  George  M,  Arnold,  John  H.  Rector,  Ed- 
ward A.  Clarke,  Kelly  Miller,  Lafayette  M.  Hershaw,  Wil- 
liam H.  Richards,  F.  L.  Cardoza,  Jr.,  Shelby  J.  Davidson, 
George  W.  Jackson,  L.  G.  Gregory,  A.  D.  Washington,  S.  M. 
Dudley  and  Garnet  C.  Wilkinson.  Two  women  have  served 
as  presidents :  Mrs.  Mary  Church  Terrell,  who  was  vice 
president  to  John  H.  Rector  and  completed  his  unexpired 
term;  and  Miss  Marie  A.  D.  Madre,  the  present  incumbent, 
who  enjoys  the  unique  distinction  of  being  the  only  woman 
elected  to  the  office,  as  well  as  being  the  only  individual  who 
has  held  the  position  by  repeated  elections  covering  five 
years   of   service. 


ett  J.  Waring,  F.  H.  M.  Murray,  Lafayette  M.  Hershaw  and 
Kelly  Miller.  Miss  Amanda  R.  Bowen  (or  as  she  was  popu- 
larly known,  Mattie  Bowen),  was  a  very  great  factor  in  the 
evolution  of  this  society.  The  name  of  no  other  woman 
stands  out  more  conspicuous  than  that  of  Mattie  Bowen, 
who  for  31  years  was  treasurer  and  safe  counsellor. 

In  the  past  more  than  now  the  programs  were  planned 
in  the  Advisory  Board  Meetings.  It  required  at  first  much 
time  and  more  diplomacy  to  regulate  these  matters  and 
avoid  the  public  personalities  and  other  snarls  which  often 
would  have  been  inevitable.  After  the  first  two  or  three 
months,  programs  almost  shaped  themselves.  Large  meet- 
ings and  absorbingly  interesting  discussions  ensued.  For 
20  years  this  was  a  prevailing  characteristic,  in  which  Bish- 
ops H.  M.  Turner,  James  A.  Handy,  Wesley  J.  Gaines,  B.  F. 
Lee  and  L.  J.  Coppin  gave  invariably  their  active  support, 
while  the  entire  Bench  of  Bishops  gave  their  moral  support, 
thereby  contributing  to  the  success  of  the  Literary  as  a 
distinctive  Church  auxiliary.  The  pastors  who  have  contri- 
buted their  influence  and  support  are  G.  T.  Watkins,  The- 
ophilus  G.  Steward,  John  G.  Mitchell,  John  W.  Beckett,  John 
T.  Jenifer,  J.  Albert  Johnson,  Daniel  G.  Hill,  O.  J.  W.  Scott, 


TRUSTEES,  METROPOLITAN  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 


Frederick  Douglass,  Edward  W.  Blyden,  Joseph  C.  Price, 
Alexander  Crummell,  Bishops  B.  F.  Lee  and  Benjamin  T. 
Tanner,  John  M.  Langston,  Blanche  K.  Bruce,  Dr.  Alex.  T. 
Augustus,  Richard  T.  Greener.  Archibald  H.  Grimke,  Rev.  F. 
J.  Grimke,  Rev.  Morgan  Beckett,  Paul  Laurence  Dunbar, 
John  R.  Hawkins,  Alain  L.  Locke,  William  E.  B.  Dubois, 
Bishop  Evans  Tyree,  Booker  T.  Washington.  Registrar  J. 
C.  Napier,  Hon.  John  C.  Dancy,  Registrar  W.  T.  Vernon,  W. 
A.  Joiner,  Revs.  M.  W.  D.  Norman,  J.  M.  Waldron,  A.  L. 
Gaines,  Rt  Revs.  B.  F.  Lee,  W.  J.  Gaines  and  L.  J.  Coppin, 
George  W.  Cook  and  Charles  Cook,  Daniel  Murray,  assist- 
ant Librarian  of  Congress,  R.  W.  Bagnall  and  Prof.  L.  B. 
Moore  are  among  the  distinguished  personages  to  appear 
from  among  our  own  people;  while  John  A.  Logan,  George 
»C.  Gorham,  Charles  A.  Gardiner,  Cleveland  Abbe,  Bishop 
Thirkield,  Joseph  Benson  Foraker  and  Samuel  Newman  are 
types  of  the  white  men  who  have  appeared.  Womankind 
was  represented 'by  Fanny  Jackson  Coppin,  Frances  W.  Har- 
per, Mrs.  Ellen  Spencer  Mussey,  Josephine  Silone  Yates, 
Amanda  Smith,  Madame  E.  Azalia  Hackley,  Mrs.  I.  N.  Ross, 
Elizabeth  Carter,  Isabelle  Worrell  Ball,  Miss  Lucy  Laney, 
Mrs.  Julia  West  Hamilton,  Mrs.  Mary  F.  Handy,  Mrs.  Cora- 
lie  Franklin  Cook,  Ida  Gibbs  Hunt,  Dr.  Lucy  E.  Moten,  Mrs. 
Senator  La  Follette,  Mrs.  D.  G.  Hill,  Mrs.  Ruth  Collett, 
Mr^.  M.  W.  Clair,  Mrs.  Minnie  L.  Gaines,  Miss  Hallie  Q. 
Brown,  Mrs.  Ida  Wells-Barnett,  Mrs.  C.  H.  Stepteau,  Mrs. 
Ruth  G.  D.  Havens,  Miss  Nannie  Burroughs,  Miss  Maria  L. 
Jordan,  Julia  M.  Layton,  Mrs.  Alice  Strange  Davis,  Mattie 
Bowen,  Mary  Vanness  Fauth,  Mamie  Beckett  Lane,  Laura 
Joiner   and    Marie    A.    D.    Madre. 

The  men  who  first  "famed  themselves"  or  were  discov- 
ered  by  their  appearance  at  the  Literary  include  Calvin  D. 
Johnson  (graduate  of  the  first  class  from  Hampton),  Ever- 

368 


John  H.  Welch,  I.  N.  Ross  and  C.  H.  Stepteau. 

About  18  years  ago,  after  the  passing  of  Frederick  Doug- 
lass, Langston  and  Price,  whose  names  were  almost  suf- 
ficient to  draw  a  house,  the  Literary  ceased  to  attract  as  of 
yore.  Then  Prof.  William  H.  Richards,  who  has  been  the 
most  potent  influence  in  the  Literary  for  the  past  25  years, 
and  who  has  contributed  to  its  success  more  than  any  other 
individual,  so  much  so  that  he  is  designated  "father  of 
Bethel  Literary,"  became  president.  He  made  a  new  de- 
parture by  symposiums  and  introducing  special  features  that 
appealed,  first  to  one  and  then  to  another  interest.  In  this 
way  new  life  was  injected  into  the  body.  Since  giving  up 
the  presidency,  his  influence  has  still  been  potent,  he  having 
been  lecturer  during  the  intervening  period  up  to  that  of  the 
present  incumbent,  who  is  his  follower  and  disciple.  During 
the  entire  25  years,  which  have  covered  a  career  as  pro- 
fessor in  the  Howard  University  Law  School,  and  during 
which  time  he  has  done  much  to  make  possible  the  success 
of  about  two-thirds  of  the  Negro  members  of  the  Bar,  he 
has  never  tired  of  contributing  intellectually  and  materially 
to  the  success  of  the   Literary. 

A  word  to  the  secretaries  :  Mrs.  Annie  Geary  Waddle- 
ton  was  the  first;  Miss  Laura  Joiner  served  faithfully  for 
five  years;  Miss  Mary  Beckett  Lane,  Miss  Maria  L.  Jor- 
dan, Miss  Ella  M.  Boston,  Mr.  Harrison  Pinkett,  Miss  Anna 
D.  Bell  and  Mr.  James  F.  Alston,  the  present  incumbent,  who 
has  served  four  years  faithfully  and  well. 

A  word  as  to  the  career  of  Miss  Marie  A.  D.  Madre, 
who  is  now  rounding  out  her  fifth  term  as  the  presiding 
officer  of  Bethel  Literary  and  Historical  Association,  will 
be  interesting.  To  describe  her  as  a  "remarkable  woman" 
is  to  tell  the  truth  in  language  almost  too  conservative  to 
do    the    service   justice.     Since    her   graduation    some   years 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


9 


ago  from  the  high  and  normal  schools  of  the  District,  carry- 
ing off  the  richest  honors  that  were  offered,  she  has  been  a 
most  conspicuous  representative  of  her  sex  in  the  uplifting 
movements    among   our    people. 

After  Miss  Madre's  graduation  from  the  public  schools, 
she  took  special  courses  at  Howard  University.  She  subse- 
quently entered  the  law  department  of  that  institution  and 
graduated  therefrom  as  valedictorian,  with  the  degree  of 
LL.  B.  in  1898  and  LL.  M.  in  the  class  of  1899.  In  addition 
to  her  duties  as  president  of  the  Bethel  Literary  Society, 
she  is  a  highly  efficient  teacher  in  the  public  schools  and 
for  several  years  was  principal  of  one  of  the  grammar 
schools  in  the  District  of  Columbia.  She  is  also  president 
of  the  District   Federation   of  Colored  Women's   Clubs,   lec- 


has  given  the  Nation's  Capital  its  best  opportunity  to  hear 
and  enjoy  the  productions  of  the  foremost  genuises  of  both 
races  and  stands  in  the  front  rank  of  the  promoters  of  the 
larger  affairs  of  the  community  that  make  for  civic  pride 
and  intellectual  elevation.  Among  those  she  has  been  in- 
strumental in  bringing  to  the  platform  of  Bethel  Literary 
are  former  President  William  Howard  Taft,  the  late  Pres- 
ident McKinley  J.  Max  Barber,  Dr.  Booker  T.  Washington, 
Dr.  M.  C.  B.  Mason,  William  Lloyd  Garrison,  Jr.,  Charles 
W.  Chestnutt,  W.  E.  B.  Dubois,  Hon.  Archibald  H  Grimke, 
Senators  M.  E.  Clapp  and  Wesley  J.  Jones,  Congressman 
M.  B.  Madden,  T.  C.  Thatcher  and  L.  C.  Dyer,  Dr.  J.  E. 
Shepard,  Bishop  Alexander  Walters,  Oswald  Garrison  Vil- 
lard,  Rev.  John  H.  Holmes,  Joel  E.  Spingarn,  R.  R.  Wright, 


STEWARDESSES,    METROPOLITAN   A.    M.    E.    CHURCH  ,   WASHINGTON,   D.   C. 


turer  and  organizer  of  the  Mite  Missionary  Society  for  the 
Baltimore  Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Connection,  and  is  an 
active  worker  in  the  Department  of  the  Potomac,  Woman's 
Relief  Corps,  serving  efficiently  as  press  correspondent  of 
the  auxiliary  to  the  Charles  Sumner  Post  No.  3,  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic.  As  a  mark  of  personal  "esteem  and  as  a 
recognition  of  her  helpful  labors  in  behalf  of  the  W.  R.  C, 


Sr.,  Dr.  William  Sinclair,  Rev.  W.  H.  Brooks,  Dr.  C.  Albert 
Tindley,  H.  Martin  Williams,  Attorney  James  H.  Hayes, 
Bishop  Joshua  Jones,  Bishop  Evans  Tyree,  Dr.  Pazavia 
O'Connell,  Dr.  O.  E.  Jones,  General  Andrew  S.  Burt,  Prof. 
W.  V.  Tunnell,  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr.,  Justice'  W.  P.  Stafford,  J. 
E.  Milholland,  Mrs.  Paul  Laurence  Dunbar,  Rev.  R.  W.  Bag- 
nail,  William  Pickens,  Rev.  Henry  L.  Phillips,  Dr.  Yerby,  J. 


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CLASS    LEADERS,    METROPOLITAN    CHURCH,    WASHINGTON,   D.   C. 


Bethel  Literary  was  recently  presented  with  a  beautiful  flag 
the  token  being  tendered  in  an  eloquent  and  laudatory  ad- 
dress by  Mrs.  Mary  Vanness  Fauth,  patriotic  instructor  of 
the  Department  of  the  Potomac.  This  is  the  first  instance 
that  such  an  honor  has  been  bestowed  upon  a  Negro  organi- 
zation outside  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  The 
Literary  is  also  the  proud  possessor  of  a  fine  piano,  one 
of  the  many  achievements  of  Miss  Madre's  energetic  and 
constructive  administration.  The  brilliant  success  of  the 
First  Negro  Folk-Song  Festival,  with  the  famous  Mme.  E. 
Azalia  Hackley  as  director,  was  planned  and  executed  under 
Miss  Madre's  supervision.  Madame  Hackley  gave  her  serv- 
ices   free    for    two    weeks    to   get    this    piano.     Miss    Madre 

24  369 


Edmonston  Barnes  (of  Liberia),  J.  Rosamond  Johnson,  Mrs. 
Ellen  Spencer  Mussey,  Mrs.  Coralie  Franklin  Cook,  Dr. 
Lucy  E.  Moten,  Mrs.  Anna  J.  Murray,  Rt.  Revs.  H.  M. 
Turner,  W.  J.  Gaines  and  L.  J.  Coppin,  Mrs.  Mary  Giles 
Beckett,  Miss  Emma  Hall,  Miss  Laura  A.  Joiner,  Mrs.  I.  N. 
Ross,  Mrs.  Amanda  Smith,  Mrs.  Minnie  L.  Gaines,  Mrs.  F. 
W.  Clair,  Mrs.  Alice  Strange-Davis,  Miss  Nannie  L.  Bur- 
roughs, Mr.  Charles  C.  Cook  and  many  others  of  like  prom- 
inence and  commanding  ability.  Musicians,  poets  and  lit- 
erateurs,  at  home  and  abroad,  have  been  brought  to  her 
forum  and  the  people  have  heard  all  of  them  gladly. 
Officers  of  the  Literary  for  1915  and  1916:  Miss  Marie 
A    D.  Madre,  LL.  B.,  LL.  M.,  president;   Mr.  A.  S.   Pinkett, 


& 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


LL.  B.,  LL.  M.,  first  vice  president ;  Mr.  Sylvester  McLaurin, 
LL.  B.,  LL.  M.,  second  vice  president;  Mr.  James  F.  Alston, 
LL.  B.,  LL.  M.,  recording  secretary;  Miss  Parthenia  Wood- 
son, corresponding  secretary;  Miss  J.  R.  Bush,  treasurer; 
Prof.  William  H.  Richards,  LL.  B.,  lecturer  and  counsellor; 


PROF.  RICHARDS 
Of   Bethel   Literary    Society. 

Mr.  S.  M.  Dudley,  LL.  B.,  librarian;  Mr.  Clarence  Allen,  mar- 
shal; Dr.  C.  H.  Stepteau,  chaplain  and  pastor.  Advisory 
Board:  Hon.  Archibald  H.  Grimke,  Dr.  William  A.  Sinclair, 
Dr.  Lucy  E.  Moten,  Prof.  G.  C.  Wilkinson,  Dr.  J.  H.  N. 
Waring,  Mrs.  Coralie  Franklin  Cook,  Mr.  John  A.  Simms, 
Sr.,  Mr.  James  H.  Marshall,  Mr.  James  H.  Hayes,  Mrs.  Julia 
West  Hamilton,  Mr.  W.  L.  Houston,  Mrs.  Rosetta  E.  Law- 
son,  Dr.  Elias  G.  Evans,  Dr.  George  W.  Murray,  Mrs.  Jaretta 


Jones,  Dr.  E.  D.  Williston,  Mrs.  Georgia  L.  Miller,  Mrs. 
Capitola  Smith,  Miss  Florence  Burgess,  Prof.  Charles  H. 
Thomas,  Mr.  William  H.  J.  Beckett,  Mr.  Frank  B.  Williams, 
Mr.  James  Jackson,  Mr.  W.  A.  Bowie,  Mr.  Charles  F.  Spra- 
gue,  Mr.  James  Langhorn,  Mrs.  F.  W.  Taylor,  Miss  A.  D. 
Bell,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Layton,  Mrs.  James  F.  Bundy,  Mrs..  Essie 
Fortune,  Mr.  E.  W.  Harrison,  Mr.  Charles  Hale,  Mrs.  Irene 
Jurix.  Reverends  :  Rt.  Rev.  L.  J.  Coppin,  bishop  of  the  Dio- 
cese;  Rev.  Walter  H.  Brooks,  Rev.  A.  C.  Garner,  Rev.  J. 
H.  Randolph,  Rev.  M.  W.  Clair,  Rev.  W.  C.  Brown,  Rev. 
J.  Milton  Waldron,  Rev.  L.  M.  Beckett,  Rev.  D.  P.  Seaton, 
Rev.  M.  W.  D.  Norman.  Music  Committee :  Dr.  John  T. 
Layton,  Prof.  J.  Henry  Lewis,  Miss  Mary  L.  Europe,  Miss 
Lola  Tohnson,  Prof.  William  Braxton.  Mrs.  Gabrielle  Pelham, 
Mrs.  M.  W.  D.  Norman,  Mr.  W.  Calvin  Chase,  Jr.,  Mr.  G. 
W.  Walton,  Miss  Medora  Boxlev,  Mr.  Frank  Williams,  Mr. 
R.  W.  Johnson,  Miss  Charlotte  Wallace,  Prof.  Charles  Wes- 
ley, Mr.  James  H.  Marshall,  Mrs.  Annie  Gilhem  Green,  Miss 
Marie  James,  Mrs.  Arabella  Chase,  Prof.  Roy  W.  Tibbs, 
Mrs.  Marietta  Clinkscales,  Mrs.  Lucy  Blagburn,  Miss  Bea- 
trice Chase,  Miss  Alberta  Williams,  Mrs.  Capitola  Smith,  Mr. 
A.  F.  Hilyer,  Miss  Eva  Virginia  Johnson,  Miss  Lucy  J. 
Moten,  Mrs.  E.  D.  Williston,  Prof.  W.  A.  Adams,  Miss 
Georgia  Frazier,  Mrs.  Essie  Jarvis,  Miss   Martha  Liggons. 

Wayman  Institute,  Harrodsburg,  Kv.,  was  founded  by 
the  Kentucky  Conference  in  1890,  at  Harrodsburg,  Ky.  It 
is  a  small  institution  for  local  needs  chiefly.  Its  principals 
have  been  Revs.  I.  H.  Welch,  Augustus  Reid,  W.  H.  Lacey, 
Prof.  George  W.  Saffell,  W.  E.  Newsome,  Prof.  C.  H. 
Brown  and  C.  H.  Boone,  the  present  president.  The  courses 
are  English,  normal,  academic,  theological  and  industrial. 
There  were  3  teachers  and  53  students  in  1915-6;  29  persons 
have  graduated  since  1890.  There  are  4  buildings,  18J4 
acres  of  land  and  the  whole  is  valued  at  $5,000.  There  were 
two   theological   students   in    1915-6. 

Western  University,  Quindaro,  Kans.,  near  Kansas  City, 
grew  out  of  a  school  named  Freedmen  University,  founded 
by  Rev.  Eben  Blatchley,  a  Presbyterian  minister,  about  the 
time  of  the  Emancipation.  Mr.  Blatchley  having  died  Octo- 
ber 18,  1877,  the  Kansas  Conference,  in  October,  18,  1880,  ap- 
pointed Revs.  B.  F.  Watson,  J.  C.  Embry  and  John  Turner 
a  committee  "to  confer  with  the  trustees  of  the  Freedmen 
National  School  at  Quindaro  and   [be]   empowered  to  make 


WARD  HALL— WESTERN  UNIVERSITY,  QUINDARO,  KANS. 


White,  Mrs.  A.  E.  Waddleton,  Mr.  R.  W.  Thompson,  Dr. 
George  W.  Cabaniss,  Mrs.  M.  W.  Clair,  Prof.  George  W. 
Cook,  Mr.  J.  M.  H.  Young,  Mr.  N.  W.  McGowan,  Mr.  R.  A. 
Tucker,  Mrs.  C.  I.  West,  Mr.  Thomas  Walker,  Mr.  John  W. 
Lewis,  Mr.  F.  D.  Lee,  Major  James  E.  Walker,  Miss  Mayme 


any  arrangements  deemed  wise  and  proper  to  receive  a 
transfer  of  the  property  to  the  control  of  the  conference 
for  school  purposes."  The  property  was  secured  and  a 
school  organized.  In  1898  the  governor  of  Kansas  recom- 
mended   State   aid   and   "The   State    Industrial   Department 


370 


e 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Q 


was  established  there.  From  that  time  to  the  present  the 
State  has  aided,  having,  however,  a  separate  board  of  trus- 
tees to  administer  its  funds.  The  presiding  bishop  is  chair- 
man and  a  certain  number  of  the  trustees  are  members  of 
the  Kansas  Conference.  In  1896  Rev.  W.  T.  Vernon  took 
charge  with  six  students.  He  served  as  president  for  more 
than  12  years.  His  successor  is  President  H.  T.  Kealing. 
The  departments  are  normal,  commercial,  musical  and  in- 
dustrial. There  were  276  students  (14  theological)  and  22 
teachers  in  1915-6;  7  buildings;  137  acres  of  land,  the  whole 
valued  at  $190,000.  There  have  been  320  graduates,  the  most 
distinguished  of  whom  are  Prof.  R.  H.  Brown,  Lawyer  W. 
B.  Dougalss   and  Mr.  W.  V.  Smith,  a  successful  farmer. 

West  Virginia  Annual  Conference. — The  first  ventures 
of  work  in  West  Virginia  were  made  by  the  ministers  of 
the  Virginia  and  Pittsburgh  Conferences,  both  claiming  that 
State  as  a  good  field  for  mission  effort.  Because  of  the 
constant  and  rapid  moving  of  the  people  from  one  mining 
community  to  some  other,  much  of  trie  work  first  organized 
was  lacking  in  growth  and  permanency.  At  the  Browns- 
ville session  of  the  Pittsburgh  Conference,  in  1889,  Rev.  C. 
A.  McGee  was  appointed  presiding  elder,  the  major  portion 
of  his  district  being  in  West  Virginia.  The  appointment  was 
a  good  one;  no  better  selection  could  have  been  made.  This 
brother  was  both  morally  and  physically  adapted  for  such 
pioneer  work.  He  began  his  work  by  taking  boat  for  Mor- 
gantown  for  his  first  quarterly  conference.  The  house  for 
worship  had  been  abandoned  and  used  as  a  "sheephouse." 
The  elder  soon  got  together  a  few  friends,  cleaned  out  the 
place,  held  services  and  appointed  a  local  preacher,  Brother 
W.  H.  Walker,  as  pastor.  It  is  now  a  good  charge.  Rev. 
Sandy  Christian,  a  pious,  faithful  man  did  much  to  improve 
the  buildings.  During  the  same  year:the  work  at  Charles- 
ton, the  capital  of  the  State,  was  organized  by  Brother  Ra- 
bon  and  his  wife  as  members.  Rev.  F.  D.  Taylor  erected, 
with  no  little  sacrifice  and  in  spite  of  much  opposition,  the 
present  beautiful  brick  chapel.  Rev.  Francis  Herman  Gow, 
an  earnest,  industrious,  intelligent  young  minister,  a  native 
of  South  Africa,  is  its  present  pastor.  The  Huntington 
church  was  organized  in  1901,  Rev.  C.  H.  Young  doing  the 
initiative  work,  though  he  stayed  but  a  few  months.  Rev. 
Prosser  succeeded  in  gathering  a  good  congregation,  pur- 
chased a  building  from  another  congregation  for  $1,150  and 
moved  from  their  humble,  temporary  quarters  from  Six- 
teenth Street  to  Eighteenth  Street.  Rev.  Lafayette  Barber, 
the  undaunted  walking  preacher,  went  from  place  to  place, 
organized  work  at  Stout's  Mills,  Wyoming,  Raleigh  and 
other  points,  most  of  which  have  been  abandoned  because 
of  the  migration  of  membership.  The  work  at  Eckman  was 
organized  by  men  of  the  Virginia  Conference.  The  church 
building  had  been  swept  away  by  a  flood,  but  another  was 
soon  built  by  Rev.  B.  F.  Newsome  and  finished  by  Rev.  L.  E. 
Johnson,  a  Payne  Seminary  graduate.  Brother  Page  Shan- 
non, under  Elder  McGee,  was  quite  instrumental,  as  a  local 
preacher,  in  doing  good  work.  The  work  at  Williamson 
was  organized  by  him.  It  has  now  a  very  pretty  little  brick 
chapel,  the  work  of  Rev.  James  Gibson,  its  present  pastor. 
Rev.  E.  R.  Bazier  organized  and  secured  a  house  at  Buchan- 
non  and  organized  our  people  at  Elkins.  The  little  frame 
building  was  erected  by  Rev.  L.  Griffin  and  remodeled  later 
by  Rev.  Green  Horace  Jenkins,  a  Howard  University  grad- 
uate. The  church  at  Clarksburg  was  built  by  Rev.  Pride, 
mainly,  and  completed  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Young.     The   Parkers- 


burg  church,  now  beginning  to  be  quite  a  desirable  charge, 
"came  through  hard  trials  and  great  tribulations."  The 
brick  building  erected  by  others  has  lately  been  remodeled 
by  Rev.  James  Wheeler,  and  is  much  improved.  The  par- 
sonage, with  the  tireless  labor  of  his  own  hands,  sacrifice 
and  suffering  of  himself,  young  girl-wife  and  babies,  was 
built  by  Rev.  B.  W.  Ford,  thus  making  it  possible  for  a  pastor 
to  find  a  good  home  and  greatly  helping  that  charge.  Be- 
cause of  meagre  information  I  am  unable  to  make  mention 
of  others  who  nobly  and  valiantly  labored  to  make  it  pos- 
sible for  this  state  to  have  a  conference  of  its  own.  At 
the  general  conference  at  Norfolk,  May,  1908,  a  resolu- 
tion was  passed,  having  been  introduced  ..  by  Rev.  S.  P. 
West,  to  make  an  annual  conference  of  the  State  of  West 
Virginia,  which  had  been  a  part  of  the  Pittsburgh  Con- 
ference. October,  1908,  at  Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  the  conference 
was  organized  by  Bishop  Derrick.  Rev.  S.  P.  West  was 
chosen  secretary;  Rev.  J.  T.  Gibbons,  assistant;  Rev.  R.  R. 
Downs,  book  steward;  Revs.  J.  Harrison  Accooe  and  F.  H. 
Taylor,  presiding  elders.  The  territory  embraced  the  whole 
State  of  4,000  square  miles.  But  two  presiding  elders  were 
found  to  be  too  many  on  account  of  the  sparce  settlements 
and  poor  pay.  There  were  barely  five  appointments  paying 
pastors  $400  to  $500  per  year,  and  not  quite  500  members 
in  the  State.  In  1909  the  whole  State  was  made  one  presid- 
ing elder  district  and  Rev.  W.  H.  Thomas  appointed  presid- 
ing elder.  Rev.  R.  R.  Downs  for  the  past  five  years  has 
been  presiding  elder.  The  work  is  steadily  growing.  The 
total  monies  collected  at  the  first  conference  was  about 
$600,  while  at  Parkersburg  at  the  1915  conference  over  $2,200 
was  collected,  including  $500  from  the  missionary  depart- 
ment.    (By  R.   R.   Downs,  historian.) 

Whittaker,  John  Henry,  was  the  son  of  Charles  and  Eliza 
Whittaker,  both  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
He  was  born  April  10,  1840,  in  Kent  County,  Del.  His 
parents  had  16  other  children.  He  attended  school  in  Phil- 
adelphia only  six  weeks  and  is  self-made ;  was  converted 
February  18,  1867,  and  joined  Union  A.  M.  E.  Church  in 
the  same  month.  He  has  held  in  the  church  the  offices  of 
trustee,  class  leader,  exhorter  and  local  preacher;  was  li- 
censed to  preach  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April  28,  1874,  by  Rev. 
Samuel  Watts;  was  ordained  deacon- April,  1880,  at  Prince- 
ton, N.  J.,  by  Bishop  John  M.  Brown  ;  ordained  elder  in  1884 
at  Newark,  N.  J.,  by  Bishop  J.  M.  Brown,  and  joined  the 
annual  conference  in  1876  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  under  Bishop 
Shorter.  He  has  held  the  following  appointments  all  in 
New  Jersey:  Allentown,  1876;  Bridgeton,  1879;  Pennington, 
1882,  East  Camden,  1885;  Bordentown,  1888;  Mount  Holly, 
1891;  Salem,  1893;  Fair  Haven,  1895;  Mt.  Laurel,  1897;  Mt. 
Holly  second  time),  1889;  East  Camden  (second  time),  1902; 
Pensauken,  1905;  Yorktown,  1907;  Othello,  1909;  Allentown 
(second  time),  1910;  South  Bound  Brook,  1913;  Chesilhurst, 
1914;  Crosswicks,  1916.  He  has  built  Union  A.  M.  E.  Church, 
Allentown,  N.  J.,  at  a  cost  of  $900,  in  1878,  and  Hosanna 
A.  M.  E.  Church,  East  Camden,  N.  J.,  at  a  cost  of  $800  in 
1900.  His  wife  is  Mrs.  Hannah  J.  Whittaker,  to  whom  he 
was  married  in  1875  in  Salem,  N.  J.  He  has  contributed  to 
the   Christian    Recorder,   and   owns    a   home. 

Wilberforce  University. — September  21,  1844,  a  commit- 
tee was  appointed  in  the  Ohio  Conference  of  the  A.  M.  E. 
Church  to  select  a  site  for  a  seminary  of  learning  on  the 
"manual  labor  plan."     One   hundred   and  seventy-two   acres, 


EMERY   HALL,   USED   AS    GIRLS'    DORMITORY,   WILBERFORCE  UNIVERSITY 

371 


£ 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


9 


i 


GROUP   OF   BUILDINGS   OF   WILBERFORCE   UNIVERSITY,  OHIO. 


Top  Row — O'Neil  Hall,  used  as  Boys'  Dormitory;  Teachers'  Homes.  Center — Galloway  Hall,  used  as  Recitation 
and  Administration  Building  for  Normal  and  Industrial  Department.  Bottom— Arnett  Hall,  used  as  Girls'  Dormitory; 
Power   House;   teachers'   cottages. 


mm-'  \:m& 


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James  A.  Shorter  Hal 


O'Neil    Hall. 


Payne   Seminary. 


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Carnegie 

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GROUP  OF  BUILDINGS   OF  WILBERFORCE  UNIVERSITY,  OHIO. 


372 


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AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


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GROUP   OF   BUILDINGS   OF   WILBERFORCE   UNIVERSITY,  OHIO. 

Top    Row — Machine    Shop    and    two    teachers'    cottages.     Middle  Row — Hospital,  Gymnasium  and  teacher's   cottage. 
Bottom  Row — S.  T.   Mitchell  Hall,  used   as   Senior  Girls'  Dormitory;   two   teachers'   cottages;    Recitation    Building. 


A  GRADUATION-DAY  SCENE  IN  THE  CHAPEL  IN  GALLOWAY   HALL,   WILBERFORCE   UNIVERSITY 


373 


B 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


fl 


12  miles  west  of  Columbus,  were  purchased,  and  Union  Sem- 
inary was  projected.  On  September  28,  1853,  the  Cincinnati 
Conference  of  the  M.  E.  Church  selected  a  committee, 
which  recommended  "the  establishment  of  a  literary  insti- 
tution of  high  order  for  the  education  of  colored  people 
generally";  and  in  May,  1856,  "Tawawa  Springs,"  a  summer 
resort  in  Greene  Count}-,  Ohio,  was  purchased  and  Wilber- 
force  Coliege  located.  Ky  concurrent  action,  the  M.  E.  and 
A.  M.  E.  Conferences  of  Ohio  entered  into  co-operation 
for  the  success  of  the  university.  It  was  incorporated  Au- 
gust 30,  1856,  and  a  board  of  24  trustees  selected,  including 
Governor  Salmon  P.  Chase,  President  R.  S.  Rust,  Ashland 
Keith,  of  the  colored  Baptist  denomination,  and  Bishop  D. 
A.  Payne;  and  the  principle  was  adopted  that  there  shall 
never  be  any  distinction  among  the  trustees,  faculty,  or 
students,  on  account  of  race  or  color.  The  university  began 
its  work  in  October,  1856,  under  Rev.  M.  P.  Gaddis,  as  prin- 
cipal. He  was  succeeded  by  Prof.  James  K.  Parker,  and  he 
by  Dr.  Richard  S.  Rust,  the  first  president.  During  the 
first  epoch,  which  terminated  with  the  Civil  War,  the  num- 
ber ot  students,  largely  the  children  of  Southern  planters, 
varied  from  70  to  10U.  Revivals  were  experienced,  and  com- 
mendable progress  made  in  literar\-  culture.  The  war  closed 
the  school,  and  the  M.  E.  Church  withdrew  from  the  field. 
On  March  10,  1853,  Bishop  D.  A.  Payne  purchased  the  prop- 
erty for  $10,000,  and  associated  with  himself  Rev.  James  A. 
Shorter  (aiterwards  bishop)  and  Prof.  John  G.  Mitchell,  in 
the  re-organization  oi  tne  university,  Bishop  Pajme  becom- 
ing president.  The  Union  Seminary  property  was  sold,  and 
proceeds,  faculty  and  pupils  merged  into  a  larger  enter- 
prise. On  the  day  that  President  Lincoln  was  assassinated, 
the  main  building  was  burned  and  the  growing  work  check- 
ed. But  the  heroic  founder  and  his  associates  redoubled 
their  efforts.  Congress,  in  1870,  appropriated  §25,000;  Chief 
Justice  Salmon  P.  Chase  bequeatned  $10,000;  the  Charles 
Avery  estate  added  $10,000,  and  the  American  Unitarian  As- 
sociation gave  for  lect jres  $6,000.  During  this  administra- 
tion $92,875  was  raised,  and  the  registration  of  students 
averaged  113.  During  the  13  years  bishop  Payne  presided 
over  the  affairs  of  the  university,  there  went  out  26  grad- 
uates, including  Dr.  J.  P.  Shorter.  Bishop  B.  F.  Lee,  Dr.  J. 
W.  Beckett,  President  S.  T.  Mitchell,  Miss  Hallie  Q.  Brown, 
Hon.  C.  L.  Maxwell,  the  Misses  Copeland,  and  others  of 
large  acquirements  and  wide  influence.  Among  the  under- 
graduates were  Bishops  Lam  and  baiter.  Lrs.  William  H. 
Hunter  and  A.  A.  Whitman,  and  others.  President  Payne 
left  his  impression  on  every  line  of  development.  He  or- 
ganized the  Church  oi  the  Holy  Trinity,  tne  Society  of  In- 
quiry on  Missions,  and  the  \\  omen's  College  Aid  Society, 
and    secured    the    \\  ard    Museum    worth   $J.OO0.     Rev.    B.    F. 


Lee,  now  bishop,  became  the  president  in  1876.  In  all  ele- 
ments of  moral,  mental  and  physical  ability  he  was  a  wor- 
thy successor  to  a  great  founder.  In  1877,  Prof.  W.  S. 
Scarborough,  a  graduate  of  Oberlin  College,  was  appointed 
to  the  Chair  ot  Latin  and  Greek;  and  Mrs.  S.  C.  Bierce 
(now  Scarborough)  of  the  Oswego  Xormal  School  was  ap- 
pointed principal  of  the  normal  department  and  instructor 
in  natural  sciences,  and  instituted  the  movement  which  re- 
sulted in  obtaining  the  present  museum,  for  which  Bishop 
Payne  secured  the  funds.  Through  the  .Missionary  Depart- 
ment of  the  Church  native  Haytians  were  brought  to  the 
institution.  President  Lee  continued  at  the  head  of  affairs 
eight  years,  registering  1,179  students,  an  average  of  147, 
and  graduating  41.  There  was  raised  during  the  period 
$79,202.80.  In  18S4,  he  was  elected  editor  of  the  Christian 
Recorder.  His  successor  was  Prof.  S.  T.  Mitchell,  of  the 
class  of  1873.  During  his  administration  the  university 
continued  its  steady  growth ;  2,924  students  registered,  an 
average  of  209.  The  year  1896  showed  the  highest  enroll- 
ment, 534.  On  April  5,  18:8,  the  Legislature  of  Ohio,  by  a 
unanimous  vote  in  both  Houses,  placed  to  the  credit  of  the 
Endowment  Fund  of  the  University,  the  Randolph  Fund  of 
$6,643.  On  March  19,  1887,  the  legislature  passed  a  law 
establishing  the  "Xormal  and  Industrial  Department."  It 
is  supported  e.ntirely  by  the  State,  and  over  it  the  State  ex- 
ercises controlling  power.  It  is  placed  on  the  same  finan- 
cial basis  as  the  other  State  educational  institutions.  Prof. 
W.  A.  Joiner  is  the  superintendent  of  this  department.  On 
January  9,  18^4,  President  Cleveland  detailed  Lieutenant 
John  H.  Alexander,  U.  S.  A.,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  to 
organize  a  military  department  at  Wilberforce,  which  is 
the  only  X'egro  school  in  the  countr}-  having  such  a  de- 
partment under  patronage  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment. Graduates  of  this  department  have  been  commis- 
sioned to  assist  in  training  the  Xational  Guard  of  Liberia. 
Prof.  S.  T.  Mitchell  was  succeeded,  in  18.8,  by  Rev.  (now 
bishop)  J.  H.  Jones,  under  whom  the  institution  reached  an 
enrollment  ot  595  pupils  and  33  officers  and  teachers,  and 
substantial  growth  was  made.  In  1S08  Prof.  W.  S.  Scar- 
borough   was    elected    president. 

Wilber/orciacs,  The,  a  society  of  graduates  and  under- 
graduates of  Wilberforce  University  permanently  or  other- 
wise residing  in  Washington,  D.  C,  was  organized  in  1898 
at  the  home  of  Prof.  \\  illiam  A.  Joiner,  who  was  its  first 
president.  The  purpose  ot  the  organization  is  to  cultivate 
close  fellowship  among  its  members,  to  extend  proper  wel- 
come to  all  the  alumni  of  the  university  who  might  visit  the 
city  of  Washington,  and  to  co-operate  as  far  as  possible 
with  the  A.   M.   E.  Church  in  makmg  Wilberforce  the  fore- 


THE  WILBERFORCIAN  SOCIETY 

374 


e 


AFRICAN   METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


most  institution  in  the  United  States  for  the  training  of 
Negro  youth,  and  to  perpetuate  the  Wilberforce  spirit  so 
benignly  conceived  by  its  founders.  Prominent  among  the 
members  are  Bishop  and  Mrs.  John  Hurst';  Prof.  William 
A.  Joner,  superintendent,  combined  Normal  and  Indus- 
trial Department,  Wilberforce  University;  Rev.  John  S. 
Johnson,  the  originator  of  The  Wilberforcians  ;  Prof.  James 
C.  Wright,  president  of  the  organization,  and  Mrs.  Wright; 
Mr.  Charles  E.  Hall,  of  the  United  States  Census  Bureau, 
and  Mrs.  Hall;  Mr.  Jefferson  S.  Coage,  manager  of  The 
Coage  Scales  Co. ;  Dr.  William  L.  Board,  proprietor  of 
Board's  Pharmacy;  Attorney  Charles  S.  Cuney ;  General 
Henry  Forrest;  J.  Frank  Blagburn,  cashier's  office  of  Re- 
corder of  Deeds,  and  Mrs.  Blagburn;  Mrs.  Mary  Houston; 
Mrs.  Luella  Crouse,  teacher;  Mrs.  Mattie  Cheeks,  former 
matron,  Wilberforce  University;  Mrs.  Carol  Carson;  Dr. 
Laura  E.  Joiner;  Mr.  Charles  R.  Thompson,  Post  Office  De- 
partment; Dr.  William  L.  Tignor  and  Mrs.  Tignor;  Dr.  Au- 
gustus A.  Williams;  Mr.  John  H.  Myers,  Treasury  Depart- 
ment; Mr.  Oscar  Preston,  merchant;  Mr.  William  P.  Bay- 
less,  newspaper  correspondent;  Mrs.  Lucy  Nooks;  Hon. 
William  T.  Vernon  and  Mrs.  Vernon  ;  Messrs.  E.  Lawrence 
Burns;  J.  Sherman  Hunnicutt ;  Dr.  C.  H.  Stepteau,  pastor 
of  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  Church;  and  Rev.  M.  F.  Sydes. 
The  society  has  directed  students  to  the  university,  and 
assisted  in  defraying  the  expenses  of  some  of  them;  award- 


ed prizes  to  students  for  special  scientific  research;  con- 
tributed books  to  the  library;  secured  over  $1,700  for  the 
girls'  dormitory;  inspired  the  organizing  of  Wilberforcian 
clubs  in  several  cities  ;  and  has  been  addressed  in  large  pub- 
lic meetings  at  the  Metropolitan  A.  M.  E.  Church  by  Pres- 
ident William  Howard  Taft,  the  late  Hon.  John  M.  Harlan 
(member  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court),  and  Hon. 
Charles  Dick,  of  Ohio  (formerly  a  member  of  the  United 
States  Senate),  and  attracted  to  the  university  the  helpful 
attention  and  generous  sympathy  of  many  interested 
friends. 

Young  People's  Congress,  as  inaugurated  by  the  Sunday- 
School  Union  and  the  Allen  Christian  Endeavor  League, 
was  first  held  July,  1914,  at  Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church,  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  together  Sunday-School 
and  Christian  Endeavor  workers  for  instruction  in  methods 
and  inspiration  for  better  work.  Experts  in  methods  were 
brought  from  all  parts  of  the  Church  and  some  of  the  best 
inspirational  preachers  and  lecturers  were  present.  Dele- 
gates were  sent  from  all  sections  of  the  Church.  The  sec- 
ond Young  People's  Congress  was  held  August  2-6,  1916,  in 
Nashville,  Tenn,  under  the  same  auspices,  Ira  T.  Bryant 
being  chairman,  Rev.  J.  C.  Caldwell  secretary  and  W.  H. 
Shackleford  treasurer.  During  this  session  the  Sunday- 
School  Union   building  was   dedicated. 


STEWARDS'   EOARD,   1915,   CHARLES   STREET  A.   M.   E.   CHURCH,   BOSTON,   MASS. 

C.  B.  Moore,  T.  P.  Taylor,  Rev.  M.  W.  Thornton,  S.  Griffin,  W.   S.  Jones,  W.  H.  Bright,  H.   Foster,  D.   Smith,  William 
C.  Lovett,    J.   A.   Fitchett     O.  H.   Fitzallen,  J.  R.  Bonner. 

(See    sketch,    Page   294.) 


375 


°s= 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


G 


SENIOR  CHOIR,  "MOTHER"   BETHEL  A.   M.  E.  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

Seated— Henry  Walker,  leading  bass;  Mrs.  Rosa  Owens  Pinckney,  secretary  and  leading  contralto;  David  Mason, 
organist;  Prof.  George  T.  Corson,  chorister;  Mrs.  Flora  Lewis  Makel,  president  and  leading  soprano;  William  H. 
Owens,   leading  tenor;   William   Burdett,   treasurer   and   tenor. 

Second  Row— Miss  Alice  Jacobs,  contralto;  Mrs.  Katie  Walker,  contralto;  Mrs.  Clara  Russell,  contralto;  Mrs.  Char- 
lotte Reynolds,  soprano;  Miss  Hattie  Marshall,  soprano;  Miss  Sarah  E.  Owens,  soprano;  Miss  Julia  Brown,  soprano; 
Mrs.  Florence   Marshall,  soprano;   Mrs.   Edith   Eason,  soprano. 

Back  Row— Mrs.  Anna  Johnson,  contralto;  Ogden  Rymer,  bass;  Andrew  Mason,  bass;  James  Harley,  bass;  William 
Carter,  tenor;  Arnold  Thompson,  tenor;   Miss   Rebecca  Robinson,  soprano. 


THE  HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  "MOTHER"  BETHEL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 

Front  Row — Mrs.  Carrie  Fisher,  great  grand-daughter  of  Rt.  Rev.  Richard  Allen  ;  Olivia  Hemsley,  assistant  secre- 
tary;   Mrs.  Isabella  Jackson,  president;   Mrs.  Rosa  Johnson,  vice  president. 

Second  Row — Mrs.  Elizabeth  Stanford,  Miss  Rebecca  Robinson,  Miss  Lydia  Brittingham,  Mrs.  Ruth  Mackie,  Miss 
Catherine    Simmons,    Miss   Alice   Jacobs. 

Back  Row — William  H.  Owens,  Alvin  F.  Polk,  Sydney  E.  Purnell,  Linton  C.  Fisher,  Moses  G.  Johnson,  Nathan  P. 
Stanford. 


376 


& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


REV.   J.   C.   WATKINS,   D.    D. 
(See  sketch   Page  239.) 


■  ].  M.  P.  LEBALA, 
(See   sketch   Page   148.) 


REV.  WALTER  A.  LEWIS,  D.  D. 
(See    sketch    Page   277.) 


REV.  J.   R.  REED,  D.  D. 
Pastor   A.    M.    E.    Church, 
Norristown,    Pa. 


REV.    JOSEPHUS    O'BANYOUN 

(Deceased) 
One    of    the    most    prominent     anil 
devoted   workers  in  the  A.  M.   E. 
Church     in     Canada.     (See    pages 
296-297.) 


MR.   H.  Jrl.  LOWBER 
Superintendent  Allen  A.  M.  E. 

Sunday  School,  Phila.,  Pa. 
(See   sketch  Allen   Church,   Page  349.) 


37Z 


€> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


a 


A  FEW  VIEWS  OF  THE  BOOK  CONCERN  OF  THE  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH,  631  PINE  STREET,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA, 
WHERE  THIS  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  WAS  PRINTED.    R.  R  .  WRIGHT,  GENERAL  MANAGER. 


THE   LINOTYPE 

Where  the  molten  lead  is  cast  into  type.     This  machine   can   do   the   work   of   five    men    setting  type   by   hand.     It   is 
kept   busy   night    and   day.     On   this    machine   the    Recorder,  Review,    Minutes    and    other   books    are    set    up. 


378 


£ 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


H 


THE  BOOK  STORE  AND  CASHIER'S  DEPARTMENT 
In   the   front   to   the   right   is   the   store   where   there   are   kept   a   good   supply   of   hymn   books,   Bibles    and   other   re- 
ligious literature  for  the  public.     In  the  rear  is  the  cashier's  office,  while  to  the  left  is  a  slight  view  of  the  Bindery. 


CLERICAL  DEPARTMENT 
In  the  rear  room  is  the  Bookkeeping  Department.     In  the  front  room  the  Recorder  mailing  rooms.     The  clerk  is  ad- 
dressing Recorders  by  machine  for  mailing.    The  papers  are  stamped  at  the  rate  of   1,000  per  hour. 

379 


€> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


<3 


THt  LOMPUMXG  ROOM 
View   of   portion   of   the   Composing   Room   of   the    Book   Concern,   showing  where   the   type   is   set   by   hand   and  the 
books  are  made  up  for  the  printing  presses.     In  the  middle  foreground  is   a  "form"  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Review,   16  pages, 
printed  at  the  same  time.     These  have  just  been  taken  off  the  press.     To  the  right  is  the  foreman  arranging  the  pages 
of   the   new   Discipline   for    1916. 


THE  PRESSROOM 
A  view  of  the   Press  Room  of  the  Book  Concern   of  the  A.   M.   E.  Church  showing  the  presses   on   which   the   Ency- 
clopaedia of  African  Methodism  was  printed,  and  where  the  Discipline,  Hymn   Books,   Minutes,  Review,   Recorder,  etc., 
are   printed. 

380 


Delegates  to  the  (centennial  VJeneral  L«ori 


At  "Mother"  Bethel  Church,  Philadelphia,  P; 
May  3rd  to  24th,  19  \  6 


Bishops. 


College 


(According    to   seniority    of    election.) 


(The    O 


Benjamin  Tucker  Tanner 2908  Diamond  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Benjamin    Franklin    Lee Wilberforce,    Ohio 

Evans  Tyree 15  N.  Hill  St.,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

Charles  Spencer  Smith,  35  E.  Alexandrian  Ave.,  Detroit,  Mich. 
Cornelius  Thaddeus  Shaffer. . .  .3742  Forest  Ave.,  Chicago,  111. 

Levi  Jenkins  Coppin 1913  Bainbridgc  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Henry  Blanton  Parks 3312  Calumet  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

Joseph  Simeon   Flipper 401   Houston   St.,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

J.  Albert  Johnson 1412  N.   18th    St.,   Phila.,   Pa. 

William  Henry  Heard 1426  Rockland  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

John  Hurst 1808  McCulh.h   St.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

William  D.  Chappelle 1208  Harden  St.,  Columbia,  S.  C. 

Joshua  II.  Jones Wilberforce,  Ohio 

James  M.  Connor 1519  Pulaski   St.,  Little  Rock,  Ark. 


General  Officers. 


W.   S.   Scarborough — 

Wilber 

W.  A.  Fountain Mo 

W.  W.  Beckett 

J.  A.  Gregg Edwar 

H.   E.  Archer 

A.  H.  Attaway 

C.  G.  O'Kelley.... 
J.  K.  Williams.... 
H.  T.   Kealing. ... 

C.    If.    Boone 

J.  A.  Jones 

J.   R.  Campbell. . .  . 

William   Byrd 

A.  B.  Ci loper 


Dc 


J.  I.  Lowe,  General  Business  Manager. 631  Pine  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 
R.  K.  Wright,  Jr.,  Editor  Christian   Recorder — 

'.31   Pine  St..  Phila.,  Pa. 
J.  R.  Hawkins,Secretary  of  Finance — 

1541  14th  St.,  N.  W..  Washington,  D.  C. 
J.  W.  Rankin,  Secretary  Board  of  Missions 

61    Bible   House,  New  York   City,  N.  V. 
R.  C.  Ransom,   Editor  A     M.   E.  Church   Review — 

631    Pine   St.,   Phila..   Pa. 

A.  S.  Jackson,  Secretary  of   Education Waco,  Tex.       \    \\    Stewart 

B.  F.  Watson,  Secretary  Society  of  Church   Extension —  i    ()    t,,i, ,,„,,,, 

1555  14th  St.,  X.  W\.  Washington,  D.  C.       ,     7.'  ',       , 
,...,,  c  ,■       ,       ,.  ,       ,    ,  ■    •  K.  I'..  Brooks . 

Ira   T.   Brvant.   Secretary    Sunday-School    I  mon — 

8th  St.  and   Lea  Ave.  Nashville,  Tenn.  J-  "■  Campbell^ 

G.  W.  Allen,  Editor  Southern   Christian    R  l<     E.   Vaughn. 

Columbus,  (ia.  |.  T.  Jordan. 

J.  Frank  McDonald,  Editor  Western  Christian   Recorder-  -  ■(■    g    f>jcls 

2517  Grove  St,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

J.  C.  Caldwell,  Secretary  Allen   ('.   E.   League 


George   F.   Wo 
Pa 
P.  W.  Greath 


F.   D.   I. 


8th  St.  and  Lea  Ave,  Nashvi 


L.  C.  Fis 


John  T.  Jenifer,  Historian 3430  Vernon  Ave.,  Chicago,  111.       George 

381 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


« 


JT  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 


liladelphia  Conference. 

[inisterial  Delegates 


Chester,   Pa. 

.Philadelphia,  Pa. 
.Wilmington,  Del. 
.Philadelphia,  Pa. 
.Philadelphia,  Pa. 
.Philadelphia,  Pa. 
.  .Norristown,  Pa. 
Media,   Pa. 


ly  Delegates 


sey    Conference. 

rial  Delegates 


.Philadelphia,    Pa. 
.Philadelphia,  Pa. 


.Atlantic  City, 

Newark, 

.  Moorestown, 


Orange,   N.   J 

.Jersey    City,   N.    J 
Trenton,  N.  J 


legates 


Atlantic   City,  N.  J. 
Newark,   N.   J. 


srance. 

pegates 

Brooklyn,   N.   Y. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

New  York,  N.  Y. 

s 

.Westburv,   L.   I.,   N.   Y. 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y, 


[STRICT. 


.  .Boston,  Mass 

Mobile,  Ala 

.Camden,    N.    J 

.Newport,   R.   I 
..Boston,    Mass 


.  .Baltimore,  Md 

.Catonsville,  Md 

.Baltimore,  Md 

..Baltimore,  Md 

lagerstown,  Md 

.Baltimore,  Md 

jmoke    City,  Md 


.Norfolk,  Va 

l  Richmond,  Va 

.Hampton,   Va 

..Suffolk,   Va 

(Roanoke,    Va 

lichmond,   Va 
lichmond,   Va 


N.  C 

jn,  N.  C 

jn,  N.  C 

N.  C 

N.  C 


Lay  Delegates 

Thomas    H.    Hooper Wilmington,    N.    C. 

W.  S.  King Selma,  N.  C. 

Western   North   Carolina  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

K.  C.   Holt Greensboro,  N.  C. 

R.  H.  W.  Leak Raleigh,  N.  C. 

J.  E.  Jackson Greensboro,  N.  C. 

A.  D.  Avery Charlotte,  N.  C. 

Lay  Delegates 

J.    M.    Averv Durham,    N.  C. 

Dr.   E.   W.   Smith Winston-Salem,   N.  C. 

THIRD  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 

Ohio  Conference.  .... 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Charles    Sumner    Williams Cincinnati,    Ohio 

Timothy    Dwight    Scott Cincinnati,    Ohio 

Lay  Delegates 
Henry    P.    Talbert Wilberforce,    Ohio 

C.  C.  Chrystal Cincinnati,  Ohio 

North    Ohio    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Charles   Bundy Toledo,  Ohio 

Thomas   H.  Jackson Wilberforce,   Ohio 

W.   T.   Anderson Cleveland,   Ohio 

John  A.  Collins Piqua,  Ohio 

Lay  Delegates 

A.  M.  Richardson R.  F.  D.,  Anna,  Ohio 

Andrew   W.    Guy Steubenville,    Ohio 

Pittsburgh    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

W.    H.    H.    Butler Washington,    Pa. 

T.  J.  Askew Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

P.   A.    Scott Washington,    Pa. 

R.   H.    Bumry Pittsburgh,    Pa. 

Lay  Delegates 

D.  M.    Blair Pittsburgh,    Pa. 

J.  W.  Sallee..- Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

West    Virginia    Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

R.   R.  Downs Columbus,  Ohio 

J.  T.  Gibbons Huntingdon,  W.  Va. 

Lay  Delegates 

R.  L  Geter.  D.  Phar Huntingdon,  W.  Va. 

P.  A.  Goines Bluefield,  W.  Va. 

FOURTH   EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 
Chicago  Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

Archibald   J.    Carey Chicago,    111. 

T.  A.  Smythe   (deceased) 

Isaac    N.    Daniels Evanston,    111. 

Henry   E.   Stewart Evanston,   111. 

W.  D.  Cook Chicago,  111. 

Lay  Delegates 

Richard    E.    Moore Chicago.    111. 

Eugene    Green    Davenport,    Iowa 

Indiana    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

D.   P.   Roberts Indianapolis,   Ind. 

J.    P.   Q.   Wallace Richmond,    Ind. 

J.    L.    Craven Indianapolis,    Ind. 

Lay  Delegates 

William  A.   Stewart Indianapolis,   Ind. 

George  Stone Kokomo,  Ind. 

Illinois     Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

J.    H.    Sydes Springfield,    111. 

George   W.   Jones Springfield,    111. 

Frederick    Douglas Marion,    111. 

382 


€>> 


AFRICAN   METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


G 


Lay   Delegates 

A.  Y.  King Collinsville,  III. 

L.  N.  Bundy East  St.  Louis,  111. 

Kentucky    Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

J.   W.    Frazier Harrodsburg,    Ky. 

O.    E.    Jones Lexington,    Ky 

D.    C.    Carter Lexington,    Ky. 

Lay  Delegates 
S.  W.  H.  Hamilton. 
W.     H.    Fouse Lexington,    Ky. 

West    Kentucky    Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

J.  W,   Hall Paducah.   Ky. 

P.  A.  Nichols ' Louisville,   Ky. 

Lay   Delegates 

A.  G.  Queen   Maxfield,  Ky. 

J.  F.   Moxley Bowling  Green,  Ky. 

FIFTH   EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 
Puget   Sound   Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

J.  L.  Craw Los   Angeles,  Cal. 

C.  N.  Douglas North  Yakima,  Wash. 

California    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 
J.  H.  Wilson Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

F.  Jesse    Peck Topeka,    Kans. 

Colorado    Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

R.    L.    Pope Denver.    Colo. 

A.     M.    Ward Denver,    Colo. 

Lay  Delegates 

C.  D.  A.  Bush Pueblo,  Colo. 

A.    J.    Steele    Walensburg,    Colo. 

Kansas   Conference. 
Ministerial   Delegates 

J.  R.  Ransom Kansas   City,  Kans. 

H.    C.    King Topeka,    Kans. 

J.  T.  Smith Topeka,  Kans. 

C.  A.   Williams Wichita,   Kans. 

Lay   Delegates 
Dr.   Thompson Kansas    City,    Kans. 

North    Missouri    Conference. 

Ministerial    Delegates 

P.  C.  Crews Columbia,  Mo. 

N.  C.   Buren St.    loseph,  Mo. 

M.    S.    Bryant Liberty.  Mo. 

G.  W.    Cross Macon,  Mo. 

Lay   Delegates 

Wr.   E.   Boone Moberly,    Mo. 

T.  E.  Martin Columbia,  Mo. 

Southwest    Missouri    Conference. 

Ministerial   I  lelegates 

W.   II.   Peck St.    Loin..    Mo. 

W.   H.  Thomas Kansas   City,    Mo. 

Lay  Delegates 

W.  C.  Williams Kansas  City,   Mo. 

George  Teeters Kansas  (  ity,   Mo. 

Missouri  Conference. 

Ministerial    Delegati  • 

W.  Sampson  Brooks St.   Louis.   Mo. 

J.  D.  Barksdale Kansas  City,  Kans. 

J.   F.   Sage Kansas    City,    Mo. 

A.  A.  Gilbert Kansas   City,   Mo. 


F. 

L. 

W 

.    A 

R. 

V. 

F. 

R. 

T. 

A. 

C. 

M. 

D. 

H. 

H. 

D. 

B. 

G. 

To 

hn    ! 

E. 

c  : 

Lay  Delegates 

D.  W.   Scott St.   Louis,   Mo. 

R.  A.   King DeSoto,   Mo. 

SIXTH  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 

North    Georgia   Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

C.    L.    Williams Marietta,    Ga. 

U.   P.  Talbert Rockmart,   Ga. 

J.    H.    Myers Athens,    Ga. 

W.    Boyd    Lawrence Athens,   Ga. 

J.    L.    Butler : Rome,    Ga. 

C.  M.   Manning Athens,  Ga. 

S.    F.    James Rockmart,    Ga. 

J.   R.   Fleming Atlanta,   Ga. 

Lay   Delegates 

W.    H.    Harris Athens,    Ga. 

William    Kiscr Marietta,    Ga. 

Atlanta   (Ga.)   Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

Fleming Atlanta,  Ga. 

.    McClendon Atlanta,  Ga. 

Branch Atlanta,  Ga. 

Sims Atlanta,  Ga. 

Hadley Atlanta,  Ga. 

Tanner Atlanta,  Ga. 

Porter Marietta,  Ga. 

Canady South   Atlanta,  Ga. 

Dawson Atlanta,  Ga. 

Lay  Delegates 

S.   Allen Newnan,  Ga. 

Mitchell Atlanta,  Ga. 

Southwest    Georgia    Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

William  D.  Johnson Plains,  Ga. 

John   Cooper Columbus,  Ga. 

S.   D.   Roseboro Cuthbert,   Ga. 

L.  H.  Smith.  Jr Cuthbert,  Ga. 

R.    H.   Ward Columbus,  £a. 

J.   I.   Stringer Diffee,   Ga. 

F.    M.   Johnson Albany,    Ga. 

W.   B.   L.  Clarke Dawson,   Ga. 

E.  C.   Foley Blakely,   Ga. 

J-   T.    Barr Cuthbert,   Ga. 

D.  W.    Moman Shellman,    Ga. 

Lay  Delegates 

A.   J.   Johnson St.   Augustine,    Fla. 

J.    H.    Watson Albany,    Ga. 

Macon    (Ga.)    Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

L.  H.   Smith,  Sr Macon, 

J.    T.    Hall Macon, 

E.  Griggs Macon, 

C.    A.    Wingfield Atlanta, 

F.  C.    Cray  ton Cuthbert, 

A    S.   Bailey Macon, 

W.    E.    Bailey Cordclc, 

I      J.   Reeves Mason, 

S     F.   Andrews Sparta. 

L.  A.  Townsley Macon. 

Lay   Delegates 

G      Monghan Macon; 

C.  H.   Ilarrold \mericus, 

Georgia    Conference. 

Ministerial    Delegates 

Singleton Savannah. 

I'.   Sherman Fitzgerald, 

Sampson Savannah, 

Brown South    Atlanta, 

mbry West    Savannah. 

rker Fitzgerald, 

[verson Waycross, 

Robinson Jcssup, 

Heard Savannah, 

James. .' Lumber  City, 

Pierce Guyton, 


K 

II. 

W 

.   O. 

A. 

L. 

1. 

E. 

X 

Be 

A. 

Pa 

1. 

o 

M 

T. 

K 

L. 

M. 

1. 

\\ 

.  A. 

Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 

Ga. 
Ga. 


Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 
Ga. 


383 


e 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


•3 


Lay  Delegates 

W.  A.  Richie Hawkinsville,  Ga. 

J.  C.   McGraw Waycross,   Ga. 

South  Georgia  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

A.  Cooper Americus,   Ga. 

I.  G.  Glass Thomasville,  Ga. 

G.   W.   Williams Cuthbert,    Ga. 

W.   G.  Alexander Valdosta,    Ga. 

G.  W.  Smith Moultrie,  Ga. 

B.  J.    Powell Cuthbert,    Ga. 

B.   J.   Jackson Bainbridge,    Ga. 

A.  K.    Woods Thomasville,    Ga. 

B.  J.   Ross Savannah,   Ga. 

Lay  Delegates 

William    Lissimore Valdosta,    Ga. 

P.   A.    Duhart Thomasville,    Ga. 

Augusta  (Ga.)  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

A.  , M.  Jordan Macon,   Ga. 

C.  J.    Jones Milledgeville,    Ga. 

E.    Reese. Wrightsville,    Ga. 

H.   H.  Johnson Warrenton,   Ga. 

John   Harmon Atlanta,  Ga. 

C.  H.    Williams Sanders ville,    Ga. 

A.  B.   B.   Gibson Macon,   Ga. 

IT.   H.   Long Augusta,   Ga. 

B.  S.  Hannah Valdosta,  Ga. 

Lay  Delegates 

M.    C.    Rutherford Tennille,    Ga. 

U.   S.  Johnson Dublin,    Ga. 

SEVENTH  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 

Northeast  South  Carolina  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

D.  C.    Deas Marion,    S.    C. 

D.  J.  Turpin Latta,  S.   C. 

H.  C.   DeLaine St.  Paul,   S.  C. 

D.  P.  Pendergrass Sumter,  S.  C. 

J.   T.    Lomax Sumter,    S.    C. 

J.  M.  Jackson Florence,  S.   C. 

J.  M.  Harrison Sumter,  S.  C. 

Lay  Delegates 
I.   M.  A.   Myers Manning,   S.   C. 

E.  C.  Grice Darlington,  S.  C. 

Columbia   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Lee  A.  Logan Columbia,   S.   C. 

T.  J.  Pruitt Columbia,  S.  C. 

J.  W.  Lykes Greenville,   S.   C. 

E.   H.    McGill Orangeburg,    S.   C. 

C.  W.    Dunlap Vance,    S.    C. 

D.  A.    Christie Columbia,    S.    C. 

George  C.  Johnson Cameron,  S.  C. 

J.   S.   Perrin Columbia,   S.   C. 

Lay  Delegates 

Joseph  E.  Christie Fort  Motte,  S.  C. 

A.   P.   Harper Jenkinsville,   S.   C. 

Piedmont  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

C.  L.  Henderson Greenwood,   S.  C. 

R.  H.  Bradley Bradley,  S.  C. 

J.   E.  Thomas Newberry,   S.  C. 

D.  H.  Johnson Greenville,  S.  C. 

J.   W.   Douglass Carlisle,   S.  C. 

W.   F.   Rice Abbeville,   S.  C. 

Lay  Delegates 

C.  G.  Garrett Columbia,  S.  C. 

J.  T.  Lomax Greenwood,  S.  C. 

South   Carolina   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

P.  J.  Chavis Charleston,  S.  C. 

R.  W.  Mance Charleston,  S.   C. 


W.  R.  A.  Felder Aiken,  S.  C. 

E.  H.  Coit Beaufort,  S.  C. 

M.  B.  McPherson Charleston,  S.  C. 

N.    B.    Sterrett Charleston,    S.    C. 

Lay  Delegates 

D.  A.  Jones Aiken,  S.  C. 

L.  M.  Alston Charleston,  S.  C. 

Palmetto  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

A.  E.    Peets Charleston,   S.   C. 

M.  A.  Hollins Oakes,  S.  C. 

L.  R.  Nichols Charleston,  S.  C. 

B.  H.  Williams Charleston,  S.  C. 

J.  E.  Beard Georgetown,  S.  C. 

Sandy  Simmons Charleston,  S.  C. 

Lay  Delegates 

George  W.   Howard Georgetown,   S.   C. 

Julius    H.   Brown Charleston,    S.   C. 

EIGHTH    EPISCOPAL   DISTRICT. 
Northeast    Mississippi    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

W.   H.   Edward Jackson,  Miss. 

G.  T.   Stinson West  Point,  Miss. 

William   Barnes Grenada,  Miss. 

J.    W.    Jackson Jackson,  Miss. 

A.  S.   Blake Grenada,  Miss. 

Lay  Delegates 
U.  S.  G.  Stinson Aavlon,   Miss. 

B.  W.   Foree West    Point,    Miss. 

East   Mississippi   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

J.   W.   Hair Jackson,    Miss. 

J.  A.  Brookens Benton,   Miss. 

W.  T.  Johnson Shaw,  Miss. 

H.  Dean Colby,  Miss. 

J.  B.  Curtis Ancona,  Miss. 

Lay  Delegates 

Diamond    Cox Jackson,    Miss. 

S.  W.  Miller Jackson,  Miss. 

Mississippi   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

D.    H.    Butler Jackson,  Miss. 

M .  C.  Wright Natchez,  Miss. 

J.  W.  Watson Meridian,  Miss. 

S.    P.    Washington Meridian,  Miss. 

T.  A.   Collins Meridian,  Miss. 

O.   M.   C.   Tolson Brookhaven,  Miss. 

B.  S.   Williams Gulfport,  Miss. 

S.  S.  Stephens Brookhaven,  Miss. 

Lay  Delegates 

L.  L.  Lacy Meridian,  Miss. 

J.    B.    Green Port    Gibson,  Miss. 

Central    Mississippi    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

J.  J.  Morant Vicksburg,  Miss. 

William   Singleton Jackson,   Miss. 

D.  R.   Morant Glen  Allen,  Miss. 

C.  B.    Lawyer Leland,    Miss. 

E.  Wittenberg Vicksburg,    Miss. 

L.  A.  Haymore. 

B.   C.   Crow. 

F.  Rogers Itta   Bena,   Miss. 

Lay  Delegates 

A.   B.   Morant Signal,   Miss. 

E.    P.    Simmons Hollandale,    Miss. 

North  Mississippi  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

S.   P.   Felder Mound   Bayou,   Miss. 

H.    M.    Pillow Rosedale,    Miss. 

S.  L.  Green Greenville,  Miss. 

P.   C.    Cummings Greenville,    Miss. 

S.  W.  White Friars'  Point,  Miss. 

J.    C.    Jackson Gunnison,    Miss. 


384 


® 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<3 


La}'  Delegates 

R.  J.  Gardiner Mound  Bayou,  Miss. 

J.  C.  Collins Rosedale,  Miss. 

Northwest    Mississippi    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

F.  R.   C.   Durden Mound   Bayou,    Miss 

J.   E.    Brown Friar's    Point,    Miss. 

P.  H.  Polk Clarksdale,   Miss. 

John    Jones Mound    Bayou,    Miss. 

J.    B.    Battle Jonestown,    Miss. 

S.   D.   Hughes Jonestown,    Miss. 

Lay  Delegates 
Charles   Banks Mound   Bayou,   Miss. 

G.  W.   Malone Blackdom,  New   Mexico 

North    Louisiana   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

A.    Thomas Shreveport,  La. 

D.  B.  Reynolds Vidalia,  La. 

N.  Willis Minden,  La. 

C.   H.   Powell Alexandria,  La. 

I.   B.   Granderson Alexandria,  La. 

Lay  Delegates 

W.   D.  Wilson Shreveport,  La. 

W.   M.   Watts Bonita,  La. 

Louisiana   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

C.    E.    Brooks Covington,    La. 

G.  B.  Billops New  Orleans,  La. 

J.    B.    Bell New    Orleans,    La. 

G.  B.  Brown New  Orleans,  La. 

J.  W.  Washington Baton  Rouge,  La. 

W.  A.   Easton New  Orleans,   La. 

A.  T.  Tunson Lake  Charles,  La. 

M.   R.  Dixon New   Orleans,   La. 

Lay  Delegates 

H.   R.   Baranco Baton   Rouge,   La. 

Charles  I.  Dowden New  Orleans,  La. 


NINTH  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 
East    Tennessee    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 
Moore Fayettevil 


T.  Y 

J.   H. 
E.   P 


Tenn. 
Tenn. 


Smith Chattanooga, 

Ellis Fayetteville,   Tenn. 

Lay  Delegates 

D.   H.   Hall Chattanooga,   Tenn. 

Burton   Buchanan Fayetteville,  Tenn. 


Tennessee    Annual    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

I.    J.    Edwards Nashville,  Tenn. 

L.   J.   Johnson Nashville,  Tenn. 

G.  W.   Porter Nashville,  Tenn. 

N.    W.    Williams Clarksville,  Tenn. 

A.    P.   Gray Nashville,  Tenn. 

H.  L.  P.  Jones Nashville,  Tenn. 

Lay  Delegates 

C.   V.   Roman Nashville,  Tenn. 

W.    H.    Campbell Shelbyville,  Tenn. 

Central  Tennessee  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

J.    S.    Kelly Clarksville,   Tenn. 

F.   W.   Gardner Nashville,   Tenn. 

A.  C.  Smith Ashland  City,  Tenn. 

Lay  Delegates 

J.   F.  Williams Paris,   Tenn. 

C.  H.  Kelly Clarksville,  Tenn. 

West    Tennessee    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

C.  H.  Shelto Memphis,  Tenn. 

J.    A.    Lindsay Birmingham,    Ala. 

385 


M.  T.   Cooper Memphis,  Tenn. 

J.    W.    Pickett Memphis,    Tenn. 

E.   M.   Moore Memphis,   Tenn. 

Lay  Delegates 

A.   D.    Bvas Memphis,   Tenn. 

T.   M.    M'itchell Brunswick,  Tenn. 

North    Alabama    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

W.   H.   Mixon Selma,   Ala. 

W.    B.    Johnson Birmingham,    Ala. 

G.    W.    Mitchell Birmingham,    Ala. 

E.   W.   Williams Birmingham,   Ala. 

Lay  Delegates 

P.  S.   Moten Birmingham,  Ala. 

James    Alexander Arcadia,    Ala. 

West  Alabama  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

J.  B.  Carter .  Ensley,  Ala. 

D.    C.    Edmondson Birmingham,    Ala. 

D.  P.  Moore Birmingham,  Ala. 

R.    Gray Bessemer,   Ala. 

Lay  Delegates 

H.    D.    Davidson Centreville,    Ala. 

J.  A.   Murphy. 

Alabama    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

H.   N.   Newsome Montgomery,  Ala. 

G.    B.    West Montgomery,  Ala. 

L.    V.    Starkey Selma,  Ala. 

G.    W.    Harris Selma,  Ala. 

A.  D.  W.  Mitchell Troy,  Ala. 

M.  W.  Davis Brewton,  Ala. 

Lay  Delegates 

I.    C.    Tharp Mt.    Meigs,  Ala. 

W.  D.  Dickerson McWilliams,  Ala. 

Central   Alabama  Conference. 

Ministerial   Delegates 

J.  W.  Walker Selma,  Ala. 

L.  G.  Duncan Dothan,  Ala. 

J.    F.    Griffin Mobile,    Ala. 

R.   D.   Brooks Selma,   Ala. 

E.  Jones Summerfield,  Ala. 

William  Grace Uniontown,  Ala. 

G.  H.  Upshaw Grove  Hill,  Ala. 

Lay  Delegates 

A.  C.  Craig Magnolia,  Ala. 

J.   H.   Forniss Uniontown,  Ala. 

South   Alabama   Conference 

Ministerial  Delegates 

W.  M.  Pyles Florala,  Ala. 

W.  A.  Lewis Euf aula,  Ala. 

R.  C.  Dickerson Eufaula,  Ala. 

Sylvester   Griffin Troy,   Ala. 

W.  J.  Hightower Dothan,  Ala. 

J.  T.  Harris Louisville,  Ala. 

S.  P.  Pryor Montgomery,  Ala. 

W.  J.  Webb Headland,  Ala. 

Lay  Delegates 

S.  U.  Clark Enterprise,  Ala. 

S.  L.  Bennett Troy,  Ala. 

East  Alabama  Conference 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Daniel  Brown Montgomery,  Ala. 

B.  Crawford Anniston,  Ala. 

Moses    Moreland Anniston,    Ala. 

S.   L.   Bates Augtaugaville,   Ala. 

E.    L.    Martin Calora,    Ala. 

J.   S.    Evans Opelika,   Ala. 

L.   M.   Bullard Helena,  Ark. 

W.    H.    Bower Selma,    Ala. 

T.  H.  Williams Seale,  Ala. 


# 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


3 


w. 

A. 


S. 
T. 
W 
A. 
S. 
R. 
H. 
J. 

L. 
W 


P. 

J. 
E. 
F. 
F. 

W 
A. 


A. 
C. 
H. 
G. 
R. 

J. 

F. 
W 
J. 


M 
J. 
J. 

A. 


C. 

c. 

H. 

S. 

w 


Lay  Delegates 

W.   Allen Boston,    Mass 

M.  Pope Calora,  Ala 

TENTH   EPISCOPAL   DISTRICT. 
Central  Texas  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

J    Johnson Austin,  Tex 

H.   Smith Waco,  Tex 

D.   Miller Waco,  Tex 

W.    Williams Palestine,  Tex 

R.    Newsom Chatfield,  Tex 

C.  Walker Hillsboro,  Tex 

A.  Young San    Marcos,  Tex 

W.    McDade Cleburne,  Tex 

Lay  Delegates 

B.  Kincheon Belton,  Tex 

H.  Passon Austin,  Tex 

Texas  Annual  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

C.  Hunt Houston,  Tex 

R.    M.    Lee Sherman,  Tex 

J.    Howard Houston,  Tex, 

F.   Washington Houston,  Tex 

W.   Warren Conroe,  Tex 

Lay  Delegates 

R.    Roberts Palestine,  Tex 

Miles Palestine,  Tex 

Northeast   Texas    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

G.    Winn Terrell,  Tex 

W.    Abington Corsicana,  Tex 

A.  Carr Dallas,  Tex 

B.  Young Waco,  Tex 

S.  Jenkins Fort  Worth,  Tex 

A.  Jones Waxahachie,  Tex 

W.   Wright Pittsburg,  Tex 

O.   Boyd Waxahachie,  Tex 

D.  Herron Marshall,  Tex 

Lay  Delegates 

M.  Kirk Pittsburg.  Tex 

West    Texas    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

L.  Pendergraff Brenham,  Tex 

H.    Hughes Brenham,  Tex 

B.  Butler Austin,  Tex 

Deaver La    Grange,  Tex 

Lay  Delegates 

L.    Storm Lexington,  Tex 

L.    Jackson Belleville,  Tex 

Southwest  Texas   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

L.  Morgan San  Antonio,  Tex 

W.   McCowan Lockhart,  Tex 

S.   Sims San   Antonio,  Tex 

McElroy Columbia,  Tex 

illiam  J.   Laws San  Antonio,  Tex 

Lay  Delegates 

R.  Thomas San   Antonio,  Tex 


H. 

E. 

T. 

E. 

A. 

T- 

J. 

A. 

F. 

H 

A. 

G. 

ELEVENTH  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 

Florida   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Daniels Quincy,   Fla 

Starke Tallahassee,    Fla 

Kershaw Tallahassee,    Fla 

Brown Tallahassee,  Fla 

Lay  Delegates 

Flipper Monticello,    Fla 

Davis Tallahassee,   Fla 


West  Florida  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

T.    M.   Wise Tallahassee,  Fla. 

R.    W.    Whitehurst Marianna,  Fla. 

N.    Z.    Graham Marianna,  Fla. 

S.  H.  Betts Marianna,  Fla. 

P.    T.    Crenshaw Chattahoochee,  Fla. 

Lay  Delegates 

I.   A.   White Jacksonville,  Fla. 

W.   J.   Jordan Cottondale,  Fla. 

East   Florida   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

G.    W.    Hawkins Gainesville,  Fla. 

S.   M.   Gibbs Ocala,  Fla. 

R.   D.    McLin Hague,  Fla. 

J.    H.    Dickerson Jacksonville,  Fla. 

P.    R.    Roberts Gainesville,  Fla. 

J.    W.    Dukes Ocala,  Fla. 

D.    D.   Dickerson Windsor,  Fla. 

J.  W.  Fleming Live  Oak,  Fla. 

Lay  Delegates 

R.    Reche-  Williams Ocala,  Fla. 

G.    M.    Mills High    Springs,  Fla. 

South  Florida  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

S.   A.   Harris Cocoa,   Fla. 

S.    T.    Patterson East    Palatka,    Fla. 

D.  A.   Perrin Orlando,   Fla. 

S.  A.  Williams Tampa,   Fla. 

C.    S.   Long Daytona,   Fla. 

M.  T.  Carey Tampa,  Fla. 

T.  J.  Williams Sandford,  Fla. 

J.    S.    Bras  well Orlando,   Fla. 

Lay  Delegates 

K.   S.   Johnson Sanf ord,   Fla. 

Thompson Leland,  Fla. 

TWELFTH  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 

Northeast   Oklahoma   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Thomas   W.   Kidd Muskogee,  Okla. 

Tames    A.    Johnson Tulsa,  Okla. 

L.  E.   Nelson Fort   Gibson,  Okla. 

R.     M.     Perrin Muskogee,  Okla. 

Lay  Delegates 

S.  T.  Wiggins Wagoner,  Okla. 

W.    E.   Day Sapulpa,  Okla. 

Central    Oklahoma    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

I.   H.   Hawkins Chickasha,   Okla. 

M.    W.    Austin Hugo,    Okla. 

J.  S.  Smith Hugo,  Okla. 

G.  B.  Richardson Kiamichi,  Okla. 

Lay  Delegates 

Robert    L.    Fortune Wilburton,    Okla. 

Herbert    L.    Leslie McAlester,    Okla. 

Oklahoma  Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

C.    R.    Tucker Tulsa,    Okla. 

A.    R.    Dobbins Guthrie,    Okla. 

J.  S.  Dawson El  Reno,  Okla. 

Lay  Delegates 

S.    J.     Caesar Shawnee,    Okla. 

M.   J.   Johnson Kingfisher,   Okla. 

Arkansas   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

A.    H.    Hill Little    Rock,    Ark. 

T.  D.  Dennis Newport,  Ark. 

C.  B.  Ashford Hot  Springs,  Ark. 

E.  C.   Foreman Fort    Smith,   Ark. 

T.   M.   B.   Mitchell Jonesboro,  Ark. 

H.    C.    Beaslev Little    Rock,   Ark. 

D.  T.  Scoggins England,  Ark. 

386 


£ 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


e 


Lay  Delegates 

Hal.  M.  Taylor Argenta,  Ark. 

G.   S.  Evans Scotts,  Ark. 

West    Arkansas    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

W.   L.  Taylor Gurdon,  Ark. 

William  Lampkin Gurdon,  Ark. 

H.  G.   Montgomery Hot   Springs,  Ark. 

P.   S.  Hill Wilberforce,  Ohio 

William    Crain McNeil,  Ark. 

E.   F.   Davis Hope,  Ark. 

W.  H.  J.  Powell Camden,  Ark 

W.    J.    Baylum Carthage,  Ark. 

Lay  Delegates 

S.   A.   Hughes Stephens,  Ark. 

W.    J.    C.    Hunter Argenta,  Ark. 

South    Arkansas    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

H.  Scott Pine  Bluff,  Ark. 

J.   W.   Whitesides Pine   Bluff,  Ark. 

James  Jones Pine   Bluff,  Ark. 

P.   W.    DeLyles Pine    Bluff,  Ark. 

0.  L.   Mody Pine    Bluff,  Ark. 

.J.   H.   Clayborne Arkadelphia,  Ark. 

H.   D.   Brown Dumas,  Ark. 

Lay  Delegates 

Fred   F.  Lytes Pine   Bluff,  Ark. 

John    H.    Harrison Wlimar,  Ark. 

East    Arkansas    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

L.   S.   Overall Helena,   Ark. 

W.    T.     Pope Argenta,    Ark. 

R.    C.   Holbrook Helena,   Ark. 

E.    J.    Lunnon Marianna,    Ark. 

Ned.  W.  Coleman Cotton   Plant,  Ark. 

B.  J.  Finnie Holly  Grove,  Ark. 

Lay  Delegates 

E.  W.  West Hensley,  Ark. 

A.   L.   Fleming Edmondson,  Ark. 

THIRTEENTH  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 
Sierra   Leone   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

H.  M.  Steady Freetown,  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa 

J.  P.   Richards Freetown,  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa 

Lay  Delegates 

1.  E.    Steady Wilberforce,    Ohio 

George  Herring Freetown,  West  Africa 


Liberia   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

H.    G.    Knight Monrovia,   Liberia,   W.   A. 

A.  L.  Brisbane Monrovia,  Liberia,  W.  A. 

Lay  Delegates 

M.    W.    Davis Monrovia,    Liberia 

Allen  Tansy Cape  Palmas,  Liberia 

Lay  Alternates 

George   W.   Ellis Chicago,   111. 

Johnson    Mason Monrovia,    Liberia 

FOURTEENTH  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 
Transvaal    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Samuel   James    Mabote South  Africa 

John   Matero   Pangani  Lebala South  Africa 

Alternates 

Azael  Abiel   Mareka South  Africa 

Lazarus    Ralesibane    Muthlo South  Africa 

Cape   Colony   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Peter   Sampson   Kuze South   Africa 

Alternate 
Chalmers   Nyombolo South   Africa 

Orange    Free    State    Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

James    Yapi   Tantsi South   Africa 

Alternate 
Abel    Senamela    Gabashane South    Africa 

FIFTEENTH  EPISCOPAL  DISTRICT. 
Ontario   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Richard    Hackett Hamilton,    Can. 

James   Edward   Lyons Cassopolis,   Mich. 

Lay  Delegates 

George     M.    Stockton Windsor,    Can. 

Robert    Day Chatham,    Can. 

Michigan   Conference. 

Ministerial  Delegates 

Tames    Monroe   Henderson Detroit,    Mich. 

John   William   Saunders Fort   Wayne,   Ind. 

Lay  Delegates 

James    Willilam    Butler Kalamazoo,    Mich. 

George    Milton    Carter Detroit,    Mich. 


38/ 


Index 


ABINGTON,    Rev.    C.    W 

Adams,    Rev-    Alcorn    

Allen,    Bishop    Richard     

Allen,     Sarah     

Alexander,  Connie  C 

Alexander,  Rev.  W.  G 

Alabama    Conference,    W.    H.    &    F.    M.    S 

Alabama  (South)  Conference,  VV.  H.  &.  F.  M.S. 

Adams,    Miss    J.    \V 

Allen,  Rev.   C.   E 

Allen,    Mrs.    C.    E 

Allen,  Rev.  Geo.  W 

Allen,    Mrs.    Geo.    W 

Allen    C.    E.    League    

Allen,    Miss    Mattie    

Allen      University. .  ■  T . ., , . .»1t    

Abstinence     

Admission    of    Preachers     

On    Trial     

To    full    Connection    

Admission    of   Members    

Addresses    of    Bishops    

Addresses    of    General    Officers    

Alston,    Mr.    L.    W 

Alston,    Mrs.    M.    J 

Alston,   Rev.    \V.   R 

Amos,    Rev.    A.    A 

A.    M.    E.    Church,  Origin   of    

A.    M.    E.    Zion    Church    

Anderson,    Rev.    B.    C 

Anderson,   Rev.   H.   P 

Anderson,    Mrs.    H.    P 

Anderson,    Rev.    J.    C 

Annual     Conference     

Annual     Conferences,     number     

Annual    Conferences,    boundaries    

Armstrong,    Bishop    J.    H 

Antigua      

Antinomianism      

Apostle    Creed     

Apostlic    Succession    

Arnett,    Bishop   B.    W 

Arnett,    Rev.    B.    W 

Arnett,    Rev.    H.    Y 

Arnett,    Mrs.    H.    Y 

Apostolic    Succession     

Appeals      

Artis,   Mrs.    M.   L 

Asbury   Church,   Chester    

Ashley,    Rev.    H.    C 

Ashley,    Mrs.    H.     C 

Ashley,    Mrs.    H.    C 

Ashton,  Mrs.  E.  G 

Assignment    of    Bishops    

Askew,    Rev.    T.    J 

Atlanta,  (Ga.)  W.  H.  &   F.  M.  S 

Atkinson,    Rev.    R.    L 

Atkinson,  Mr.   W.   C 

Atlantic    City,    St.    James    

Avery      Fund      

Avery,    Mr.    J.    M 

Ayler,    Rev.    J.    C 

Africa      

Africa,    (South)     

Arkansas     Conference     

Arkansas,     East     

Arminianism     

Articles    of    Religion     


BALTIMORE    Conference 

Bands      

Barksdale,    Rev.    J.    D.    ... 
Barksdale,    Mrs.    J.    D.    ... 

Baptism     

Banks,    Charles    

Barnes,    Mrs.    M.    G 

Battle.   Rev.  J.    D 


Sketch. 
IS 
19 

265 

19 

20 
321 
321 
265 
266 

21 
22 
289 
22 
__2S9^_ 


283 

283 

283 

283 

284 

284 

280 

22 

22 

23 

24 

284 

284 

24 

24 


289 

290 

290 

25 

290 

290 

290 

290 

25 

27 

27 

290 
290 

27 
299 

28 
266 

28 
291 

28 
321 

29 

30 

291 
30 
30 
284 
284 
290 
290 
290 
290 


Illustration. 
18 
19 
17 
265 
19 
20 


265 

266 

266 

21 

21 


22 
289 


22 
22 


262 


24 
330 
24 


164 


164 
27 
27 

266 

266 
28 

300 
28 

266 

328 


29 

30 

291 

30 
30 


292 

292 

31 

31 

31 

292 

338 

32 

32 

32 

32 

Battles,    Mrs.    Sadie    ... 

Baxter,    Rev.    D.    M.  ,, 

Beckett,    Mrs.    J.    \V.              „ 

Beamon,    Rev.    G.    W.                                    -' 

Beard,    Rev.    I.    E.    ..               "               H 

Beck,   Prof.   J.    B « 

Beckett,    Rev.    I.    C « 

Beckett,    Rev.    "T.    \V.    .                '                1? 

Beckett,    Rev.    L.    M.             iy 

Beckett,    Mrs.    L.    M.      .        

Beckett,    Bishop    W.    \V.    .         11^— -> ^  is 

Beckett,    Bishop    \V.    \V             '  ^^~rr^  ^x, 

Belliny.   Prof.  D.   S.   D.    .-. ..              '  -m 

Bennett,   Rev.   H.   W.    B ...'.'.'. "% 

Benediction      gn. 

Bethel      %■: 

Bennett,   Mrs.    T.   A.    ..   

Bentley,    Rev.    D.    S.    . . .       ,q 

Berry,    Rev.    Rubard    ,« 

Bethel,  Clearwater,      Fla. 

Bethel     Institute 

Bethel    Literary    Society      .  ^7 

Bethel,    Georgetown.    S.    C  

Bethel,    Lamott,    Pa. 

Bethel.  Philadelphia      ...             ,!= 

Bethel.  Quincy,      111 ..."; 3,3= 

Betlmne,    Mrs.    M.    L.    . .                        ,Q 

Bctts.    Rev.    S.    H ,0 

Bianchi,    Rev.    B.    A                 '                     % 

Bowen,    Miss    M 

Billings,   Rev.    C.    F '.'.'.'.'.'.'..'. 40 

Bishops     ~T; 

Bishops'    Council S, 

Boddie,   Rev.    F.    F ^ 

Bishops'    Widows    00, 

Boards,    General    '...'. 29' 

Book     Concern     29q 

Boston     Mass.,   A.    M.    E.    Church ".'.'.'.'.'." 294 

Both    Kinds    ,„? 

Bowling.    Rev.    A.   J.    .             '                 ., 

Branch.   Rev.    R.    V.    ...     o« 

Braxton.   Rev.    \V.    H.    .             "               j, 

Braswell,  Rev.    7.   S     .                 ,, 

Braswell.   Mrs.   J.   S.    ..    A 

Bray.    Rev.    II.    F ,~ 

Brent,    Rev.    G.    W ..'. ~f, 

Brinson,    Mr.    Jesse     ...                   "  A 

Brisbane,    Rev.    A.    L.      ..            £ 

British    M.    E.    Church    o£ 

Brookens,    Rev.    J.    A.                                   J, 

Brookins.   Mrs.   M.    L.   H.    .         A 

Brooklyn,    Bridge   St.    Church 

Brooks,   Rev.    C.    E.    . .                        ,, 

Brooks,    Rev.    R.    B.    .  "  ■      Vc 

Brooks,    Rev.    R.    D.    . .       % 

Brown.    Rev.    D.    J 1? 

Brown,    Rev.    H.   D.    ...                 "               7? 

Brown,    Bishop   J.    M.    . .             ,47 

Brown,    Bishop    Morris     ..  " "      " "       1/  In 

Brown,    Rev.    N.    W.    ..      " *~^ — ' C— is 

Brown,    Mrs.    R ™ 

Browne,   Rev.   J.   A !.   ".' JQ 

Bruce,    Rev.    E.    T 1 

Bruce,    Mrs.    E.    T 

Bryant,    Mrs.     B  

Bryant.    Ira    T -n 

Bryant,   Rev.    M.    E.    ...          ,„ 

Bryant,    Mrs.    M.    E.    .  

Buckley,    Mrs.    M.   A 

budgets  ;;;; .„. 

Bumry,    Rev.    R.    H "?, 

Buren,    Rev.    .\T.    C e, 

Buren,   Mrs.    X.    C.    ...         \\ 

Burgan,    Rev.    I.    M.    ...         c? 

Burgan,    Mrs.    I.    M 

Burlcy,   Rev.  J.   II.   W  « 

Butler,    Rev.    D.    H ,5! 

Butler,    Mrs.    D.    H.    ...                „ 

Butler,    Mr.   J.    W                 « 

Butler,    Rev.    W.    H.    H.    . '. S 

Butler,    Mrs.    W.    H     H  

Byas,    Dr.    A.    D re 

Byrd,    Rev.     Elijah     ..'. 55 


Sketch.    Illustration. 


331 

33 

37,  325 

34 

34 

35 

36 

36 

37 
328     ' 

38 
287 
267 


324 
38 
267 
308 
285 
367 
313 
316 
346 
354 
163 
39 
40 
367 
40 


293,  378-; 
294 


267 
41 
42 
42 

268 
43 
43 

164 


44 

295 
44 
45 
45 
46 
47 
47 
48 
48 

331 
49 
49 
49 

331 
50 
50 
50 

334 

51 
51 
52 
52 
53 
53 

269 
54 
55 
54 
54 

164 
55 


<B 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


<g<* 


Byrd,    Mrs.    Elijah 
Byrd,    Mrs.    M.    L. 

Byrd,     Wm 

Byrd,    W.    P    Q.     .. 
Borrowing      


c 

CAIN,    Bishop   R.   H 

C.    M.    E.    Church    

Caldwell,    Mr.    Jas.    W 

Caldwell,   Rev.  J.   C 

Calvinism      

Campbell,   Bishop  J.    P 

Campbell,    Mrs.    J.    P 

Campbell     College     

Canada,  A.   M.    E.   Church    

Canady,    Rev.    H.    D 

Canonical    Scriptures    

Capehart,    Rev.    W.    H 

Carey,   Rev.   A.   J 

Carolina,    Rev.    W.    P 

Carpenter,    Rev.-  W.    S 

Carter,    Miss    E.    C 

Carter,    Rev.    J.     B 

Catechism      

Catto,    Rev.    W.    T 

Central   Park    Normal   School    

Certain,    Rev.    W.    D 

Certain,    Mrs.    W.    D 

Channell,    Rev.    S.    J 

Channell,    Mrs.    S.    J 

Charleston,    S.    C,    A.    M.    E.    Church 

Chappelle,    Bishop    W.    D 

Chappelle,    Mrs.    W.    D 

Charles    Street    Church,    Boston 

Christmas,    Mrs.    C 

Chronology     

Chrystal,     Mr.     C.     C , 

Choirs    

Cheeks,    Rev.    R.    M 

Chester,     Pa.,     Asbury     : . . . , 

Chester,    Pa.,    Murphy    

Chestnut,    Rev.    J.    H 

Chicago,     Quinn     Chapel      

City    Council,    Mound    Bayou,    Miss.    . . 

Clark,    Rev.    M.    M 

Clark,    Rev.    T.    G 

Class    Leaders     

Clayborn,    Rev.    J.     H 

Clemens,    Mr.    W.    E 

Class     Meetings      

Coffee,    Rev.    T.    W 

Coker,     Rev.     D 

Cole,    Rev.    C.    P 

Cole,   Mrs.   C.   P 

Composition    of    General    Conference     . 

Coleman,    Rev.    W.    H 

Collier,    Rev.    J.    W.    P 

Commentaries     

Conner,    Bishop    J.    M.    " 

Conner,    Mrs.    J.    M 

Cook,    Rev.    W.    D 

Cooper,    Rev.    A.     R 

Cooper,    Rev.    H.    H 

Cooper,    Mrs.    H.    H 

Cooper,    Rev.    J.    W 

Connectional      Schools      

Conferences      

Coppin,    Bishop    L.    J 

Coppin,    Mrs.    L.    J 

Coppin,    Mrs.    Fanny    J 

Corde,     Rev.     A.     J 

Corporation      

Corr,    Mr.   J.    M 

Cotton,    Rev.    T.    W 

Course   of   Study    

Covenant    of    Grace     

Cox,    Mr.    W.    H 

Craig,    Mrs.    L.    L 

Craw,     Rev.     J,     L 

Craw,    Mrs.    J.    L 

Crayton,    Rev.     F    .C 

Crews,    Rev.    P.    C 

Cuff,    Mrs.    C.    C 

Cummings,     Rev.     P.     C 

Curry,    Rev.    J.    W 

Curtis,    Rev.    J.     B 

Choir,     Murphy     

Clarke,     Mrs.     Venus     

Clarke,   Mrs.    D.    K 

Clearwater,    Fla 

Circuits     

Children's    Day    

Christian      Recorder      

Christmas     Conference     

Church    Extension    Society     

Church     Property 


D 

DAKER,    Rev.    P 

Daniels,    Rev.    I.    N 

David,    Rev.     G.     F 

Day,    Mrs.   J.    E 

Days,    Connectional    

Davidson,    Prof.    H.    D 

Davis,    Miss    Clara    

Davis,  Mrs.  L.  A 


:etch. 

Illustration 

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Sketch.  Illustration. 


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339,  375 
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308 


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304 

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332 

79 

80,  321 

Davis,    Mrs.    M.    E 

Davis,    Rev.     M.     E 

Davis,    Rev.    W.    O 

Davis,    Rev.    W.    H 

Deacon      

Deaconesses      

Dean,    Rev.    C.    J 

Dean,    Rev.    H 

Deas,   Rev.    D.    C 

Deeds      

Degrees      

De  Laine,   Rev.   H.   C 

Delegates     

Delegates   to  Centennial  General   Conference 

Denver,    Col _U^,_«..»M 

Derrick,    Bishop    W.    B r. ^TT.TTT.. 77/7777 

Devlin,    Rev.    T.    C 

Dicker  son,    Rev.    J.    H .-. 

Dickerson,    Bishop    W.    F.    . ' 

Disney,    Bishop    R.    R 

Dixon,    Rev.    M.    R 

Downs,    Rev.    R.    R 

Downs,    Mrs.    R.    R 

Drummond,    Rev.    W.    S 

Drummond,    Mrs.    W.    S 

Dollar     Money     

Doxology      

Dukes,    Rev.    J.    W 

Dress      , 

Drew     Seminary     

Dunlap,    Rev.    C.    C 

Dunlap,    Mrs.    C.    C 

Dudley,    Mrs.    S.    B 

E 

ECUMENICAL     Conference     

Editors      

Educational     Department     

Edward    Waters    College    

Edwards,    Mr.    P.    H 

Edwards,    Wm 

Edwards,    Mrs.    Wm 

Edwards,    W.    H 

Electoral    College     

Ellis,    Mr.    G.    W ; 

Edwards,    Mrs.    S.    B 

Emanuel    Church,    Charleston     

Emanuel    Church,    Officers    

Embry,    Bishop   J\    C 

Episcopal    Address     

Evans,    Dr.    E.    G 

Evans,    Rev.    J.    J 

Evans,    Miss    M.    G 

Epworth     League     

Episcopacy     

Episcopal     Committee      

Evangelists      

Evangelical     Bureau      

Exhorters      

Experience     

F 

FELDER,    Rev.    S.    P 

Finance     Committee     

Financial     Department     

Flagg,    Rev.    L.    S 

Fleming,    Rev.   J.    R 

Fleming,    Rev.    J.    W 

Flegler    High    School    

Flipper,    Bishop   J.    S 

Florida    Conference    

Florida,     Central     

Florida,     East     

Florida,    South    

Florida,     West     

Ford,   Rev.    R.    E ,,'..., 

Ford,    Mrs.    M.    A 

Foree,    Prof.    W.    B ....'.'..'..'.'.'.'., 

Foundery    Chapel     

Forniss,    Mr.    J.    H 

Founders      

Fountain,    Rev.    W.    A 

Fraternal     Delegates 

G 

GAINES,    Rev.    A.    L 

Gaines,    Rev.    P.    P 

Gaines,    Bishop    W.    T 

Gantt,    Mrs.    S .'..    .      . 

Gardner,     Prof.     R.     j 

Garrett,    Prof    C.    G .....!!!""! 

General    Conferences     '.'.'.*.*.'. 

General    Boards    ' 

General     Rules     "_' 

Georgia,    Augusta,    Conference 

Georgia,    Macon     

Georgia,    North     '...'..'..'.'.'..'." 

Georgia,     South 

Georgia,    Southwest     ".] 

Georgetown,    S.    C 

Gibbons,    Rev.    J.    T 

Gibbs,   Rev.   S.   M 

Gould,    Rev.    Theo .............'. 

Graham,    Rev.    D.    A '.'.'.'..". 

Graham,    Mrs.    D.    A .'.".'..."'.' 

Graham,    Rev.    N.    Z 


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© 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA  OF  THE 


s 


Grant,    Bishop    A 

Grant,  Rev.   T.  H 

Grantt,  Miss    C.  A.   R. 

Gray,   Rev.  A.   P 

Green,    Rev.    C.    H 

Greene,   Rev.    S.   L 

Greene,   Rev.   C.   A.  A. 

Gregg,    Rev.    J.    A 

Gulfport,    Miss 

Gullins,    Rev.    W.    R.    .. 

Gumby,    Mr.    Noah    

Gloria    Patri     


H 


:etch. 

Illustration 

272 

272 

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97 

y« 

98 

9S 

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ion 

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99 

99 

274 

274 

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314 

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100 

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101 

314 

Sketch.    Illustration. 


HADDEN,    Rev.    T.    G.    . 

Hadley,    Rev.    J.   A 

Hadley,    Mrs.   J.   A 

Hair,   Rev.   J.   W 

Hale,  Mr.  J.   W 

Hall,    Rev.    A.    T 

Hall,   Rev.   J.    T 

Hall,    Mr.   T>.    H 

Hall,    Rev.    J.    \V 

Hall,    Mr.    W.    P 

Handy,    Bishop    J.    A.    ... 

Handy,   Mrs.   J.   A 

Handy,    Mrs.    M.    F 

Hardy,    Rev.    H.    D 

Hardy,    Mr.    B 

Harewood,   Rev.   J.   B.    — 

Harmon,    Rev.    Jno 

Harris,  Rev.   F.  L 

Harris,    Rev.    V.    H 

Harris,    Rev.    William    

Harrison,    Rev.    J.    McK. 

Hawkins,    Rev.    G.    \Y 

Hawkins,    Prof.   J.    R 

Hawkins,    Mrs.    J.    R 

Hawkins,   Mrs.   L.   E.   S. 

liayden,    Mrs.    P 

Heard,    Bishop    W.    H.    .. 

Heard,    Mrs.    \V.    H 

Heath,  Rev.  \V.  H.  B.  .. 
Henderson,  Rev.  C.  L.  ... 
Henderson,  Mrs.  C.  L.  . 
Henderson,  Rev.  J.  M.  . 
Henderson,  Rev.  T.   W.    . 

Hill,   Rev.   A.   H 

Hill,    Rev.    D.    C 

Hill,    Mrs.    D.    G 

Hill,    Rev.    J.    B. 

Historical     Association 

History,    Bureau    of    

Hogarth,    Rev.    Geo 

Holiness      

Hollings,   Rev.    M.    A.    ... 

Holt,    Rev.    K.    C 

Hood,   Rev.    S.   P 

Hooper,    Mr.    T.    H 

Hopkins,  Mrs.  M.   E 

Horry,    Rev.    A.    F.    B.    ... 

Horry,   Mrs.   A.    F.   B 

Houston,    Mr.    J.    S 

Howard,    Prof.    C.    F 

Howard,    Prof.    G.    W.    .. 

Howard,    Mrs.    D.    T 

Hoxter,    Prof.    W.    F 

Hoxter,     Rev.     W.     H.     ... 

Hoxter,    Mrs.    W.    H 

Hubbard,    Rev.    P.    A 

Hubbard,    Mrs.    P.    A 

Huddson,    Mrs.    D.    D.     .. 

Hunt,    Rev.    P.    C 

Hunter,    Rev.    E.    H 

Hunter,    Mrs.    E.    H 

Hunter,   Rev.    W.   H 

Hurley,    Rev.    R.    F 

Hurst,    Bishop    Jno 

Hurst,    Mrs.    Jno 

Hurst,   Mrs.   K.    Bertha    .. 


INFANT     Baptism 

Introduction     

Itinerancy     

Iverson,   Rev.   J.   O. 


JACKSON,   Prof.   A.   S 

Jackson,    Airs.    A.    S 

Jackson,   Mrs.    D.    K 

Jackson,    Rev.    E.    G 

Jackson,    Rev.    G.    L 

Jackson,    Mrs.    G.    L 

Jackson,    Rev.    J.    D 

Jackson,    Rev.    J.    E 

Jackson,    Rev.    T.    H j. 

Jacobs,    Rev.    I.    D J. 

Jacobs,    Rev.    I.     S 

Jameson,    Rev.    H.    W 

Jarvis,    Rev.    J.    W 

Jenifer,    Rev.    B.    J 

Jenifer,    Rev.    J.    T 

Jennifer,    Prof.    William     

John     St.     Church 


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JOS 

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Johnson,    Prof.    A.    J 

Tohnson,    Prof.    C.    H 

Johnson,    Rev.    D.    T 

Johnson,    Rev.    D.    H 

Johnson,    Mrs.    D.    H. 

Johnson,    Rev.    G.    C 

Johnson,    Rev.    G.    F 

Johnson,    Bishop    J.    A. 
Johnson,    Bishop    J.    A.     . 

Johnson,    Mrs.    J.    A 

Johnson,    Rev.    J.    Q 

Johnson,    Mr.    K.    S 

Johnson,    Rev.    L.    J 

Johnson,    Mr.    M.    G 

Johnson,    Mrs.    Rosa    

Johnson,    Rev.    S.    J 

Johnson,    Rev.    S.    M 

Johnson,    Rev.    W.    B 

Johnson,    Rev.    W.    D.     ... 
Johnson,   Rev.   \V.   D.,  Jr. 

Johnson,    Rev.    W.    T 

Joiner,    Rev.    E.    C 

Joiner,    Prof.    W.    A 

Jones,    Rev.    G.    W 

Jones,    Rev.    H.    L.    P.    ... 

Jones,    Rev.    J.    A 

Jones,    Bishop    J.    H 

Jones,    Rev.    J.    J 

Jones,    Rev.    O.    E 

Jones,    Rev.    S.    B 

Jones,    Mrs.    I.    D 

Jordan,  Rev.  A.   M 

Tordan,    Prof.    D.    I 

Jordan,    Rev.    P.    J 

Justification     


K 


M 


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315 


KANSAS    City,   Allen    Church 

Kealing,    Prof.    H.    T 

Kinch,    Mrs.     E.     C 

Kincheon,    Prof.    L.    B 

King,    Rev.    C.    H 

Kitchen,    Mrs.    C.    B 

Kittrell     College     


LACEY,    Rev.    W.    H.    .. 

Lampton     College     

Lampton,    Bishop    E.    W. 
Lankford,     Prof.     J.    A. 

Lane,    Mrs.    E 

Lawrence,    Rev.    T.    H.    . 
Lawrence,    Mrs.    T.    H. 

Laws,  Mrs.  L.  D 

Lawyer,    Rev.    C.    B.    ... 

Layman     ' 

Leak,    Rev.    R.    H.    W.    .. 
Leaker,    Rev.    R.    H.    W. 
Lebala,    Rev.    J.    M.    P. 

Lee,    Bishop    B.    F 

Lee.    Mrs.    B.    F 

Lee,  Rev.  I.   S 

Lee,    Mrs.    I.    S 

Lewis,    Rev.    Jeremiah 

Lewis,    Rev.    W.    C 

Lewis,    Rev.    T.    W 

Lewis,    Rev.    W.    A 

Liberia,      

Lindsay,    Rev.    J.    A 

Lindsay,    Mrs.    J.    A 

Lingo,    Mrs.    M 

Link,    Rev.    J.    L 

Local     Deacon      

Local    Elder    

Logan,    Rev.     L.     A 

■Lomax,   Rev.    J.    T 

Louisiana,    North    

Love    Feast     

Lowber,    Mr.    II.    H.     ... 

Lowe,    Rev.    J.    I 

Luckie,    Rev.    P.    A 

Lynch,   Rev.  James   A.    . 


MACKALL,    Rev.    J.    O. 
Mackall,    Mrs.    J.    O.    ... 
Madre,    Miss    M.    A.    D. 
Makel,    Mrs.    Flora    L.     . 
Malone,    Hon.    G.    W.     ... 

Mance,   Rev.    R.    W 

Mance,    Mrs.    R.    W 

Manning,    Rev.    C.    M.     .. 

Marriage      

Marshall,    Mrs.    Cornelia 

Martin,    Mrs.    A 

Martin,    Rev.    J.    G 

Martin,    Rev.    J.    H 

Martin,    Rev.    M.    M 

Mason,    Mr.    D.   James    .. 

Masonry     

Mathews,    Mrs.    R.    T.    .. 

Means,    Rev.    S.     G 

Metropolitan     Church     ... 

Merrick,    Mr.    John     

Methodist    


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& 


AFRICAN  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


8 


Sketch.    Illustration. 


Methodist     Episcopal    Church     

M.    E.    Church,    South     

Michcll,  Rev.  J.  M.   B 

Michigan    Conference    

Mickens,    Rev.    M.    IT 

Mills,    Rev.     P.     E 

Mills,    Mrs.    P.     E 

Minister 

Missionaries      

Missionary     Department     

Missionary    Societies,    W.    H.    &    F. : 

Alabama     

South    Alabama     

Atlanta,     Ga 

East     Arkansas     

North     Carolina      

Tennessee      

Central     Tennessee     

West     Tennessee     

Missionary    Societies,    Women's    Mite: 

Baltimore     

Chicago     

New     England     

New    Jersey    

New    York    

Philadelphia     

Virginia      

West    Virginia     

Mississippi    Conference     (East)     

Mississippi    Conference    (North)     

Missouri    Conferences     

Mixon,    Rev.    W.    H 

Moore,    Bishop    M.    M 

Moore,    Rev.    T.    Y 

Montgomery,    I.     T 

Morant,    Mr.    A.    B 

Morant,    Rev.    D.    R 

Morant,    Rev.    J.    T 

Morris,    Rev.     T.    E 

Morris,    Rev.    S.    S 

Morris    Brown    University     

Mosely,    Mrs.    N.    W.    E 

Mount    Zion,    Ocala     

Mound    Bayou,    Miss ., 

Murchcrson,    Rev.    A.    R 

Murphy    Church,    Chester    

Murray,    Rev.    A.    L 

Murray,    Rev.    C.    H 

Myers,    Prof.    I.    M.    A 

Myers,    Rev.    J.    H 

McCLENDON,    Rev.    W.    A 

McDonald,    Rev.    J.    F 

McEaddy,    Rev.    J.    C 

McGee,   Rev.    C.   A 

N 

NASHVILLE,    Tenn.,    St.    Paul     . 

Nazrey,    Bishop    W 

Nelson,    Rev.    L.    E 

Nelson,    Mrs.    M.    V 

Negroes     

New   England   Conference    

New    York  

Newton,    Rev.    A.    H 

Nichols,   Rev.   J.   H 

Nichols,   Rev.    L.   R 

Nichols,   Rev.    P.   A 

Norfolk,    Va.,    St.    John     

Norris,    Rev.    J.    W 

Nottingham,    Rev.    A.    J 

North    Carolina    

Nutter,    Mr.    I.    H 


OCALA,     Fla 

Ohio  Conference  .... 
Osborne,  Rev.  W.  T. 
Overall,  Rev.  L.  S.  . 
Owens,   Mrs.   0.   G.    . 


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PALMER,    Rev.   J.    M 

Palmer,  Mrs.   T.   M 

Parker,    Mrs.    M.    F 

Parker,    Mr.    H.    H 

Parks,    Bishop    H.    B ,,  ,  , 

Paul    Quinn    College    

Patterson,    Rev.    S.    J 

Payne,   Miss   A.    B 

Payne,    Bishop    D.    A \: 

Pearson,    Mrs.    M.    S 

Pendergrass,    Rev.    D.    P 

Payne    University     

Perfection     

Perrin,    Rev.    D.    A 

Perrin,    Mrs.    D.    A 

Payne    College     

Pavne    Seminary    

Phillips,    Rev.    W.    A.    J 

Philadelphia     Conference     

Pierce,    Rev.    A.    W 

Pinckney,   Rev.    H.    H 

Philadelphia      

Polk,    Rev.    P.    H 

Poole,    Mrs.    S.    B 


174 


308 
342 
173 
173 
324 


332 

332 

174 

174 

280 

280 

344 

344 

174 

174 

332 

174 

175 

i 

324 

175 

175 

345 

345 

345 

175 

175 

176 

175 

344 

344 

176 

345 

176 

177 

177 

177 

352 

178 

178 

332 

Pope,  Rev.  R.  L.  ... 
Pope,  Rev.  W.  T.  . 
Porter,   Rev.    G.    W.    . 

Portsmouth,    Va 

Powell,    Rev.    B.    J.    . 

Preface     

Presiding    Elders     .... 
Prince,    Rev.    W.    H.    . 
Prince,    Mrs.    W.    H. 
Prioleau,    Rev.    G.    W. 

Probationers      

Pryor,    ev.    S.    P 

Pryor,    Mrs.    S.    P. 
Purnell,   Mr.  S.   E.    ... 


Q 

QUARTERLY    Conference    354' 

Quarterly   Conference  Journal    354' 

Quinn,    Bishop    W.    P y   >80 

Quincy,    111 ^255 


RANDOLPH,    Rev.    J.    W. 

Rankin,   Rev.   J.   W 

Ransom,    Rev.    J.    R 

Ransom,    Rev.    R.    C 

Ransom,   Mrs.    R.    C 

Rawls,    Mrs.    E 

Reed,    Rev.    J.    R 

Reese,    Rev.    B.    T 

Reynolds,    Mrs.    F 

Review,    A.    M.    E 

Rice,    Rev.    D.    E 

Rice,    Mrs.    D.    E 

Rice,    Rev.    U.    S 

Rice,    Rev.    W.    F 

Richard,    Mrs.    Eliza    

Richards,    Prof.    W.    H.     ... 

Richardson,  Mr.  A.   M 

Richardson,   Mr.   P.   A 

Ringgold,    Rev.    I.    H 

Roberts,    Rev.    D.    P 

Roberts,    Rev.    P.    R 

Roberts,    Mrs.    E.    J 

Robinson,     Miss     A 

Robinson,    Rev.   J.    H 

Robinson,    Mrs.    Emma    ... 

Rodgers,    Mr.    F.    H 

Rogers,    Rev.    F.    S 

Roman,    Dr.    C.    V 

Roseborough,    Rev.    S.    D.    . 

Ross,   Bishop  I.    N 

Ross,    Mrs.    I.    N 

Roundtree,  Mrs.  I.  W.  L. 
Roundtree.  Rev.  I.  W.  L. 
Russell,    Mrs.    A.    M 


SALARIES     

Salter,    Bishop    M    .B 

Sampson,    Rev.    T.    P 

Sampson,  Mrs.  J.  P 

St.   Joseph,   Mo 

St.    Phillips,    Savannah    

St.    Paul,    St.    Louis    

Sanders,    Rev.    A.    C 

Sanders,   Mrs.   A.    C 

Sanders,    Rev.    J.    W 

Scranton,    R.    A 

Sands,   Rev.   I.   S 

Satterfield,    Mrs.    A.    D.     ... 

Schools,    Connectional    

Scarborough,    Prof.    W.    S. 
Schemmerhorn,    Rev.   T.    A. 

Scott,  Rev.   O.  J.   W 

Scott,    Rev.    P.    A 

Scott.    Rev.    T.    D 

Seabrook,     Captain     E 

Senior    Bishop     

Shackleford,    Mr.    W.    H.    .. 

Shaffer,   Bishop   C.   T 

Shelton,   Rev.   R.    E 

Shelton,    Rev.    W.    C 

Shelton,   Mrs.   W.   C 

Sherman,    Rev.    W.    O.    P.    . 

Shorter     College     

Shorter,    Bishop   J.    A 

Shorter,    Prof.    J.    P 

Shorter    Chapel,    Denver    ... 

Simmons,     Rev.    S 

Simmons,    Mrs.    S 

Sims,   Rev.   H.   S 

Singleton,    Rev.    R.    H 

Singleton,    Mrs.   R.   H 

Smith,    Mrs.    R.    J. 

Smith,    Bishop    C.    S 

Smith,   Mrs.    C.    S 

Smith,   Rev.   G.   T 

Smith,   Mrs.   I.   B 

Smith,   Rev.    T.   H 

Smith,    Rev.    L.    H.,    Sr.    ... 
Smith,    Mrs.    Josephine    .... 

Smith,   Mrs.    Ida    

Smythe,   Rev.   T.   A 

Snelson,    Rev.    F.    G 


:etch. 

Illustration, 

178 

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353 

179 

3 

180 

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354 

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354 


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377 

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355 

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£> 


THE  CENTENNIAL  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


B 


Sketch.    Illustration. 

Snelson,   Mrs.    F.   G 210  210 

Snowden.    Mrs.    L.    C , 211  211 

South     Carolina     Conference      356 

South    Africa     284 

South    African    Students    289 

Spearman,    Rev.    H.    K 212  212 

Spearman.    Mrs.    H.    K 212 

Stansbury,    Mrs.    M 334 

Stark,   Rev.    W.    H 212  212 

Stepteau,     Rev.     C.     H 212  213 

Stepteau.    Mrs.    C.    H 313 

Steady,    Rev.    H.    11 213  213 

Sterrett.    Rev.    X.     B 214  214 

Sterrett,   Mrs.    X.    B 214 

Steward,    Mrs.    Dr.    S.    M 215  215 

South    Carolina: 

Northeast     Conference     358 

Piedmont     Conference     359 

Palmetto    Conference     358 

Southern     Recorder     360 

Statistics     5 

Stewart.    Rev.    H.    E 215  215 

Stewart,    Mrs.    H.    E 216  215 

Stewart.    Rev.     N.    B 216 

Stewart.    Mr.    W.    A 216  216 

Stinson,    Rev.    G.   T 217  217 

Stovall.    Rev.    T.     B 217  217 

Storm.    Mr.    J.    L 218  218 

Sturges,    Rev.     L 218  218 

Sturges,    Rev.    S.    L 218  219 

Sutton,    Rev.    J.    M 219  219 

Sunday-School     Union     .362 

T 

TALBERT,    Rev.    H 220  220 

Talbert,    Mr.    H.    P 220  220 

Tanner,    Bishop    B.    T 220  220 

Tanner,    Mrs.    B.    T 327 

Taylor,    Rev.    G.    C 221  221 

Taylor,    Mrs.    G.    C 221 

Taylor,    Rev.     F.    D 222  222 

Taylor,     Mrs.     F.     D 222 

Taylor.    Mrs.    N.    F 222  223 

Taylor,     Mrs.     Leah     331 

Texas      (Central)      364 

Texas    (West)    365 

Thomas,    Rev.    C.    H 223  223 

Thomas,    Rev.   J.    E 223  224 

Thomas,    Rev.    L 224  224 

Thomas,    Rev.    W.    H 2225  225 

Thomas.    Mrs.    W.    H.    (Sr.) 329 

Thompson.    Miss    B.    V 225  225 

Thompson,    Rev.    C.    W 225 

Thompson,    Rev.    J.    O.    S 226 

Thompson,     Rev.     William      226 

Thornton,     Rev.     M.     W 226  226 

Thornton,   Mrs.    A.    M 323 

Tillman,     Rev.     G.     M 227  227 

Tillman,    Mrs.    G.    M 22S  227 

Tisdale.    Mr.    James    ^— ^ 228  228 

Townsend,     Rev.     1.     M T.TH~  .■."■■:.-  ..  228 

Townsend.    Rev.    V.    M 228  229 

Townsley,    Rev.    L.    A 229  229 

Traverse,    Rev.    W.    M 230  230 

Tucks,    Mrs.    L.    H.    M 232  232 

Turner.     Bishop     H.     M 284 

Turner.    Bishop    H.    M 230  231 

Turner,    Rev.    J.    H 231  231 

Turner     College      366  366 

Tyndale,    Miss    E.    M 332 

Tyrec,    Bishop    E 231  233 

Tyrce,    Mrs.    E 231  232 

Two-cent     Money     366 

V 

VANDERHORST,    Rev.     T.    F 233  233 

Vanderhorst,    Mrs.    J.    F 233 

Vanderhorst,    Mrs.    M.    C 233  233 


Vann,  Rev.  R.  H.  . 
Virginia  Conference 
Vernon,    Rev.    W.    T. 


Sketch. 
233 


Illustration. 
234 


w 


A.  A.    E. 


WADDLETON,    Mrs. 

Walker,    Rev.    J.    W 

Walker,    Rev.     VY.     E 

Walters,    Rev.    J.    J 

Ward,    Rev.    A.    M 

Ward,    Mrs.    A.    M 

Ward,  Bishop  T.  M.  D 

Ward    Academy     

Warren,    Rev.     F.    W 

Warren,    Mrs.    F.    W 

Washington,    D.    C,    Bethel    Literary- 
Washington,    Rev.    S.    P 

Waters,     Bishop     E. 
Waters,    Rev.    H.    ... 

Waters,    Mrs.    L.    C 

Watkins,    Rev.    J.    C 

Watson,     Rev.     A.     W.     ... 

Watson.     Mr.    J.     H 

Watts.    Mr.    W.    M 

Wayman.    Bshop    A.    W.    . 

Webb.    Rev.     W.    J 

Webster,    Rev.    F.    T.    M. 

West,    Rev.    G.    H 

West,    Rev.    S.    P 

Whales,     Mrs.     A.     L 

White,    Mrs.    L.    E 

Whitesides,    Rev.    J.     W. 
Whitfield,    Rev.     C.     A.     .. 
Wlnthurst,    Rev.    R.    W. 
Wiggins,    Hon.    S.    T.     ... 

1 

C.    L.    ... 

c.    s.    ... 

E 

G. 


M 

Rev. 
Rev. 
Mr. 
Mrs 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Rev. 
Prof. 
R.  J 
Mrs.  R.  1. 
Dr.  R.  R 
Rev.    T.    J. 

c.  e: 

C.    E. 


W. 

George 

I.     F.     . 

N.    W. 

T.    K. 


W. 


Winters, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Williams, 

Wilson,    Rev 

Wilson.    Mrs 

Wilson,     Rev.     R.     E. 

Wilson.    Miss    S.    E 

Wingfield.    Rev.    C.    A 

Winn,    Rev.    A.    G 

Wise,    Rev.    J.    M 

Wittenberg,    Rev.    E 

Women's    H.    &    F.    Missionary    Society 

Woman's    Mite    Missionary    Society    

Woods,    Rev.    A.    K 

Woods.    Rev.    T.    J 

Woodson,    Rev.    T,    W 

Work.    Prof.    M.    X 

Wortham.    Rev.    P.    W 

Wright,    Rev.    M.    C 

Wright,    Mrs.    M.    C 

Wright,    Mr.    Perry    

Wright,    Rev.    R.    R., 
Wright,    Mrs.    R.    R„ 

Watkins,    Rev.    J.    C 

Wayman      Institute      

Western    University     

West    Virginia    Conference 

Wiibcrforcians   

Wilberforce    University    ... 


Jr., 
Jr., 


282 

282 

234 

234 

235 

235 

235 

236 

236 

236 

237 

237 

237 

237 

367 

237 

238 

238 

238 

367 

367 

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--^239 

262 

332 

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283 

283 

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258 

259 

259 

239 

377 

370 

370 

370 

371 

374 

374 

371 

371-373 

YOUNG,    Rev. 
Young,    Rev.    J. 
Young  Peoples' 


G.     B.     .. 
H 

Congress 


259 

260 

375 

< 


■ 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 

folio 

BX8443 

.W8 


